DOCSLIB.ORG

Loud and Clear: Effects of Homogenous and Extreme Partisan Media Diets

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Loud and Clear: Effects of Homogenous and Extreme Partisan Media Diets Loud and Clear: Effects of Homogenous and Extreme Partisan Media Diets Douglas M. Allen and Devra C. Moehler The Annenberg School for Communication University of Pennsylvania [Please do not cite or circulate without permission from the authors] This version: August 20, 2013 Keywords: Public Opinion; Media Effects (Other); Political Psychology; Participation; Quantitative - Survey The explosion of cable television and talk radio programming allows individuals to selectively consume opinionated media from only one side of the political spectrum. Observers worry that media fragmentation along partisan lines polarizes the citizenry. However, unbalanced media consumption may also mobilize individuals to participate in the electoral process. We test the effects of exposure to 73 news and entertainment programs on individuals’ issue polarization and campaign participation using the 2008 National Annenberg Election Survey. We construct a measure of the homogeneity and ideological extremity of a person’s total media diet. Within- subjects and matching analyses indicate that lopsided partisan media diets increase campaign participation, but not polarization. Consumption of loud and clear partisan programming may enhance participatory democracy without sacrificing deliberative democracy. Abstract: 122 words Manuscript: 8415 words Acknowledgements: We are deeply indebted to the guidance and thoughtful feedback provided by Susanna Dilliplane, Ted Brader, Matt Levendusky, Marc Meredith, and Andrew Therriault. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Douglas Allen, Annenberg School for Communication, 3620 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104. E-mail: [email protected] LOUD AND CLEAR: EFFECTS OF PARTISAN MEDIA 1 The recent proliferation of media sources provides individuals with more choice than ever before. Increased competition for audiences motivates targeted entertainment programs and partisan news shows that eschew journalistic norms of “objectivity” and balanced reporting in favor of opinionated commentary by openly partisan hosts (Groseclose & Milyo 2005; Mullainathan & Shleifer 2005). These changes in the information environment allow citizens to select a media diet that contains more ideologically homogenous and extreme programming than was possible when more temperate network channels dominated the airwaves. However, selective exposure to likeminded news programming remains uneven and incomplete. Audience ratings show that network news programs still attract much larger audiences than even the most popular cable news shows (Arceneaux & Johnson 2008; Johnson & Arceneaux 2011; Webster 2005), and many cable news consumers report that they watch programming that ostensibly conflicts with their political views.i Nonetheless, a growing body of evidence indicates that a sizeable portion of the population now chooses to consume only biased programming that is compatible with their political views (Iyengar & Hahn 2009; Iyengar, Hahn, Krosnick, & Walker 2008; Levendusky 2012; Stroud 2011; Yanovitzky & Cappella 2001). How does the availability of strident partisan media programming affect citizen attitudes and behaviors? Many observers are concerned that media fragmentation along partisan lines polarizes the citizenry and threatens the democratic system (for example: DellaVigna & Kaplan 2007; Dilliplane 2011; Holbert, Garrett, & Gleason 2010; Jamieson & Cappella 2008; Johnson & Arceneaux 2011; Levendusky 2012; Mutz 2008; Prior 2007; Stroud 2011; Sunstein 2009; Bruce A. Williams & Delli Carpini 2011; Yanovitzky & Cappella 2001). This fear stems from the expectation that exposure to one-sided and zealous media programming increases ideological extremism and balkanizes the population into segregated enclaves. Yet some scholars take a LOUD AND CLEAR: EFFECTS OF PARTISAN MEDIA 2 more optimistic perspective on the implications of media fragmentation for democracy. They argue that exposure to more unified and outspoken partisan views in the media may mobilize citizens to engage in the political process, whereas exposure to more balanced or diverse perspectives may discourage participation (DellaVigna & Kaplan 2007; Dilliplane 2011; Jamieson & Cappella 2008; Nir & Druckman 2008; Stroud 2006, 2007). In this article, we focus on two outcomes thought to be related to consumption of homogenous and extreme partisan programming that are representative of the negative and positive normative implications of partisan media, respectively: (1) issue polarization and (2) participation in campaign activities. The effect of selectively partisan media consumption can only be determined if we have a comprehensive measure of media consumed by each individual. This article contributes to the existing literature by developing a holistic indicator of the homogeneity and extremity of a media diet. Existing research on partisan media tests the independent effects of exposure to a partisan message or media segment,ii a single program or network,iii or a category of partisan media.iv Yet we know that most Americans consume a mix of programming, with varying degrees of bias, sometimes from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. The net effect of media consumption may depend on the combination of programs consumed. We use public opinion data from the 2008 National Annenberg Election Survey (NAES) to develop a single measure of the homogeneity and extremity of each respondent’s media consumption based on audience composition for 73 different television and political talk radio shows included in the survey.v Our fixed-effects and matching analyses show that more ideologically slanted media diets are associated with greater increases in participation over the course of the