Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Fall 12-4-2019

Faculty Advisor(s)

Dr. Ann Gordon

Abstract

In the past, people obtained their news from newspapers and by conversations with other people. However, over the past couple of decades the media has completely evolved and people have access to an array of news sources. Media has great persuasive capacity, analysis has found that certain broadcast networks can influence voting patterns when introduced to Cable TV in areas where it was not broadcasted before. Research has shown that the daily news people receive has a persuasive role in an individual’s way of thinking and their personal fears. Media has a direct impact on how people react to a report, if they feel directly connected to the events it may impact their emotions. The independent variables for the following analysis will focus on the different news sources that viewers watch or read: MSNBC, CNN, FOX News, Local News and online sources. The dependant variables will deal with potential fears viewers may have from watching their preferential news source. The paper attempts to offer an explanation as to which news sources affect certain types of fears. Among interesting findings in my research, it was concluded that people who watch MSNBC tend to have a mild to modest worry about climate change issues. Whereas a different experiment revealed that several viewers of FOX News tend to have a fear of being personally affected by a terrorist attack. News outlets provide a vital source of information, which in turn might create fears for certain individuals. The fears that arise in people while watching a broadcast network differ because of the varied outlets that are watched. Conservative news outlets tend to report on stories that help get their point across, likewise the liberal media focus on points relevant to their viewers.

Comments

Presented at the Fall 2019 Student Scholar Symposium at Chapman University.

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