Fall 2018
Fall 2018 Issue
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Everyone’s A Critic: Social Media, Participatory Fan Culture, and Postmodern Presence in Broadway Musicals
Maya Abbott-Smith
Amy Jensen’s theory of participatory fan culture, and Chantal Pontbriand’s concept of postmodern presence, each help explain how Broadway musicals are able to encourage online buzz. Fans using social media interact with shows, and they are sometimes being noticed by those in charge of the production. This study explores how fans and audience members interact with three Broadway musicals through social media, and how that contrasts with how theatre critics in traditional media perceive these productions. By doing so, these fans are able to create narratives that can drown out the views of critics. Faculty mentors: Harlen Makemson & Lorraine Ahearn
Communicating Royalty: A Study of Modern Monarchs’ Online Branding
Abby Dionise
Modern monarchies have received both criticism and adoration throughout the years. Prior research indicates that to maintain relevance and public acceptance, royals need to communicate certain identities in their branding. Using a content analysis, the author coded for various branding elements present on the official websites of three monarchs. This study sought to determine the brand personality and narratives told by each monarch. Overall, each monarch employed various elements of traditional and heritage branding to create a unique brand personality and narrative. Faculty mentors: Glenn Scott and Kenn Gaither
Mass Shootings and Media Contagion Theory: Social Media’s Influence on Frequency of Incidents
Kristina J. Lee
As the number of mass shooting and acts of violence increase nationwide, researchers have set out to determine the specific underlying cause. This study explored a pattern between two variables: the spread of mass shooting news on social media platforms, and the increase in these crimes. This study analyzed and compared media activity from mass shootings at Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Parkland. These school shootings occurred in three separate media eras, and data from a mass shooting archive was used to examine the frequency of incidents over time. Evidence showed increased social media usage aligned with increased numbers of mass shootings. Faculty mentor: Anthony Hatcher
Jews on TV: A Snapshot of Modern Television’s Representation of Jewish Characters
Samantha Maoz
While Jews represent only two percent of Americans, they are widely shown in modern television. These Jewish characters often represent outdated stereotypes that affect public perception. Cultivation theory and social identity theory suggest that audiences tend to believe characters on television to be accurate representations of real life. This paper researched common stereotypes and investigated to what extent these stereotypes were present in modern television. Based on a qualitative content analysis of three different shows, results indicated that stereotypes were present and not questioned. Representations of Jews were largely similar across the three series; characters were open about their Jewish identity and were naturally integrated into American culture, though frequently subject to negative assumptions because of their religious cultures. Faculty mentor: Glenn Scott
An Analysis of Design Components of Award-winning Newspaper Pages
Stephanie Hays
The design of newspapers has evolved significantly since their inception, lately focusing on using photography, infographics and modular design to capture the audience’s attention. This study examines the design components that award-winning newspaper pages from the Society for News Design’s Best of News Design awards and what the pages have in common and the kinds of dominant imagery they use. The research discovered that the dominant media takes up the vast majority of the page, headlines run small, pages contain large amounts of white space and there are several images per page. The most common dominant media across all sections was photography. Faculty mentor: Kelly Furnas
Psychological Repercussions of Location-Based Social Networks in Today’s Youth
Jenna Sachs
In the past decade, technology has rapidly progressed and replaced traditional social media platforms with highly advanced location-based social networks (LBSNs). Previous research has indicated a strong relationship between social media use and anxiety, however, there is little information about the potential psychological implications related to the use of LBSNs. Snapchat’s Snap Map launched in June 2017, and since then has become a favorite feature among today’s youth. This study utilized a qualitative research method to understand the behavior of adolescent users and their relationship with Snap Map, compared to users in different stages of development. After comparing data collected from four in-depth interviews and an online survey, the author analyzed these findings based on four social psychological theories: belongingness theory, social comparison theory, spatial-self, and the uses and gratification theory. Results indicate a strong relationship between the emergence of evolved social media platforms and specific stages of lifespan development. Faculty mentors: Lorraine Ahearn, Kenn Gaither and Harlen Makemson
How Women of Color Are Discussed in Hashtag Feminist Movements
Daniela Ceron
Social media platforms such as Twitter have the power to promote and engage the public in social issues. Often referred to as hashtag activism, movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp on Twitter often lead to a number of voices sharing their opinion in the public sphere. Moreover, these voices tend to lead to an exclusion of people of color in discussions that concern broad social issues. With an increasing amount of media attention being given to sexual harassment, abuse, and violence against women in the United States, this study examines how women of color are being talked about in the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Through a thematic content analysis from tweets collected on both International Women’s Day and Equal Pay Day, this study found that women of color were often overlooked on days where all women’s rights should be discussed and not just those of white women in the United States. This suggests that in order for the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement to claim that they are inclusive, they need to be more intersectional in their methods and more intentional about recognizing women of color. Faculty mentor: Vanessa Bravo
Bye, Bye Miss American Pie: How Music Shapes Collective Memory
Nicole Feudi
The music industry has changed monumentally through online music streaming services such as Spotify. These sites have allowed any person to access almost any song that has ever existed, thus making music more popular than ever. People listen to music for many different reasons, though most of those reasons are to benefit listeners in some positive way. At times, music is created during a time of struggle, such the 1960s and 1970s. While music fans sometimes remember the period as happy and youthful, that is not necessarily the case. This study examines how music has an effect on collective memory of the 1960s and 1970s. While we cannot neglect the issues that existed in the past, music allows the world to cope with them.
Discovering Audience Motivations Behind Movie Theater Attendance
Emily Flynn
A content analysis tracked the top box office films of the past six years, and the top box office films of all time, to determine what factors currently draw audiences to movie theaters in comparison to what factors have drawn audiences in the past. Overall, the study concluded that movie theater attendees are more interested in watching remakes of old movies, or films with large fandoms, in order to remain part of an ongoing conversation. Additionally, evidence suggests viewers tend to enjoy watching films in community with others, making movie theaters a prime medium for this type of interaction. Faculty mentor: Lorraine Ahearn