campaign than balanced media diets. People who choose strongly biased and like-minded media become more involved in the political process than those who hear only muted calls to action from moderate LOUD AND CLEAR: EFFECTS OF PARTISAN MEDIA 3 mainstream broadcasts, or those who receive mixed signals from both sides of the spectrum. We do not find evidence that exposure to strident and unified partisan voices causes greater polarization of attitudes on prominent issues (the Iraq War, immigration, free trade). Our results suggest that one-sided partisan media consumption may mobilize without polarizing. The next section of this article elaborates on the perspectives outlined above to develop hypotheses about the effects of homogenous and extreme media diets on attitudinal polarization and political participation. We then describe our measurement approach, data and research strategy. We present the results from subject fixed-effects regression analyses followed by the results of matching analyses. We conclude with a discussion of key findings from the research. Why Might Partisan Media Polarize Or Mobilize? To develop expectations about the effects of homogeneous as opposed to heterogeneous media diets we first review the literature on likeminded media, given that individuals with lopsided partisan media diets most likely consume media that agrees with their political predispositions. We develop two hypotheses based on research about the effects of likeminded media. We then draw on studies of crosscutting media to help us theorize about the effects of heterogeneous media diets, including both neutral (i.e. internally diverse programming) and partisan (i.e. externally diverse programming) media from both sides. The rather defined predictions derived from the literature on the effects of likeminded media relative to neutral media become much murkier when we consider crosscutting media. Theoretical ambiguity about the effects of heterogeneous media diets motivates the empirical investigation in this article. LOUD AND CLEAR: EFFECTS OF PARTISAN MEDIA 4 Effects of homogenous media diets Theories of motivated reasoning, persuasion and social identity all suggest that exposure to strident like-minded media will polarize citizens, especially in the absence of crosscutting viewpoints. Partisan television and radio programs are explicitly opinionated. They frame, spin, or slant coverage in order to support a particular perspective, highlighting favorable information while discrediting and denigrating alternative views, organizations and personalities (Jamieson & Cappella 2008; Levendusky 2012). Greater exposure to self-reinforcing messages can increase confidence in one’s views, whereas decreased exposure to dissonant information reduces the likelihood that individuals will reconsider and moderate their views (Mutz 2006). Furthermore, repeated exposure to more ideologically extreme perspectives espoused by political or media elites may persuade viewers to adopt more extreme views themselves (Feldman 2011).vi Social identity theory suggests that media consumers may also envision themselves to be part of a community of like-minded media personalities and audience members. Lack of exposure to individuals with differing interests and perspectives may breed distrust and intolerance of out-group members, causing listeners to reject attitudes associated with the out- group in favor of those perceived to be associated with the in-group (e.g. Gutmann & Thompson 1996). This effect may be especially pronounced when the out-group is frequently denigrated and the in-group praised (Levendusky 2012). In sum, given the nature of our changing media environment, there seem to be sound theoretical reasons to be pessimistic about the future of our democracy: the growth of ideologically slanted media is predicted
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Russian Offered Trump Campaign Cooperation US Govt Seeks ‘Substantial’ Jail Term for Cohen • Comey Grilled Again in Congress
    InternationalEstablished 1961 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 Muslims rally to defend privileges in As election approaches, religious tensions surge in Indian village multiethnic Malaysia Page 9 Page 8 WASHINGTON: Former FBI Director James Comey (center) talks to reporters following a closed House Judiciary Committee meeting to hear his testimony on Capitol Hill on Friday. — AFP Russian offered Trump campaign cooperation US govt seeks ‘substantial’ jail term for Cohen • Comey grilled again in Congress NEW YORK: US prosecutors have revealed that a himself has now admitted, with respect to both pay- posed” a meeting between Trump and Russian ate who US officials suspect is a Russian intelligence Russian offered cooperation to Donald Trump’s cam- ments, he acted in coordination with and at the President Vladimir Putin, claiming it could have a operative, and about his contacts with Trump adminis- paign as early as 2015, declaring that the president’s direction of Individual-1,” the document reads, refer- “phenomenal” impact “not only in political but in a tration officials after striking a plea agreement. The ex-lawyer Michael Cohen had provided “relevant” and ring to Trump. business dimension as well”. “Cohen, however, did not White House similarly dismissed that filing, arguing it “substantial” help to the Russia investigation. In a sep- Robert Mueller, the special counsel heading up the follow up on this invitation,” the filing added. “says absolutely nothing about the President”. “Once arate case, federal prosecutors Friday demanded “sub- probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 vote, followed The former fixer last week pleaded guilty to lying again the media is trying to create a story where there stantial” jail time of between 51 to 63 months - four to up with a separate filing saying Cohen had made “sub- to Congress in connection with a Moscow real estate isn’t one,” said Sanders.
