Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Master's Theses Graduate School 2006 An analysis of the president-press relationship in solo and joint press conferences in the first term of President George W. Bush Susan Billingsley Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses Part of the Mass Communication Commons Recommended Citation Billingsley, Susan, "An analysis of the president-press relationship in solo and joint press conferences in the first term of President George W. Bush" (2006). LSU Master's Theses. 3568. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/3568 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Master's Theses by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AN ANALYSIS OF THE PRESIDENT-PRESS RELATIONSHIP IN SOLO AND JOINT PRESS CONFERENCES IN THE FIRST TERM OF PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Mass Communication in The Manship School of Mass Communication by Susan Billingsley B.B.A., Texas A&M University, 2004 May 2006 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the numerous individuals whose advice, resources and encouragement contributed to the completion of this thesis. I thank Dr. Stephen Banning for his support and advice throughout the development and defense of this project. He has been an important guide for me throughout my graduate journey, both professionally and personally. Dr. Tim Cook deserves recognition for the ideas and generous counsel that inspired this project. I am also thankful to the other members of my committee, Dr. Richard Nelson and Professor Craig Freeman, for their enthusiastic participation and instruction. Additionally, I am personally grateful for the support and guidance provided by Dr. Bamijoko Smith, my fellow graduate students, friends and family. The wisdom, understanding and support they offered throughout this process is immeasurable. I extend to each of you my fullest respect and appreciation. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..............................................................................................................ii LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................v ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE..............................................................................................6 The President-Press Relationship.....................................................................................6 Historical Overview.......................................................................................................7 Marketability..................................................................................................................8 Earliest Relationship....................................................................................................10 Evolution......................................................................................................................10 Modernity.....................................................................................................................14 Contemporary Relationship.........................................................................................15 Quantification..............................................................................................................17 The Press Conference.....................................................................................................19 Foundations..................................................................................................................19 Broadcast......................................................................................................................23 Obligation....................................................................................................................25 Modernity.....................................................................................................................25 The Joint Press Conference.............................................................................................30 Research Question..........................................................................................................33 3 METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................35 Question Dimensions......................................................................................................37 Dimension Indicators......................................................................................................38 Reliability........................................................................................................................43 Validity...........................................................................................................................44 Limitations.................................................................................................................................45 4 RESULTS..........................................................................................................................47 Initiative..........................................................................................................................47 Directness........................................................................................................................49 Assertiveness...................................................................................................................50 Adversarialness...............................................................................................................52 Composites......................................................................................................................54 5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION...............................................................................55 Discussion.......................................................................................................................55 Initiative.......................................................................................................................55 Directness.....................................................................................................................57 Assertiveness................................................................................................................58 iii Adversarialness............................................................................................................59 Limitations...................................................................................................................60 Future Study.................................................................................................................61 Conclusion......................................................................................................................61 REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................63 APPENDIX: CODING SHEET.....................................................................................................68 VITA..............................................................................................................................................69 iv LIST OF TABLES 1. Solo and Joint Press Conferences by President 1981-2004...............................................33 2. The Question Analysis System..........................................................................................42 3. Composite and Individual Kappa Scores for Reliability...................................................43 4. Presence of Question Preface.............................................................................................47 5. Presence of Multiple Questions.........................................................................................47 6. Presence of Follow-Up Questions.....................................................................................48 7. Presence of Other-Referencing Frames.............................................................................49 8. Presence of Self-Referencing Frames................................................................................49 9. Presence of Preface Tilt.....................................................................................................51 10. Presence of Negative Formation........................................................................................51 11. Presence of Adversarial Preface and Form........................................................................52 12. Presence of Global Adversarialness...................................................................................53 13. Presence of Accountability Questions..............................................................................54