Media ResearchDominique Brossard, Ph.D.School of Journalism and Mass CommunicationUW-MadisonDifferent perspectives to media research, drawingfrom different theoretical perspectives! Goal: to build communication theories! What is a theory?!Lay theories!Religious theories!Scientific theories! Models based on empirical evidence/observations! Can be tested/results reproduced! FalsifiableMedia Research!Media content research!Audience research! Media effects! Public opinionProblems in media research! Are effects individual or social?! Can measurement capture media effects?! Do media have “casual” effects, do they “reflect” socialphenomena, or is there a reciprocal influence process?Common techniques for media research! “experimentation”, emerged from psychological research, is useful forexamining individual impacts of communication, for instance in persuasion! “case studies/interpretive research” useful for examining media content andeffects that can’t be quantified! “content analysis” useful for examining patterns of content in media, forinstance in analyzing violence content! “survey research” useful for examining larger scale social patterns of responseto mass mediaHEADLINES! Time Magazine: “Will There Ever Be Another You?”Content analysis: Identifying “Frames”! Scientific American : “Understanding Cloning”Content Analysis: Framing through VisualsContent Analysis: Identifying News CyclesA Framing Study: The Stem Cell DebateBone marrow and gene therapyresearch1961-1993Ban on human embryo research1994-1997Embryonic stem cell discovery1998-2000 Presidentialcontroversy2001Methods! Content analysis of 2,300 stem cell-related articles appearingbetween 1975 and 2001 in the New York Times andWashington Post.! Analysis of patterns of media attention, media framing, andmedia sourcing across stages of scientific, political, and policydevelopment.One of the Most Controversial Science - Related Debates in the United StatesAgenda-Building Indicators and Media Attention Across Stagesof Development01002003004005006001975-93 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001Science Articles Press Releases Capitol Hill Testimony News Articles Bone MarrowEmbryo BanDiscoveryControversyAgenda-building indicators and press attention across monthfor 2001050100150200250Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.Press Releases Capitol Hill Testimony News Articles• 2d Study: Media Effects Study,Based on Survey Data, during2004 elections yearContext: Increased Media Attention and Use of PoliticalAdvertising! Media attention on the issue at a peak in November 2004! Political advertising heavily used during the campaign1.8 million ads aired - 6.400 specifically on stem cellMedia Attention to Stem Cell in 2004050100150200250300350400januaryfebruarymarchaprilmayjunejulyaugustseptemberoctobernovemberdecemberNumber of articles (search terms: stem cell + elections)Research Questions! Did attitudes toward stem cell change over time? If yes ….! Are these individual-level or social-level changes?! Can communication variables explain these changes?! Newspapers use?! Television news use?! Attention to political advertising?! Interpersonal communication?Methods! Panel data - National (US) sample)! Wave 1: February 2002! Wave 2: November 2004 (before the elections)! Wave 3: June/July 2005attitudes toward differentdimensions of the stemcell issue!media exposure topolitics and science ontelevision and in thenewspapers,!attention to political ads,levels of interpersonaldiscussionDemographic questionsWave 3Wave 2Wave 1Issue Stance Change! 20% of the sample changed issue stance (i.e. were in favor of federal fundingfor stem cell research and then opposed it, or were against it and thensupported it)! No significant effect of newspaper use, television news use, orinterpersonal discussion!Political advertising made a difference for issue stance changeSURPRISING ….What does previous research tells us?! Religious beliefs are important perceptual filters used byindividuals to make sense of information related to stem cellresearch! Most of the media content related to stem cell research wasframed in terms of ethical and moral values during election timesDynamics underlying issue stance change different for high vs.low levels of religiosityIssue Stance Change: Different Communication Dynamics forHigh vs Low Religious Individuals! Low religiosity:! Attention to print news and amount ofdiscussion predicted issue stancechange (those that were against fundingbecame supportive of funding)! High religiosity:! Attention to political advertising predictedissue stance change (those that wereagainst funding became supportive offunding)Thank you for your attention!Questions?
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