The American war on Iraq in 2003 has unleashed tremendous changes to the Iraqi media. It has been changed from a draconian, state-run institution into a free-for-all one. However, the relative freedom the media enjoyed was marred by the US management of the press, as part of the military operation and the campaign to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis who were suspicious of America’s plans for ‘liberation and democracy’. The stages of this US policy of press management and its impact on the shaping of the Iraqi media are the core elements of this thesis. This study examines the relations between the media in Iraq and the American occupation military forces, including the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). It focuses on how American practices formed the media in Iraq after the invasion, how these practices and policies have affected the freedom of press and whether they conform to the international standards of journalism. It argues that the American policies undermined their promises to create free, independent and professional journalism in Iraq, and call into question the sincerity of their intentions. It presents evidence that the Iraqi media has been a tool used for the benefit of the American forces and the established Iraqi government. To show the US dominance of the Iraqi media, the thesis studies the American policies and practices of building some of the Iraqi media institutions, and how they were used as part of US psychological warfare. The thesis also details how these media organisations developed through the years of the occupation; first serving the American agenda and tactical requirements, and then being handed to the Iraqi government to start a new era of state–run media in the name of democracy, or given as a gift to loyal individuals who served the Americans during the occupation. The various factors that have influenced the Iraqi media after the 2003 invasion have been discussed at length. A qualitative methodology acted as a basis for an in-depth examination of the establishment and performance of the Iraqi media organisations, which were created by the American army. Unprofessional practices, unethical policies and negative influences on news coverage riddled the Iraqi press throughout the period of military occupation. Figures in the American and Iraqi administrations and militaries, as well as influential members of the media organisations themselves, all had a hand in manipulating the press to propagate material that furthered their ideological and tactical goals. A severe lack of laws to protect journalists and their organisations and of a professional media greatly restricted the freedom of reporting, and stifled the growth of a free and independent media. In analysing the history of Iraqi media, it is clear that the development of journalism in Iraq was directly affected by frequent changes in the Iraqi political administration and military leadership. In the Middle East politicians and militaries often held dominating positions in their relationships with the national media. The unethical policies imposed upon media organisations by the powers that be had a detrimental effect on their human resources and on practices within the institutions, which has in turn led to the current distortion and inefficiencies in the performance and professionalism of Iraqi media. By close examination of American policies regarding the Iraqi media sector, similarities can be found between American practices in Germany and Japan after World War II. Here they made the fatal error of applying policies that were far more successful in Germany and Japan, directly to the situation in Iraq, without sufficient regard for the context of the situation in Iraq after the 2003 invasion. A close study of US-established Iraqi media brings to the surface the particular tools used to control the press. This offers a valuable insight into the major influences on Iraqi news, aimed at improving the image of American forces and the Iraqi government, which was under American supervision. The study begins with the premise that media is recognised as one of the most powerful tools in highlighting problems within deeply divided societies, and that it can help shape and influence public attitudes towards overcoming such tensions in national communities. This thesis has been constructed empirically by approaching media organisations, journalists and newsrooms, as well as politicians and military figures from both the Iraqi and American administrations, in order to define the degree to which the quality of professionalism within media organisations was influenced by the power of both the American and Iraqi governments and militaries. Finally, the study reveals how, in order to serve tactical aims, the American administration built up state media organisations disguised as professional and independent broadcasters.

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No description available.

The thesis reports research on digital publishing of peer-reviewed, scholarly journals. The aim was: (1) to first describe the activities undertaken by the stakeholders involved in scholarly Journal publishing, a process that is largely uncharted; (2) then to relate those activities to the structure of the scholarly journal publishing chain with reference to various economic or business models that have been tested or proposed; (3) and finally to explain in strategic terms some of the developments observed. Between four and six subjects were interview from each of the following groups of stakeholders in the scholarly journal information chain: authors, editors/referees (one group), publishers and librarians.

