Department: Journalism

Abstract: Crisis communication scholars have suggested that sincerity is critical to an effective crisis response, and a robust body of research suggests that certain mannerisms and communication styles can make a spokesperson appear more sincere. This experiment examines the effect of perceived sincerity measured through these mannerisms on organizational virtuousness, offensiveness, reputation, and behavioral intentions. […]

Abstract: Mass communication research has long indicated that during a scandal an organization’s spokesperson should exude sincerity. However, no research has examined the deceptive and misleading nature of sincerity. In an experiment (n = 801), people watched a news interview featuring the spokesperson for a company in crisis. The spokesperson answered questions with sincere or […]

Abstract: U.S. presidential candidates aspire to be perceived as “presidential.” Political communication researchers, political scientists, pollsters, campaign consultants, and media pundits speculate about who is “presidential” and “unpresidential.” No prior research, however, has empirically measured and validated a presidential image construct. Based on data collected prior to the 2020 U.S. presidential election (N = 618 […]

Abstract: This study examined the coverage of 2020 American elections on Croatian Public Service Television’s (HRT) website. The results of the content analysis of the census of HRT’s stories about American elections from the first presidential debate in September 2020 to the inauguration of the new President in 2021 (N=223), showed that Croatian television used […]

Little, Alexia (Grady M.A.) (Forthcoming). Cementing Their Heroes: Historical Newspaper Coverage of Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Confederate Monuments. Journalism History.  Abstract: Following continued conflicts about Confederate monuments in American society, this study explores Civil War memory encapsulated in newspaper coverage of the initial construction and dedication of four Confederate monument. Discourse and narrative analyses of […]

Abstract: This study examined the effects of directional cues in immersive journalism by conducting a randomized between-subjects three-condition lab experiment (N=131) with community participants using three versions of originally produced 360̊ video news story. The study found that the presence of any directional cues in 360̊ news story significantly improved participants’ recall of statistics from […]

Abstract: A growing body of research suggests that differences between smartphones and desktop computers influence information processing outcomes. A within-subjects (N = 64) smartphone eye-tracking experiment replicates a 2018 desktop-based study of users’ visual attention to and engagement with social media news posts. The results show that users spend less time viewing social media news posts on […]

Wunpini Fatimata (Forthcoming). Abstract: Several African scholars have theorized about the evolution of feminist movements but there has been little focus on the importance of employing an intersectional framework to understanding feminisms in Africa. I map the evolution of feminist discourses in Ghana paying attention to the gaps in theory and praxis. I argue that to […]

Wunpini Fatimata (Forthcoming). Abstract: Although there is scant audience research in media studies, audiences continue to be key drivers in the political economy of media in Africa and elsewhere. The study explores the dynamics of indigenous language news audiences’ listening habits, how their information seeking habits are shaped by personal values and the ways in which […]

Abstract: Academic activity surrounding constructive and solutions journalism has surged in recent years; thus, it is important to pause and reflect on this growing body of work in order to understand where the field can and should go in the future. We conducted a systematic review of existing literature on solutions and constructive journalism (N=94), […]