    [Show full text]
  • Congress and the War in Yemen: Oversight and Legislation 2015-2019
    Congress and the War in Yemen: Oversight and Legislation 2015-2019 Updated February 1, 2019 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45046 Congress and the War in Yemen: Oversight and Legislation 2015-2019 Summary This product provides an overview of the role Congress has played in shaping U.S. policy toward the conflict in Yemen. Summary tables provide information on legislative proposals considered in the 115th and 116th Congresses. Various legislative proposals have reflected a range of congressional perspectives and priorities, including with regard to the authorization of the activities of the U.S. Armed Forces related to the conflict; the extent of U.S. logistical, material, advisory, and intelligence support for the coalition led by Saudi Arabia; the approval, disapproval, or conditioning of U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia; the appropriation of funds for U.S. operations in support of the Saudi-led coalition; the conduct of the Saudi-led coalition’s air campaign and its adherence to international humanitarian law and the laws of armed conflict; the demand for greater humanitarian access to Yemen; the call for a wider government assessment of U.S. policy toward Yemen and U.S. support to parties to the conflict; the nature and extent of U.S.-Saudi counterterrorism and border security cooperation; and the role of Iran in supplying missile technology and other weapons to the forces of the Houthi movement. The 116th Congress may continue to debate U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition and Saudi Arabia’s conduct of the war in Yemen, where fighting has continued since March 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 4 the Right-Wing Media Enablers of Anti-Islam Propaganda
    Chapter 4 The right-wing media enablers of anti-Islam propaganda Spreading anti-Muslim hate in America depends on a well-developed right-wing media echo chamber to amplify a few marginal voices. The think tank misinforma- tion experts and grassroots and religious-right organizations profiled in this report boast a symbiotic relationship with a loosely aligned, ideologically-akin group of right-wing blogs, magazines, radio stations, newspapers, and television news shows to spread their anti-Islam messages and myths. The media outlets, in turn, give members of this network the exposure needed to amplify their message, reach larger audiences, drive fundraising numbers, and grow their membership base. Some well-established conservative media outlets are a key part of this echo cham- ber, mixing coverage of alarmist threats posed by the mere existence of Muslims in America with other news stories. Chief among the media partners are the Fox News empire,1 the influential conservative magazine National Review and its website,2 a host of right-wing radio hosts, The Washington Times newspaper and website,3 and the Christian Broadcasting Network and website.4 They tout Frank Gaffney, David Yerushalmi, Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, Steven Emerson, and others as experts, and invite supposedly moderate Muslim and Arabs to endorse bigoted views. In so doing, these media organizations amplify harm- ful, anti-Muslim views to wide audiences. (See box on page 86) In this chapter we profile some of the right-wing media enablers, beginning with the websites, then hate radio, then the television outlets. The websites A network of right-wing websites and blogs are frequently the primary movers of anti-Muslim messages and myths.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report Digital.Pdf
    A LOOK AT YOUR ACLU Protecting and advancing the rights of everyone requires the ACLU be nimble, dynamic, strategic and multi-faceted. The ACLU is all that and more. The ACLU is known for big court cases, and we have won many, but our impact reaches far beyond the courtroom and plays out in the everyday lives of Americans. This year’s annual report shows that impact with numbers and stories from the frontlines of protecting everyone. – KATHLEEN TAYLOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ACLU OF WASHINGTON In pursuit of FREEDOM, the ACLU is... The ACLU is a watchdog and champion for PRIVACY RIGHTS at all levels. In light of rapidly changing technologies, the omnipresence of Homeland Security, and the militarization of police, we must be on high alert to stay ahead. Number of police drones acquired in Washington state Number of drones deployed after ACLU-WA activated public outcry Approximate cost to install one “pan, tilt and zoom camera” Amount the Department of Homeland Security gave the Seattle Police Department to pay for its “mesh network” of surveillance cameras Days Seattleites have NOT been monitored by a “mesh network” of police cameras* that were disabled after pressure from ACLU-WA *as of Nov 1, 2014 After years of legwork changing hearts and minds about the drug war, ACLU-WA drafted Estimated annual tax revenue from marijuana sales in Washington. the initiative that ENDED SENSELESS MARIJUANA PROHIBITION. REVENUE IS EARMARKED FOR NUMBER OF MARIJUANA COURT FILINGS - AGE 21+ 5,500 Program Administration & Evaluation Public Health & Drug Prevention General Fund & Local Budgets Health Care 2012 2013 Amount Washington taxpayers spent each year on marijuana-related arrests and charges prior to legalization Sales of marijuana in the first three months after legalization The ACLU has been dedicated to LGBT RIGHTS and equality for decades.
