Magazine 2012 Abstracts
Faculty
The Normalization of Cosmetic Surgery in Women’s Magazines, 1960 – 1989 • Shu-Yueh Lee, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh; Naeemah Clark, Elon University • This historical discourse examined how women’s magazines contribute to the normalization of cosmetic surgery from the 1960s to the 1980s. The dominant ideology over three decades is that cosmetic surgery is effective and safe for every woman wanting personal, financial, or romantic success. Ironically, any opposing messages also may normalize these procedures as well.
Audience reactions to consumer magazines: A test of the effects of commercial frame and sources • James Cole, University of Alabama; Jennifer Greer, University of Alabama • This study examined audiences’ reactions to consumer magazines based on frame (commercial or editorial) and source used (corporate or peer customer). Information from magazines with the most commercial cues was seen as least credible, and source and frame cues had weak effects on brand attitude. For readers with low product involvement, corporate sources led to increased credibility and brand attitudes. Moderately involved readers, in contrast, responded best to a peer customer source.
‘More trouble than the good Lord ever intended’: Representations of Interracial Marriage in U.S. News Magazines • Catherine Luther, University of Tennessee-Knoxville; Jodi Rightler-McDaniels, University of Tennessee, Knoxville • This study critically examines, through discourse analysis, news stories regarding Black/White interracial marriage in the broad-reach magazines of Newsweek and Time, and in the African-American targeted magazines of Ebony and JET. Findings showed that in their attempts to dissect the reasons for the existence and increase of interracial marriages, stories primarily conveyed negative undertones. Under the framework of Critical Race Theory, the rejection of intimate Black/White relationships can be viewed as indicators of subtle racism.
“Defining Celebrity and Driving Conversation”: Celebrities on the Cover of People Magazine (2000-2010) • Jon Arakaki, SUNY College at Oneonta; Bill Cassidy • This study is based on the pervasiveness of celebrity culture—it addresses the production of fame and celebrity, and provides a content analysis of one media product and one time period: the cover of People magazine for the first decade of the 21st century. According to this national publication, who would its readers be most interested in reading about at that point in time? Who was deemed worthy of attention?
Comparing Health Messages in Magazines: Journalistic Elements and Their Connection to Health Literacy and Numeracy • Maria Len-Rios, University of Missouri – School of Journalism; Amanda Hinnant, University of Missouri • This content analysis of Cosmopolitan and Latina magazines (N = 289) examines health news stories read by millions of young U.S. women. Findings show that the health stories were replete with technical language, and alternative explanations are provided only 40% of the time. Nearly three-fifths of stories in both magazines contained numbers, yet provided few figurative illustrations. Latina appeared to acknowledge existing health disparities between the target audiences, including more stories about diabetes and obesity.
Empirical Research in Women’s Magazine Health Content • Shelly Rodgers; Amanda Hinnant, University of Missouri; Alecia Swasy, University of Missouri; Roma Subramanian • This research is the first to offer a snapshot of how empirical research materializes in women’s magazines, examining elements of completeness, complexity, sourcing, and behavioral mobilization. The present study content analyzed empirical research cited in women’s health and lifestyle magazines over 13 months for a total sample of 575. Results show a complex combination of empirical details and sourcing patterns with a reliance on medical personnel over researchers, and little explanation of limitations and risk.
Student
Female Bodies on Display: Attitudes Regarding Female Athlete Photos in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue and ESPN: The Magazine’s Body Issue • Rachael R. Smallwood, University of Alabama; Natalie Brown, University of Alabama; Andrew Billings, University of Alabama • This study quantified perceptions of female athlete pictorials in sports magazines, specifically examining presumed sexuality and athleticism. Respondents were shown twelve pictures of female athletes, six from Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit and six more from ESPN: The Magazine’s Body Issue. Results from the 221 respondents indicated that while SI pictures were more likely to receive high ratings for femininity and sexuality and ESPN pictures yielded higher scores for athleticism and muscularity, many factors were positively correlated.
A Balancing Act: The Rhetorical Vision of Champion Magazine • Ashley Furrow, Ohio University • This paper examines the rhetorical strategies employed by Champion magazine, the membership publication of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), in its quest to accomplish its mission and goals. Utilizing the critical method of fantasy theme analysis and symbolic convergence theory in the study of the text and photographs, it will explore whether a shared rhetorical community has been established within Champion magazine as well as identify four fantasy types found in the magazine’s pages.
It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white: Breast cancer messages in young women’s magazines • Sarah Henize, Bowling Green State University • Breast cancer is both prominent and fatal in the U.S. It is important for researchers to better understand the communicative mechanisms by which the popular media may affect readers’ perceptions and behaviors related to the disease. Two groups of women of particular interest are those who are young and/or black, who either still have a great opportunity for prevention or are at a higher risk for developing and dying from the disease.
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