This thesis examines representations of ageing in women‟s magazines. Although ageing is an inevitable part of the human condition, this thesis takes the position that ageing is culturally constructed and that women‟s magazines are a key site in such constructions. It is noticeable that, within the Academy generally, there has been less work into the social construction of the ageing process than there has been into other relations of „difference‟ such as gender or race. That said, in the last two decades, work in this area has started to emerge. Factors which account for this include the influence of the baby boomer generation, a sizeable age cohort, born between 1945-1964 who are now growing older themselves. The thesis presents a textual and semiotic analysis of the way in which getting older is constituted through written, visual and spoken texts. The primary data in the research consists of articles from women‟s magazines, analysed using a range of semiotic and linguistic tools, most notably the theories of Roland Barthes, particularly his concept of „Myth‟. Metonymy and the function of stereotyping are also key theoretical concepts. In addition, I analyse data from transcriptions of informal interviews with women magazine readers drawing on the same theoretical concepts. In this way, I am able to examine how magazine texts are received by their readership and, moreover, how women position themselves in relation to what they are reading. The analysis is underpinned by three Myths of Ageing: firstly, that ageing is a decline scenario: it involves both mental and physical decline; secondly, that ageing is synonymous with loss of power: sexual, economic and social; and lastly that ageing must be resisted. I show how the „new positive‟ images of growing older that are being drawn out and portrayed in media representations are not necessarily positive in terms of the impact they have on contemporary women. These images are presented as „new‟, but I shall demonstrate that they are, in fact, a re-working of the underlying Myths of Ageing, myths which construct ageing as a culturally very negative experience, particularly for women in this historical moment.

This thesis highlights the importance of ethical awareness amongst photojournalists, their complex professional practices and digital photography in relation to photographs submitted for publication in UK national newspapers. At the current time in the UK photojournalistic context, the ethical significance of photojournalists' practice is often silenced. This thesis aims to bring their voices to the surface. By adopting a social constructivist approach, this study draws on data collected from semi-structured interviews from twenty-five professional photojournalists. The interviews provided data which reflect the thoughts, opinions and views of professional photojournalists currently practising and that have submitted photographs to UK national newspapers. Below are the key themes of this study: - In constructing the importance of ethical practices in relation to newspaper photographs, I developed a representation that conceptualises the ethical relationship photojournalists have regarding challenges they face, being an eyewitness to history and their photographic identity. This representation positions practices relating to ethical activities conducted and understood by photojournalists; encapsulating the 'ethical eye'. - Ethical awareness amongst professional photojournalists is evident in the acts of both taking and working on photographs. I developed the idea that photojournalists utilise an 'ethical eye' while taking and working on photographs. - In further examining the 'ethical eye', I constructed the 'deontological ethical eye' which conceptualises the ethical duties faced by professional photojournalists. This research suggests that these duties aid in guiding them when taking action in ethical situations. - Photojournalists take 'care' while taking photographs, exhibiting excitement and dedication to their profession. I contend that even though photojournalists take 'care' with their photographs, this may be in vain because newspapers may make their own changes to the photographs. - I argue that photojournalists are socialised despite the lack of a structured working environment. In addition, I argue that they act as ethical role models for their professional peers; aiding in deterring unethical behaviour and helping to maintain the 'traditions' of photojournalism. - Photojournalists' personal views relating to the complex changes within their industry reveal challenges faced by photojournalists. I assert that although digital photography has been a great benefit to photojournalism; it has also brought about pressures, difficulties and concerns for photojournalists. - Throughout this study, I draw upon the perspectives of photojournalists, and I establish that there is a lack of communication between photojournalists and newspaper staff. - It is also established that photojournalists do not receive ethical codes or guidelines from newspapers regarding photo manipulation. However, there is an unwritten 'code' within the photojournalism community; the socialisation of photojournalists is a key factor in dictating their ethical practices. The implication of this study goes beyond a consideration of professional comradery between photojournalists and newspaper staff. To establish ethical boundaries, I argue that photojournalism is becoming increasingly boundless in that anyone can submit photographs, from anywhere, making the management of the profession difficult. Yet, through the optimistic views of photojournalists, newspaper photographs will remain at the forefront of visual communication. The findings of this research were considered in light of existing theory as discussed in Chapter Two. The research findings for this research were highlighted in Chapter Four. In Chapter Five, I discuss digital photo manipulation, ethical views of photojournalists regarding their practice and digital photographs. Chapter Six discusses the judgment values and views of photojournalists on the current challenges and future state of photojournalism; as well as the way in which photojournalists are socialised into their profession. Limitations of this research study were reviewed, and recommendations for future research were outlined in Chapter Seven. Photographic discussions are important; especially those concerning ethics within photojournalism because it can help improve and may spark participation in photographic discussions. Discussions could create awareness, guiding professional photojournalists and those involved in photojournalism on how they conduct themselves while performing their professional ethical duties. Photography is a topic of interest to many people, not only because it is fascinating, but because most people at one point or another have picked up a camera and taken photographs.

