Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2006 A Baseline Examination of Political Bloggers: Who They Are, Their Views on the Blogosphere and Their Influence in Agenda-Setting via the Two-Step Flow Hypothesis Michael S. Tomaszeski Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact
[email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION A BASELINE EXAMINATION OF POLITICAL BLOGGERS: WHO THEY ARE, THEIR VIEWS ON THE BLOGOSPHERE AND THEIR INFLUENCE IN AGENDA-SETTING VIA THE TWO-STEP FLOW HYPOTHESIS By MICHAEL S. TOMASZESKI A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2006 The members of the Committee approve the thesis of Michael S. Tomaszeski defended on November 3, 2006. Steven McClung Professor Directing Thesis Jay D. Rayburn Committee Member Jennifer M. Proffitt Committee Member Approved: Stephen D. McDowell, Chair, Department of Communication John K. Mayo, Dean, College of Communication The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis has been the intellectual challenge and learning experience I was looking for when I decided to return to graduate school. The following pages would not have been possible but for the tremendous amount of guidance, support and patience from my graduate committee. Dr. W. Gerry Gilmer took my fractured text, turned it into flowing prose, and through instruction and example showed me how to do the same. Dr. Jennifer M. Proffitt taught me several communications theories, guided me through academic research, and answered every citation question I had.