    [Show full text]
  • Because None of Us Are Equal Until All of Us Are Equal 2018 Progress Update One.Org
    2018 PROGRESS UPDATE WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE’RE DONE BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE EQUAL UNTIL ALL OF US ARE EQUAL 2018 PROGRESS UPDATE ONE.ORG 2018 PROGRESS UPDATE Our vision is a world without extreme poverty and preventable disease, where people can fulfill their full potential and actively participate in the decision-making that affects them. This is the world we want, and we fight for it alongside everyone who feels the same. It is our job to enable the power of the people to influence the people in power. We won’t stop until we’re done, BECAUSE NONE OF US ARE EQUAL UNTIL ALL OF US ARE EQUAL. 1 2018 PROGRESS UPDATE ONE.ORG CONTENTS 4 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO AND BOARD CHAIR Gayle Smith, President & CEO and Tom Freston, Board Chair 6 36 AFRICA POVERTY IS SEXIST Leveraging ONE’s 2017 Building a Movement Successes in Africa Roxane Philson Rudo Kwaramba-Kayombo 44 16 (RED) EUROPE (RED)efining the Many Ways ONE in Europe: United in Diversity People Can Join the Fight Kate Critchley to End AIDS Deb Dugan CONTENTS 26 NORTH AMERICA 52 Four Financing Victories APPENDIX 2018 PROGRESS UPDATE in North America Tom Hart 2 3 2018 PROGRESS UPDATE ONE.ORG LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO AND BOARD CHAIR LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO AND BOARD CHAIR its “Make Naija Stronger“ campaign its “Women of the World” moment when President Buhari signed off on a on tour, which included a huge visual GAYLE SMITH, PRESIDENT & CEO AND TOM FRESTON, BOARD CHAIR 2018 budget that included the increase shout-out to ONE and (RED) and moving in health spending that our Nigerian comments from Bono, which unfolded activists had fought for.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sentinel Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship :: Sustainable Development ______
    The Sentinel Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship :: Sustainable Development __________________________________________________ Period ending 14 October 2017 This weekly digest is intended to aggregate and distill key content from a broad spectrum of practice domains and organization types including key agencies/IGOs, NGOs, governments, academic and research institutions, consortiums and collaborations, foundations, and commercial organizations. We also monitor a spectrum of peer-reviewed journals and general media channels. The Sentinel’s geographic scope is global/regional but selected country-level content is included. We recognize that this spectrum/scope yields an indicative and not an exhaustive product. The Sentinel is a service of the Center for Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy & Practice, a program of the GE2P2 Global Foundation, which is solely responsible for its content. Comments and suggestions should be directed to: David R. Curry Editor, The Sentinel President. GE2P2 Global Foundation [email protected] The Sentinel is also available as a pdf document linked from this page: http://ge2p2-center.net/ Support this knowledge-sharing service: Your financial support helps us cover our costs and address a current shortfall in our annual operating budget. Click here to donate and thank you in advance for your contribution. _____________________________________________ Contents [click on link below to move to associated content] :: Week in Review :: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch - Selected Updates from 30+ entities :: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch - Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research :: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates :: Journal Watch - Key articles and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals :: Week in Review A highly selective capture of strategic developments, research, commentary, analysis and announcements spanning Human Rights Action, Humanitarian Response, Health, Education, Holistic Development, Heritage Stewardship, Sustainable Resilience.