No description available.

Despite the rise of Islamist parties and movements in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, there is a dearth of studies addressing their political communication strategies and approaches. In consideration of this fact, this doctoral thesis examines the political communication strategies of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, henceforth the AKP), from 2002 to 2017. Drawing on social movement theory and approaches to political communication, it analyses the transformations that have taken place within the AKP and Turkey and how these have been informed by religion, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s charismatic leadership. The thesis describes how the author carried out ethnographic research during the 2014 presidential election; interviewing key personalities from politics, the media, academia and think tanks, and conducting observations at AKP headquarters and campaign rallies. A quantitative content analysis of Erdoğan’s speeches was then performed to triangulate the findings from the qualitative data, ensuring effective coverage of the entire period under consideration, and to provide continuity. The research reveals how the effective communication of a party’s message is fundamental to its political success. Furthermore, in relation to the AKP it clearly identifies two distinct policy periods: 2002 to 2009, when the party promoted a liberal political ideology and pro-Western foreign policy; and 2010 to 2017, when a pro-Muslim agenda emerged. It also highlights the significance of Erdoğan’s dominance of the AKP, and the consequent lack of institutionalisation within the party, before discussing the implications of the study findings for the AKP, Turkey and the wider MENA region. Of particular interest is how the changes in the AKP’s policy appear to have been reinforced by Erdoğan, who has consistently made effective use of a variety of political communication strategies, including Americanisation, and references to pertinent local images and symbols, to create a sense of collective identity amongst the AKP’s supporters.

