The Hollywood Gloss of Nixon and Frost THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF JOURNALISM AND “T HE NIXON INTERVIEWS " Erica Nerbonne, Nicole Bellford, Courtney Pagel, Conner Demchuk, Ashley Duerr, & Professor Jan Larson | Department of Communication and Journalism

ABSTRACT METHODS IMPACT ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION

This research focuses on how Hollywood portrayal of David Frost’s 1977 • The researchers applied “message-system analysis” to track the interview with Richard Nixon in the 2008 film Frost/Nixon impacts recurrent, inaccurate images of the film. After this, the researchers American Perception of the Press public perception of the event and of journalists. Through the examined the rhetorical messages related to the principles of 80 application of Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory, this research includes an monitoring power, truth and accuracy, and the public’s right to know. analysis of the journalistic principles monitoring power, truth and 70 • accuracy, and the public’s right to information. Effects on the public Next, the researchers explored if the journalists of the film upheld were measured by exploring recurrent, inaccurate images of the film these principles successfully by applying Kovach and Rosenstiel ‘s 60 and examining pre-existing attitude polls about the press. While the (2015) standards, determining if these portrayals of journalists were findings are correlational, the improvement in how the public views skewed as positive or negative. 50 journalists and Nixon illustrates film can perhaps impact public • Finally, public opinion surveys from before and after the film’s release perception. conducted by The Roper Center, Pew Research Center, and Gallup were 40 Percentage analyzed to determine the possible impacts on public opinion. These 30 surveys were then compared to film reviews.

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FINDINGS 10

0 FILM INACCURACIES 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 RECURRENT IMAGES AND RHETORICAL MESSAGES OF FROST /N IXON ’S INACCURACIES Year Americans who believe press should "keep leaders from doing things that shouldn't be done" Recurrent Images Inaccuracies in the What Actually Rhetorical Message Journalistic Principle Americans who believe press "get facts straight" based on Message- Film Happened Impacted System Analysis Data is from Pew Research Center (2013) Duel Metaphor “No holds bar” Interview was not Journalist as Monitoring Power Still image captured from the movie “Frost/Nixon” (2008) seen as a “battle” aggressive fighter “Gloves off” • There were short-term impacts on perception observed one year “We are going to Both men Winner and Loser in after the film’s release for monitoring power, truth and accuracy, and INTRODUCTION make them choke on benefited Journalism our continued (Sheppard, 2009) the public’s right to know, as well as potential long-term impacts One’s perception is shaped by the world in which he or she lives. The success” identified four years after the film’s release for monitoring power distortion of historical events in film can often manipulate public Unequal Power Nixon’s aide calls Frost called break; Journalist as an Monitoring Power Dynamic break for him due to he misread a cue underdog and public’s right to know. perception. The film Frost/Nixon is no different, as it details the true his being card • This indicates that Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory likely holds true for uncomfortable (Drew, 2009) story of journalist David Frost’s interviews with President Richard two out of the three principles studied. Nixon three years after the Watergate Scandal. This research explores Frost taller than • The research question cannot be definitely answered at this point. the inaccuracies between the historic interviews and their portrayal in Nixon taller than Frost Nixon (Doherty, 2007) film while also considering the impact these inaccuracies have on Importance of Overplays the Prosecutors didn’t The importance of Monitoring Power public perception of the event and journalists in relation to the Interviews & significance of the use the tape the journalistic Truth and Accuracy MOVING FORWARD journalistic principles monitoring power, truth and accuracy, and the Findings taped conversation because they found discovery between Nixon and more • public’s right to know. Colson found by James “incriminating The value of the role The limitations of this study were that the researchers relied on Reston evidence” the journalist plays correlational data, additional variables may have impacted the data, (Drew, 2009) in society RESEARCH QUESTIONS and Gerbner’s theory is difficult to apply over time. • In the future, the researchers suggest using a t-test to assess • What are the differences between “The Nixon Interviews” and the The impact of the “Nixon revealed whether two survey groups differ from each other in regards to fictional portrayal? interviews very little” (Denham, 2010) perception of journalists. • How does the film’s portrayal of the real event impact the public’s Nixon Confessing Nixon’s admittance of Nixon said, “You’re The contribution of Monitoring Power perception of both the journalists and the event? his involvement in a wanting me to say television journalists Public’s Right to “cover-up” that I participated Know in an illegal cover- REFERENCES VARIABLES DEFINED up. No!” “When the President Denham, B.E. (2010, Spring). Frost/Nixon: Historical accuracy and press/government relations. Media Ethics, 21(2). Retrieved from http://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com • Public perception is defined as the nation’s viewpoints on the does it, it’s not illegal” Nixon said this in response to a Doherty, T. (2009, April 1). Frost/Nixon [Review of the film Frost/Nixon]. Cinéaste, 34(2), 68-71. given topics. question about why members of Drew, E. (2009, January 14). Frost/Nixon: A dishonorable distortion of history [Web log post]. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-drew/ifrostnixoni-a-dishonorab_b_150948.html Monitoring power is characterized as holding persons of power government shouldn’t have to Gerbner, G., Gross, L., Morgan M., & Signorielli, N. (1986). Living with television: The dynamics of the cultivation process. In J. Bryant & D. accountable for their actions and giving citizens access to accurate Zillmann (Eds.), Perspectives on media effects (pp. 17-40), Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. worry about being information about their leaders’ use of power. Howard, R. (Director). (2008). Frost/Nixon [Motion Picture]. United States: Universal Pictures. • indicted. Truth and accuracy is considered the objective and verifiable Kovach, B., & Rosenstiel, T. (2014). The elements of journalism: What newspeople should know and the public should expect [Kindle version]. events of the actual interviews, as reported by historical sources • The film contrasted reality by portraying journalists as more Nixon, R. M. (1977, March) Interview by D. Frost. In The Nixon Interviews with David Frost [Television Broadcast]. Monarch Bay: Syndicast. • The publics right to know is the idea that the United States citizens Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com require access to accurate information in order to “self-govern” successfully upholding the principles of monitoring power, truth and Pew Research Center. (2013, March). Trend in perceived contributions [Data set]. Retrieved from http://pewresearch.org (Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2015). accuracy, and the public’s right to know. Pew Research Center. (2013, July). More See Press as Serving as Political Watchdog [Data set]. Retrieved from http://pewresearch.org • These portrayals skew journalists in a positive light. Sheppard, G. (2009). Lies, damn lies and dramatizations: Frost/Nixon [Review of film Frost/Nixon]. Retrieved from http://www.bretibart.com

We thank the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for supporting this research, and Learning & Technology Services for printing this poster. Support comes from the UWEC Honors Program, Professor Jan Larson, and the Department of Communication and Journalism.