    [Show full text]
  • It Keeps Happening
    Los Angeles Times Magazine Cover Story Don’t Do Therapy Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the Country’s Top Female Radio Personality, Calls Herself a Prophet. What She Frequently Calls Others is an Entirely Different Matter. By Janet Wiscombe It keeps happening. Callers share intimate details of their lives with Dr. Laura Schlessinger, and she is moved to tears. She tells ABC's "20/20" about growing up in a house with angry parents, and she cries. She is interviewed for a U.S. News & World Report cover story, and she sobs. She appears on "Oprah" and is overwhelmed with emotion after a young dad fesses up that he's been more concerned about bringing home the bacon than being with his kids. On this day, the country's premier female radio star is seated on a wrought iron chair on the patio of the three-story dream home that she bought a year and a half ago in an exclusive, horsy San Fernando Valley enclave. And it's happening again. Dr. Laura is recalling a summer teaching job three decades ago at a school for the handicapped in New York, and the tears are so persistent that her attendant media consultant discreetly disappears into the house for Kleenex. In those days, she had no values and no God. She was a basket case trying to cope with children who "would be dead by the end of summer." Then one day, she met a paraplegic black man in his 40s who was intently bending wires on resistors--extremely exacting, repetitive work. "How can you do a job that's so boring?" she remembers blurting out unthinkingly.
    [Show full text]
  • Open for Development Achieving Greater Post-2015 Results Through an Open Design Process, Monitoring System and Data Portals Executive Summary
    Open For Development Achieving Greater Post-2015 Results through an Open Design Process, Monitoring System and Data Portals Executive Summary The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have contributed to unprecedented progress in the fight against global poverty. To further accelerate progress in the run-up to the MDG deadline in 2015, and to ensure sustained progress beyond this date, there is an urgent need for greater transparency about investments made in tackling development challenges and about the specific outcomes achieved. Openness – especially transparency, accountability and public participation – must be at the heart of the post-2015 development framework. ONE – along with Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), Development Initiatives, Fundar (Mexico), Global Witness, Global Movement for Budget Transparency, Accountability and Participation, Integrity Action, International Budget Partnership, Luta Hamutuk Institute (Timor Leste), Publish What You Fund, Publish What You Pay, Revenue Watch Institute, Transparency International, W3C (Brasil) – is calling on the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons (HLP), the UN Secretary-General and UN Member States to put transparency and accountability at the centre of the new framework by establishing an open design process, a clear monitoring framework and open accountability portals. Specifically, we urge the HLP to consider the following concrete recommendations: • Recommendation 1: The HLP should capacity, and collect and report on recommend that the UN Secretary- achieved outcomes related to the agreed General’s report to Member States includes development goals and targets. This a quantitative overview of survey-based reporting should be executed on a regular consultations, with concrete proposals and timely basis (e.g. an annual or quarterly for ensuring that input from citizens in cycle with minimal time lags).
    [Show full text]
  • China Table of Contents • Dozens Of
    Table of Contents Dozens of Bitter Winter Reporters arrested Early Rain pastor accused of inciting subversion Special weekly FORB Newsletter, 21 December 2018 Woman dies after torture during interrogation by Chinese authorities Yu Baorong, a Christian from The Church of Almighty God brutally tortured by Chinese Communist Police Special weekly FORB newsletter, 14 December 2018 ‘I must denounce this wickedness openly’ – detained Chinese pastor Repression of Christian church intensifies China cracks down on Christians -- a new era of religious persecution has arrived Legislative landmark: US Congress passes Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act Yingye’er re-education camp managed like prison (video) 100 church attendees in custody, attacks ongoing Special Weekly FORB Newsletter, 7 December 2018 Government unleashes new round of religious persecution Woman tortured to death by Chinese police: the case of Huang Guorong Woman driven to suicide by the Chinese Communist Government’s long- term harassment: the case of Wang Hongli Special weekly FORB newsletter, 30 November 2018 Uyghurs in China: Position of EU High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini Monetary reward offered for Muslim man’s recapture CCP calls for crackdown against whistleblowers and media Xinjiang authorities sentence Uyghur philanthropist to death for unsanctioned Hajj House church raided twice for standing up to authorities CCTV cameras installed in washrooms at church Burial site forcibly excavated for being “unattractive” (videos) 130 Christians detained
    [Show full text]
  • Media Imperialism Continuity and Change
    DOWNLOAD CSS Notes, Books, MCQs, Magazines www.thecsspoint.com Download CSS Notes Download CSS Books Download CSS Magazines Download CSS MCQs Download CSS Past Papers The CSS Point, Pakistan’s The Best Online FREE Web source for All CSS Aspirants. Email: [email protected] BUY CSS / PMS / NTS & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE BOOKS ONLINE CASH ON DELIVERY ALL OVER PAKISTAN Visit Now: WWW.CSSBOOKS.NET For Oder & Inquiry Call/SMS/WhatsApp 0333 6042057 – 0726 540141 WWW.NOKRIWALA.NET CSS Solved Compulsory MCQs From 2000 to 2020 Latest & Updated Order Now Call/SMS 03336042057 - 0726540141 MEDIA IMPERIALISM CONTINUITY AND CHANGE Edited by OLIVER BOYD-BARRETT Bowling Green State University TANNER MIRRLEES University of Ontario Institute of Technology ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD Lanham • Boulder • New York • London 19_0411-Boyd_Barrett.indb 1 6/25/19 6:35 AM Executive Editor: Elizabeth Swayze Editorial Assistant: Megan Manzano Senior Marketing Manager: Kim Lyons Credits and acknowledgments for material borrowed from other sources, and reproduced with permission, appear on the appropriate page within the text. Published by Rowman & Littlefield An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706 www.rowman.com 6 Tinworth Street, London SE11 5AL, United Kingdom Copyright © 2020 by The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available ISBN 9781538121542 (cloth : alk.