El propósito de este trabajo experimental es investigar la relación entre aspectos formales del mensaje audiovisual y procesos perceptivos involucrados en la movilización y manutención de la atención visual del sujeto receptor. En el ámbito de la emisión, el sincronismo sonido / imagen es abordado como a un relevante aspecto formal del lenguaje audiovisual, empleado por el emisor como recurso narrativo para dirigir y guiar la atención visual del observador delante y en el interior del cuadro en movimiento. A partir de la formulación de un modelo para descripción del movimiento visual en secuencias de cuadros, en el contexto de un análisis instrumental del mensaje, se busca, por un lado, identificar características que favorezcan la ocurrencia de sincronismos audiovisuales. Por otro, en el ámbito de la recepción, a partir de la identificación de sus variables visuales, el sincronismo es investigado como un factor influyente en la exploración visual que realiza el receptor delante de la pantalla.La consecución de tal propuesta aporta el desarrollo de conceptos, metodologías e instrumentos específicos para definir y describir a la organización sincrónica del movimiento visual, determinando calidades pertinentes a una representación formal que haga explicita, en las transformaciones de la imagen y del sonido, la existencia de características y elementos de un ordenamiento sucesivo y sincrónico.La validez de tal representación queda desde luego condicionada igualmente por la consecución de metodologías, técnicas e indicadores que permitan verificar si y cómo las calidades objetivas del movimiento visual, características del sincronismo, apuntadas por este modelo descriptivo, pueden (o no) incidir y actuar en la exploración visual que realiza el sujeto, en el contexto del proceso de la emisión / recepción simultánea del mensaje audiovisual. Guiados por estas directrices, la investigación intenta conjugar esferas complementares en el estudio de los procesos comunicativos, centrando su enfoque al análisis material del sincronismo audiovisual - en la emisión - y en la investigación experimental de su incidencia perceptiva, en la movilización y manutención de la atención visual activa, investigada a partir de metodologías basadas en el registro y análisis de los patrones del recorrido de la mirada del receptor. / The purpose of this experimental work is to investigate the relationship between formal aspects of the audiovisual message and perceptive processes involved in the mobilization and maintenance of the receiving subject's visual attention. In the emission environment, the sound / image synchronism is approached as a relevant formal aspect of the audiovisual language, used by the emitter as narrative resource to direct and to guide the observer's visual attention before and within the limits of the screen of the moving picture.Starting from the formulation of a model for description of the visual movement in sequences of frames, in the context of an instrumental analysis of the message, the goal is, on one hand, to identify characters that favour the occurrence of audiovisual synchronism. On the other hand, in the environment of reception, starting from the identification of visual variables, synchronism is investigated as an influential factor in the visual exploration that the receiver carries out before the screen.The attainment of such a proposal contributes the development of concepts, methodologies and specific instruments to define and to describe to the synchronous organization of visual movement, determining pertinent qualities to a formal representation that makes explicit, in the transformations of the image and of the sound, the existence of characters and elements of a successive and synchronous classification.The validity of such a representation is conditioned equally by the attainment of methodologies, techniques and indicators that allow to verify if and how the objective qualities of the visual movement, characteristic of the synchronism, pointed by this descriptive model, can (or cannot) impact and act in the visual exploration that the subject carries out, in the context of the process of the emission / simultaneous reception of the audiovisual message.Through these guidelines, the investigation aims to conjugate complementary spheres in the study of communication processes, centring its focus to the material analysis of the audiovisual synchronism - in the emission - and in the experimental investigation of its perceptive incidence, in the mobilization and maintenance of the active visual attention, investigated from methodologies based on the registration and analysis of the receiver's visual scanning patterns.

This thesis addressed the production of media literacy practices in physical environments. It reflects a specific trajectory through a design space. The work is founded on four studies including design sessions and expositions in primary schools and in an art museum. The focus is on how to devise practices and make sense of media literacy tasks. the thesis addresses research problems of interaction design and media studies by:(a)configuring interactive tangibles and audiovisual media, to give different perspectives on media literacy within the same physical environment; (b) developing a set of practices which are attuned to how participants collaborate when accessing and producing media texts; (c) developing the design method by employing practical knowledge from theatre practices. The thesis tackles some specific design problems. One is that the qualities of the practices and qualities of the tools need to be addressed at the same time. Also, aesthetic and technical aspects often are indistinct. The thesis seeks help in some specific traditions in the performing arts. Some terms such as 'participatory theatre' and 'masked performance' are redefined in order to address both aspects of practices and tools. Terms such as 'gendre', 'framing', 'packaging', 'authoring', 'deconstruction', 'media agenda setting' are also redefined frm literature on media studies, through the production and study of collective activities. The thesis aims to contribute to the integration of findings in interaction desugb abd nedua stydues by (1) applying advances from interaction design for the support of new media literact practice in the physical environment; (2) applying the perspectives on media literacy which emerge from these integrations in order to contribute to current reesearch on interaction design. The thesis applies practices from the performing arts in order to enable a participatory design of physical environments for media literacy. The focus is on the role played by audience groups when they adopt media contents and artifacts.