Discusses four conceptual issues in the uses and gratifications approach: the nature of the active audience; the role of gratification orientations in mediating effects; the social origins of media needs and uses; and the shared interest of audience members in perceptions and cognitions about mass media content. (JMF)

Compares the uses of multiple regression, the Automatic Interaction Detector (AID) multivariate program, and cross-tabular analysis in identifying variables associated with newspaper readership. (RL)

Shows how a special marking procedure--having readers leave detailed traces of what they read in a newspaper--revealed important differences in reading behavior. (RL)

Discusses Jimmy Carter's use of religious-political discourse in the 1976 presidential campaign. Concludes that his speeches reaffirmed our civic piety and faith in America, communicated trustworthiness, served as a source of identification with evangelicals and religionists, and generated media attention. (JMF)

Focuses on one person's perspective toward responsibilities of and toward the history of the museum profession. A plea is put forth for developing a feasible documentation system and national network of exhibit reviews. (Author/SA)

Questions the basic approach and findings of the Gerbner et al.'s study of the effects of television viewing on viewers' feelings of fear, suspicion, and alienation. Demonstrates that the cultivation effect is not supported by the data and outlines three plausible explanations for the absence of cultivation effects. (JMF)

Analyzes the use of physical and imagined space and time in three plays. Describes how these features interact, assume dramatic force, and augment the tension, irony, and meaning of the play. The plays used are Chekhov's "The Three Sisters," Moliere's "Tartuffe," and Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead." (JMF)

Explores differences among Black adults in their attitudes and behavior toward television and the social processes accounting for these differences. Indicates that variation in attitudes and behaviors toward television is systematically related to differences among Black adults in their exposure to the medium, subjective orientation, and…

A survey of cable television subscribers suggests that Public Broadcasting System programing benefits from repeat scheduling since regardless of which time a show might be dropped from the schedule about 23 percent of the audience would be lost, compared to a 12.2 percent audience loss for commercial entertainment programs. (GT)

Presents data on how international news reaches people in the Third World, particularly Latin America. Suggests media capabilities for delivering world news to audiences of the general public in developing nations. (JMF)

Explores children's reactions to the televised version of Alex Haley's "Roots" through interviews with thirty 8-year-old third-graders (10 Black, 10 Mexican-American, 10 White) from two classrooms in South Phoenix, Arizona. (BF/JH)

Presents a 30-month case study of how one business writer made decisions concerning audience. Suggests that audience theory does not adequately describe the cognitive and social decisions writers make in real-world professional contexts, with intrinsic internal factors such as writer's creditability, financial rewards, and promotions affecting…

Examines how readers react to a journalist's ethnicity. Finds that (1) a Hispanic author was highly likely to be associated in readers' minds with a glowing article about Hispanics but was unlikely to be credited with authorship of a positive article about Anglos; and (2) the Hispanic author was evaluated no differently than was the Anglo-American…

Describes a successful program that used a step-by-step approach for teaching research and presentation skills to gifted sixth-grade students. Steps included developing a preliminary outline, exploring various sources, organizing information, using higher-level thinking skills, creating a rubric for evaluating presentations, providing handouts,…

A survey of 392 readers of the University of Missouri agricultural college's magazine received 186 responses. Level of interest and source credibility were important preferences for alumni but less useful in explaining faculty preferences. (SK)