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open access

Who is Really in Charge Here: An Exploration of the Formation and Empowerment of Opinion Leaders in a Reddit Gaming Community

Description: In an attempt to shed light on the further sophistication of opinion leadership in online communities, this study examined the forces and structures that affect their formation in the League of Legends subreddit. By investigating what users thought about the various types of individuals with which the communicate, the researcher hoped to begin to understand and record how those forces work bother on this particular subreddit and in mass media beyond. Opinion leadership continues to be an integr… more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Carter, Clinton Chase
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Discovering Solutions: How are Journalists Applying Solutions Journalism to Change the Way News is Reported and What Do They Hope to Accomplish?

Description: Solutions journalism, rigorous reporting on responses to social problems, has gained great traction in the last decade. Using positive psychology theory, also known as the theory of well-being, this qualitative study examines the impact of reporting while using solutions journalism techniques. Applying the five pillars of positive psychology theory: positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment (PERMA), this study used interviews and content analysis to invest… more
Date: December 2018
Creator: Porter, Ashley Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

And the Stereotype Award Goes to...: A Comparative Analysis of Directors using African American Stereotypes in Film

Description: This study examines African American stereotypes in film. I studied six directors, Kathryn Bigelow, Spike Lee, the Russo Brothers, Ryan Coogler, Tate Taylor, and Dee Rees; and six films Detroit, BlacKkKlansman, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Help, and Mudbound. Using the framework of critical race theory and auteur theory, I compared the common themes between the films and directors. The main purpose of my study is to see if White or Black directors predominantly used African American… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Young, Kelcei
Partner: UNT Libraries

Is it Really a Different World? Colorism Then and Now in Black Sitcoms

Description: This study focuses on dark-skinned, Black women's representation in Black sitcoms. Through a mixed-methods use of a comparative textual analysis and focus group, the content and context of episodes from A Different World and Dear White People are explored to illustrate portrayals of dark-skinned, Black women and how these portrayals affect dark-skinned, Black women's self-esteem. Its findings contribute to colorism research by exploring colorism in Black sitcoms. Because this topic is largely u… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Johnson, Jasmine Cherese
Partner: UNT Libraries

Analysis of Regional Magazine Content and Engagement on Twitter

Description: This two-part mixed-methods study analyzed the Twitter activity of two regional magazines – D Magazine and Texas Monthly – and how social media editors implement strategies to maintain journalistic integrity (news values, topics, and ethical standards) while increasing engagement.
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Higgins, Claire Corinne
Partner: UNT Libraries

Queer in Fandom: A Uses and Gratifications Analysis of the Katy Perry Fan Community on Twitter

Description: Online fandom communities exist as a hub of subcultural construction for people across the globe. For queer people, fandom represents a space to safely converge over mutual interests. Previous research has focused on queer fans and popular music fans independently, often taking a pathological approach. This study qualitatively examines queer participants in the Katy Perry fandom through surveys and one-on-one interviews. The theoretical backbone of the study is built around uses and gratificati… more
Date: December 2020
Creator: Poteet, Maddison Jade
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Castle/Nikki Heat Phenomenon: A Detailed Examination of Female Representation in Entertainment Media

Description: As entertainment reflects a culture's ideology, it is important for researchers to study its messages and subsequently its potential meanings. Entertainment has the power to inform and persuade, creating models for behavior with which the public interacts. The entertainment texts for the purpose of this study are the Castle television series and the Nikki Heat novels. Together, they create a unique multi-layer fictional world. By using postmodern, feminist, communication, and entertainment theo… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Skinner, Katharine Virginia
Partner: UNT Libraries

Narrative Solutions to Climate Change

Description: Climate change is one of the preeminent problems facing humanity today. It has the potential to cause incalculable damages, loss of life and property, and can create an almost unlivable habitat for humans on this planet. Governments need to act in order to stop future climate harms, but the electorate must be literate in the subject in order to do so. One of the jobs of the media is to inform the public, and so it is imperative that the media find a way to accurately inform the U.S. electorate … more
Date: December 2022
Creator: Pezzulli, Katherine Keller
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Press Freedom in Saudi Arabia War Reporting: A Case Study of the Gulf and Yemen Wars

Description: This study examined press freedom in Saudi Arabia coverage in two study periods, which are the Gulf and Yemen wars. Six Saudi newspapers, which represent Saudi regions, have been content analyzed. They are: Al Riyadh, Al Yaum, Al Nadwah, Mecca, Okaz, and Al Jazirah. The major questions are: What are the most salient issues Saudi newspapers dealt with in their editorials during the study period? What are the differences between the two periods of study? And what are the differences between the e… more
Date: December 2019
Creator: Huraysi, Mohammed
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Media Coverage of Age, Gender, and Ethnicity in the 116th Congress

Description: This study focuses on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the U.S. Representative for New York's 14th Congressional District, and how news media portray her based on her gender, age, and ethnicity, which still play essential roles in the political system in the United States. The analysis of previous academic research, newspaper articles from the New York Times and the Washington Post (June 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019) and framing and feminist theories are used to evaluate coverage of Alexandria Ocasio-Cort… more
Date: December 2020
Creator: Reyes, Blanca Elena
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

A Comparative Analysis of Saudi and U.S. Online Newspapers' Framing of Saudi Women's Issues: Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage Before and After Saudi Vision 2030

Description: Previous research on framing has proved its strong effects on the social perception and political preferences of individuals. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore how Saudi women's issues have been framed in a sample of United States and Saudi newspapers. Saudi Vision 2030 is the post-oil plan for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that was announced on April 25, 2016. The sample of this thesis was 300 news stories from eight newspapers. The U.S. newspapers were the New York Times, the Wa… more
Date: December 2020
Creator: Dawshi, Norah
Partner: UNT Libraries
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