Examines two Milwaukee, Wisconsin newspapers' coverage of homicides. Finds that the newsworthiness of a homicide is enhanced when whites are suspects or victims, males are suspects, and victims are females, children, or senior citizens. Concludes that status deviance and cultural deviance are important components of newsworthiness and that…

Finds that, over the past century, stories in American newspapers have grown longer; include more analysis; expanded from specific locations to broader regions; place more emphasis on time frames other than the present; and name fewer individuals and more groups, officials, and outside sources. Notes that these trends affect coverage of three…

Compares newspaper readers' estimates of the incidence of specific crimes with the amount of news coverage that crime received and the readers' fears of being victimized with the crime news available to them. Suggests that newspaper emphasis upon relatively infrequent violent crimes may contribute to fear of criminal attack. (JMF)

Examines the accuracy of newspaper headlines as compared with the corresponding story content for four Philadelphia daily newspapers. Results indicate that dailies with the tabloid format had a higher percentage of misleading and ambiguous headlines than the standard papers. (JMF)

Compares the 1960 and 1976 presidential debates as part of the political campaign and concludes that the differences between the two in terms of format and content are minor. (JMF)

Analyzed the content of 91 newspapers in terms of four expected effects of newspaper competition: quality, diversity, fairness, and responsiveness. Found few beneficial effects of competition. (PD)

Analyzed episodes of "All My Children" and "General Hospital," as reported in the 1980 issues of "Soap Opera Digest." Found that moral violations tended to be resolved consistently with traditional moral standards. Suggests that criticisms of soap operas' effects on morals may not be totally warranted. (PD)

Analyzed letters published in China's official newspaper during 1967-68 and 1976-78. Demonstrates that the "letters to the editor" column is a chief institutionalized mechanism for the pursuit and resolution of conflict. (PD)

Examines trends in popular music by analyzing the number one recordings from 1940 to 1977 in terms of the relationships among four variables: manufacturer (market concentration), song type (musical genre), artist type (performance mode), and lyric content (vocal message). (JMF)

Advertising featuring men appears to be moving gradually toward a decrease in sex-role stereotyping, although the progress is obviously slow. Of the 660 advertisements examined, only 13 were in the category showing men performing nonstereotypic roles capably or acknowledging that the sexes are fully equal. (PD)

Analyzed China's foremost party organ, the "People's Daily," during 1979-80 to find out what changes have occurred with regard to media images of the U.S. since the normalization of the Sino-U.S. relationship. Noted a more favorable portrayal of the U.S.--at the expense of the Soviet Union. (PD)

Examines the portrayal of innovation and innovators in movies. Relates the treatment of innovation to the genres and eras of the films and the motives of the innovators. (JMF)

Reports on the frequency and manner in which various crime and noncrime news topics were presented in selected newspapers and television newscasts in 1976. Examines news flow data to determine whether news output was inflexible, and whether crime news coverage distorted the amount of real-life crime. (PD)

Uses content analysis of 14 American newspapers over an 8-week period, finding that over one-quarter of the suspects described in crime stories are identified in connection with potentially prejudicial statements (as defined by the American Bar Association), with law enforcement officers and prosecutors the most frequent sources. (SR)

Projecting data from this content analysis, the authors concluded that viewers who watch one hour of prime-time programing each evening throughout the year would see over 2,700 irregular driving acts; over 250 acts in which people are endangered; 80 auto-caused deaths and injuries; and only 15 cases of seat-belt usage. (PD)