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Focusing her attention on the audience, Diana Owen investigates the way people process media messages during campaigns. This study examines the role of ads, news stories, poll results, and debates in presidential elections. Based on surveys fielded during the 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns, Owen compares these four message categories to determine their relative importance to voters. In addition she investigates how individuals make use of messages in establishing their perception of candidates and issues. Mass communication's uses and gratifications approach provides this study's theoretical foundation. The book is designed for researchers and students in communications and mass media, voting behavior, and public opinion.
Using surveys conducted during the 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns, Diana Owen first addresses two basic research questions. How do media messages transmitted during presidential elections shape voter attitudes toward and perceptions of candidates and campaign issues? Do different types of media messages influence voters' feelings about candidates and elections in different ways? Focusing on candidate advertisements, newspaper and television news stories, poll results, and presidential debates, she also ties voters' general media use habits to the way they receive and process media messages.
List of contents
Introduction
A Model of Audience Mass Media Use and Outcomes
Voter Orientations toward Televised Candidate Advertisements
Television News and Newspaper News: The Voters' Choice?
Public Opinion Polls: A Double-Edged Sword
Televised Presidential Debates: The Ultimate Pseudoevents
The Uses and Gratifications of Presidential Campaign Messages
Conclusion
References
Index
About the author
Diana Owen is a passionate storyteller and devoted family member, raised in the sunny landscapes of Florida. With a deep love for her family and a strong faith in God, she draws inspiration from the world around her. Diana shares her home with her husband, an adorable assortment of cats, and enjoys the company of her three adult children, who have embarked on their own journeys, as well as her three stepchildren, who add even more joy to her family life.
An avid reader and writer, Diana finds solace and excitement in the pages of a good book and the thrill of a captivating movie. Her love for storytelling is matched only by her dedication to her career as a hairstylist, a profession she has passionately pursued for over 30 years. Through her work, she has connected with countless individuals, each adding to the tapestry of her life experiences.
Diana's writing reflects her rich life experiences, her love for her blended family, and her unwavering faith. She invites readers to join her on this journey, sharing stories that resonate with the heart and soul.
