Framing Faith: Religion Coverage in Time and Newsweek, 2004-2008
FRAMING FAITH: RELIGION COVERAGE IN TIME AND NEWSWEEK, 2004-2008 by KIMBERLY D. DAVIS (Under the Direction of LEARA D. RHODES) ABSTRACT Open any newsmagazine and you’re likely to see some type of religion or faith coverage. The role of the media, particularly magazines, in shaping how we view religion and faith issues has been somewhat understudied. This study used framing theory and textual analysis to examine faith and religion coverage in Time and Newsweek from 2004-2008, and how journalists make meaning of these issues for an audience, whether it is a part of a specific story about religion or faith, or a story that includes some aspect of religion or faith. The analysis yielded four major frames: culture, politics, religion vs. science and personality. This study adds to the already growing field of study in the framing of religion and mass media, and lays the groundwork for future analysis of the representation of faith or religion in mass media, particularly mass- circulating magazines. INDEX WORDS: religion, media, magazines, culture, politics, mass communication, Time, Newsweek, textual analysis, framing theory FRAMING FAITH: RELIGION COVERAGE IN TIME AND NEWSWEEK, 2004-2008 by KIMBERLY D. DAVIS B.S., Journalism, Northwestern University, 1996 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS ATHENS, GEORGIA 2008 © 2008 Kimberly D. Davis All Rights Reserved FRAMING FAITH: RELIGION COVERAGE IN TIME AND NEWSWEEK, 2004-2008 by KIMBERLY D. DAVIS Major Professor: Leara D. Rhodes Committee: Barry Hollander Janice Hume Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia August 2008 iv DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my mother, Linda E.
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