    [Show full text]
  • Remembering Liberal Feminism in Radical Ways: Locating Conservative Strategies in the Narratives of Dr
    University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2009 Remembering Liberal Feminism in Radical Ways: Locating Conservative Strategies in the Narratives of Dr. Christina Hoff Sommers, Tammy Bruce, and Dr. Laura Schlessinger Jenni Marie Simon University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Communication Commons Recommended Citation Simon, Jenni Marie, "Remembering Liberal Feminism in Radical Ways: Locating Conservative Strategies in the Narratives of Dr. Christina Hoff Sommers, Tammy Bruce, and Dr. Laura Schlessinger" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 929. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/929 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. REMEMBERING LIBERAL FEMINISM IN RADICAL WAYS: LOCATING CONSERVATIVE STRATEGIES IN THE NARRATIVES OF DR. CHRISTINA HOFF SOMMERS, TAMMY BRUCE, AND DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER __________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Social Sciences University of Denver __________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________ by Jenni M. Simon November 2009 Advisor: Dr. Christina Foust Author: Jenni M. Simon Title: REMEMBERING LIBERAL FEMINISM IN RADICAL WAYS: LOCATING CONSERVATIVE STRATEGIES IN THE NARRATIVES OF DR. CHRISTINA HOFF SOMMERS, TAMMY BRUCE, AND DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER Advisor: Dr. Christina R. Foust Degree Date: November, 2009 ABSTRACT This dissertation identifies and challenges post-feminist narratives that remember the second wave or 1960s and 1970s liberal feminism as a radical form of activism.
    [Show full text]
  • Loud and Clear: Effects of Homogenous and Extreme Partisan Media Diets
    Loud and Clear: Effects of Homogenous and Extreme Partisan Media Diets Douglas M. Allen and Devra C. Moehler The Annenberg School for Communication University of Pennsylvania [Please do not cite without permission from the authors] This version: July 25, 2014 Keywords: Public Opinion; Media Effects (Other); Political Psychology; Participation; Quantitative - Survey Abstract: Though the explosion of cable television and talk-radio programming allows individuals to select opinionated media from only one side of the political spectrum, most Americans consume a mix of programming, with varying degrees of bias across the ideological spectrum. Research on partisan media typically evaluates the independent effects of likeminded, crosscutting and neutral exposure in isolation, yet the effects of media consumption likely depend on an individual’s overall media diet in aggregate. The ambiguity of theoretical approaches regarding mixed media diets suggests the need for empirical research. One line of reasoning predicts that slanted diets will generate more extreme attitudes and greater participation than evenhanded diets, while a second line of reasoning predicts the opposite. We test the effects of media diet composition on issue attitudes and campaign participation using the 2008 National Annenberg Election Survey (NAES). To do so, we construct of novel measure of the relative balance of each respondent’s media diet based on questions about their consumption of 73 different entertainment and news programs. Within-subjects and matching analyses indicate that slanted media diets increase campaign participation, but not issue polarization. This article provides a theoretical and empirical basis for future research on the political effects of real-world media consumption. Acknowledgements: We are deeply indebted to the guidance and thoughtful feedback provided by Susanna Dilliplane, Ted Brader, Matt Levendusky, Marc Meredith, Andrew Therriault, Dannie Stockmann, and Rosario Aguilar Pariente.
    [Show full text]