Master's Theses

Department

Communication Studies

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

Over the past decade, U.S. researchers have suggested that framing not only occurred at the level of news selection - the macro level at which the public discourse is constructed, but also in the level of presenting information - the micro level from which theme of a news story is conveyed. A series of studies in 1990's proved that readers did develop different opinions under manipulation of information, However, when coming to articulate how a news story is framed, what constitutes framing, and how framing can be operationalized as a theory, scholars have not reached an agreement to date. Failure to answer the questions, in turn, has prevented framing from being recognized among academicians for its impact in societies and significance in mass media theory. This study focuses on the micro level of framing, and will provide a clearer way to understand how journalists present, or in other words, frame news stories, by examining how journalists construct frames at the writing level, especially how journalists explain why a story has happened. New stories on a real event, an air collision of a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese jet in April, 2001, will serve as data for examination of framing effects. In reporting the collision, the U.S. and Chinese press selected different pieces of information, which may lead to different conclusions: the Chinese jet was to blame - by the U.S. press, or the U.S. plane was to blame - by the Chinese press. Three Americans and three Chinese, will code U.S. and Chinese news stories regarding why the collision happened, and then report how much they believe or do not believe the news stories.

Keywords

Communication

Advisor

Carolyn Sue Strohkirch

Date of Award

Summer 2006

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

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