The media dependence model: an analysis of the performance and structure of U.S. and global news

Kennis, Andrew C.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/29687 Copy

Description

Title

The media dependence model: an analysis of the performance and structure of U.S. and global news

Author(s)

Kennis, Andrew C.

Issue Date

2012-02-06T20:11:09Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Nerone, John C.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Nerone, John C.

Committee Member(s)

• Althaus, Scott L.
• Stole, Inger L.
• Boyle, Francis A.
• Bennett, W. Lance
• Chomsky, Noam

Department of Study

Inst of Communications Rsch

Discipline

Communications

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• propaganda model
• Indexing
• news media performance
• media analysis
• critical analysis
• political economy
• political communication
• Acteal
• Racak
• Fallujah
• Iraq
• Cable News Network (CNN)
• CNN en Español
• Vieques
• Ecuador
• spiking
• immigration
• journalism
• Chomsky
• Bennett
• Herman

Abstract

This dissertation is an attempt to make sense out of the many questions surrounding news media performance and its inadequacies. It does this by first synthesizing two critical models of news analysis and applying their respective strengths toward the other’s weaknesses. The synthesis is based on the propaganda (Herman & Chomsky, 1988, 2002, 2008) and indexing models (Bennett, 1990; Bennett, Lawrence, & Livingston, 2007). While the scope of the synthesis is broad and substantial, and contributes much in terms of understanding news content, it still leaves important questions that this dissertation endeavors to address. It answers how and why social movements garner news media attention and sympathy, while others do not. This work does not leave domestic matters unaddressed or under-theorized. It does so by distinguishing between foreign and domestic news reporting and modeling domestic coverage. It theorizes ownership of the news media in a manner appropriate for the age of globalization, with findings based on a substantial and thorough content analysis of important events in Fallujah, where the most substantial military operation was conducted during the occupation of Iraq. Lastly, in spite of containing “bird’s eye” conclusions and critical analysis on news media performance and its respective tendencies, this dissertation will also address the conditions and instances in which exceptions are most likely to arise. The name I have given to the model of news analysis presented in this dissertation is the media dependence model (MDM). I chose this name to emphasize the chief failing of the U.S. news media system: its reliance on corporate funding and ownership and the unfortunate result of this structure leading to a lack of independence from Washington (the White House and key Congressional leaders) and Wall Street (Madison Avenue and the public relations industry) positioning.

Graduation Semester

2011-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/29687

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2011 Andrew Kennis

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