The media's framing of poverty following Hurricane Katrina
by Huckstep, Susan L., Ph.D., REGENT UNIVERSITY, 2009, 112 pages; 3346403

Abstract:

When Hurricane Katrina struck the United States, the most visible victims were the nation's poor. This study examines how newspapers portrayed poverty immediately following the storm, 6 months later, and 1 year later. A content analysis of 626 paragraphs indicates that coverage tended to cite structural causes for poverty, to hold the government responsible for not addressing the problem, and to call for government-based solutions. Results indicate that poverty coverage was influenced by the frame of the larger news event in which the government was widely criticized for its handling of the storm. By focusing on government blame, newspapers oversimplified poverty's causes and potential solutions, thereby missing an opportunity to spur substantive debate and inspire efforts to help the poor.

 
Advisor
SchoolREGENT UNIVERSITY
SourceDAI/A 70-02, p. , Apr 2009
Source TypeDissertation
SubjectsJournalism; Public policy; Mass communication
Publication Number3346403
Adobe PDF Access the complete dissertation:
 

» Find an electronic copy at your library.
  Use the link below to access a full citation record of this graduate work:
  http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl%3furl_ver=Z39.88-2004%26res_dat=xri:pqdiss%26rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation%26rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3346403
  If your library subscribes to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database, you may be entitled to a free electronic version of this graduate work. If not, you will have the option to purchase one, and access a 24 page preview for free (if available).

About ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
With over 2.3 million records, the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database is the most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses in the world. It is the database of record for graduate research.

The database includes citations of graduate works ranging from the first U.S. dissertation, accepted in 1861, to those accepted as recently as last semester. Of the 2.3 million graduate works included in the database, ProQuest offers more than 1.9 million in full text formats. Of those, over 860,000 are available in PDF format. More than 60,000 dissertations and theses are added to the database each year.

If you have questions, please feel free to visit the ProQuest Web site - http://www.proquest.com - or call ProQuest Hotline Customer Support at 1-800-521-3042.