Noting that previous research on avoidance fails to explain adequately the forces behind reading or not reading, a study examined the avoidance gratifications of southern Illinois newspaper readers and nonreaders. Data for the study were collected during the course of a more general newspaper readership survey in Carbondale. In telephone…

It would be to the advantage of cable operators to identify, in advance, those subscribers who have a high probability of voluntarily disconnecting their service, in order to develop strategies to anticipate and address the factors that might potentially lead to disconnection. A study developed a method for identifying likely disconnecters.…

The steps which should be followed in planning, preparing, and giving a presentation are: (1) start planning immediately; (2) establish realistic objectives emphasizing desired results; (3) analyze the audience and the context of the presentation; (4) prepare a preliminary plan to help in selecting and organizing material including topic,…

Reviews the development of research on the persuasive effects of evidence, focusing on research dealing with the impact of evidence on persuasive communication. Concludes that evidence makes a difference in persuasive argument, and that the difference is affected by evidence type, along with relevant source, message, and receiver elements (191…

A study was conducted to assess the dimensions of a National Public Radio (NPR) audience's interests in programing, and how these interests define subaudience groups. Telephone surveys were conducted with 276 persons who were over 18 years of age and who usually listened to the local university operated NPR station at least one day per week. The…

This paper explores three audience models which have traditionally animated American communications policy: the Effects Model, in which the audience is victim; the Marketplace Model, in which the audience is consumer; and the Commodity Model, in which the audience is a coin of exchange. In separate sections, the models are defined, their varying…

A study investigated the kinds of content total market coverage (TMC) publications carry, the role of the newsroom in publishing them, and how closely identified they are with the parent newspaper. These TMC publications, begun only a few years ago, are designed to cover the total market with selected, preprinted advertisements inserted into…

A study was conducted to determine if interest in business and financial news could be predicted from factors other than demographic variables. It was hypothesized that the type and number of personal financial investments the reader had would predict interest in business and financial news. In a telephone survey, 376 adults in a large,…

A survey of 155 midwestern movie viewers was conducted to determine the factors of the selective exposure and appeal of horror films. Audience members leaving the theatre after viewing "Halloween II" were interviewed using a questionnaire that contained measures of specific reasons for liking horror films as well as measures of several…

A study examined the impact of viewing context on the evaluation of televised content, specifically whether viewers of the final episode of M*A*S*H who watched it at a party evaluated it differently from those who watched it in their usual manner. A group of 181 students, categorized according to the viewing context, were asked to rate program…

Delegates to the 1991 Aspects of Educational and Training Technology Conference responded to questions concerning pre-conference and conference arrangements, facilities, program, and content. Based on the analysis of the questionnaires, recommendations for future conferences concerning conference planning, pre-conference contacting, registration,…

Although many campus radio stations try to copy or emulate their commercial counterparts, determining who is listening to the station is often difficult. It is not odd for stations to undertake in-house listener surveys, which are often conducted by classes studying audience research. Results of the 1995 College Radio Survey highlight significant…

A study examined Malaysian students' involvement with purchasing, with branded products, and with themselves as well as their responses to and beliefs about advertising, by ethnic group. Subjects, 387 students at a university in Penang, Malaysia, completed questionnaires measuring their responses to advertising. Results indicated a relatively high…

Advertisers have leaned heavily upon researchers to answer the question of what the advertisers get for the money they spend. Researchers have used a wide variety of methods, including a split cable simulated test market. Wilder Penfield's 1950s research may help other researchers better understand what goes on in the mind of consumers as a result…

This paper analyzes the state of competition in the pay cable industry. The analysis conceptualizes competition in pay cable and discusses the current structure of the pay cable industry and the competition for subscribers and programming. The competition for audiences that pay cable faces from both pay-per-view services and the video cassette…