This thesis examines the U.S. film industry from a political economic perspective to determine the state of independent film in relation to ownership, financing, and content. Since its conception, the film industry has been controlled by a small number of companies—that is, as an oligopoly. As such, films produced outside the sphere of the majority have been labeled 'independent.' However, these 'independent' film companies either have been co-opted into the conglomerate system or have adopted their business strategies to remain competitive in the industry. However, what classifies an independent film is subjective. Throughout literary research in this area, three characteristics were considered: financial sources, budget, and content. Therefore, to redefine 'independent' film, this thesis used a spectrum (Table 1.1) encompassing each of these elements to analyze and reclassify three Kevin Smith films, Clerks (1994), Dogma (1999), and Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) into one of five categories: independent, somewhat independent, dependent, minor studio, and major studio. These films were also analyzed in a political economic context examining barriers to entry and effects in content. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Media. / Spring Semester, 2009. / April 9, 2009. / Independent Film, Economy, Political, Kevin Smith, Definitions of Independent Film / Includes bibliographical references. / Jennifer M. Proffitt, Professor Directing Thesis; Stephen D. McDowell, Committee Member; Andrew Opel, Committee Member.

A content analysis was conducted on the shows 106 & Park and Sucker Free on MTV for the time period of July 1st to August 31st 2006. Of the 92 videos shown, 43 were selected via random sample to create two 'composite weeks' for the viewing period of these shows. Coders were graduate and doctoral students in Florida State University College of Communication and only four had familiarity with the genre of music video coded. The frequency of dominance/subservience, implicit aggression, explicit aggression, aggression with sexuality, objectification (without showing face), objectification (showing face), implicit and explicit sexuality, wearing revealing clothing, sexual pursuit and being sexually pursued were counted. Intercoder reliability was conducted using PRAM software. The averages for all measures of intercoder reliability were: Percent Agreement (.798), Scott's Pi (.006), Cohen's Kappa (.17), and Holsti's Coefficient of Reliability (.798). The findings show that females are objectified significantly more often than males with and without the camera showing the face of the individual. Female displays of implicit sexuality occur significantly more often than male displays in music videos and male artists are significantly more likely to be the recipient of these displays of sexuality. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2007. / May 14, 2007. / Hip-Hop, Cultivation, Music Videos, Content Analysis, Gender Representations / Includes bibliographical references. / Arthur Raney, Professor Directing Thesis; Donnalyn Pompper, Committee Member; Felecia Jordan-Jackson, Committee Member.

This study investigates consumers' information search patterns in online purchases. By investigating the information search patterns that proceed decision-making, this study provides insights into consumers' choice behaviors. Using Bettman's information processing theory, the effects of internal searches, situational factors, and individual differences were investigated in the context of online purchases. In this study, internal search processes were explained using accessibility theory. In addition, for a more in-depth investigation of consumers' pre-purchase decision processes, three different product categories (digital cameras, laptop computers, and plasma TVs) were examined. Comparisons were made of the three sample sub-groups to document the consistency of the causal relationships among the study variables. As this study was interested in Internet users who have had experiences with online purchases, an online consumer panel survey was used for data collection. Each respondent was randomly assigned to one of the product categories and asked to answer one of three parallel product questionnaires concerning digital cameras, laptop computers, or plasma TVs. A two-step structural equation model was employed to test the hypothesized relationships in each sample sub-group. In this study, the relationships among prior product experience and perceived risk of online purchases, accessibility of favored product brands and external searches for product information, involvement with online purchases and external searches for product information, and need for closure and external searches for product information were consistent with the hypotheses. In contrast, the relationships between prior product experience and accessibility of favored product brands, product experience and external searches for product information, and perceived risk of online purchases and external searches for product information were mixed and inconsistent among the three sample sub-groups. The inconsistent results are discussed in depth. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2006. / December 7, 2005. / Perceived Risk Of Online Purchase, Brand Loyalty, The Internet Use, Structural Equation Modeling, Need For Closure, Accessibility, External Search, Consumers' Decision Process, Consumers' Information Search, Internal Search, Online Marketing Communication, Involvement With Online Purchase, Product Experience / Includes bibliographical references. / Gary R. Heald, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Laura M. Arpan, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Michael D. Hartline, Outside Committee Member; Barry S. Sapolsky, Committee Member; Steve D. McDowell, Committee Member.

Few interventions are specifically designed for adolescents who stutter. We report the effects of integrating Client-Directed Outcome Therapy (CDOT; Duncan, Miller, & Sparks, 2004) into traditional fluency intervention with a 19 year old male. A case study approach was used to explore whether incorporating CDOT measures into his stuttering intervention would yield a positive treatment outcome. Dependent measures included frequency of stuttering, attitude measures, and the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) from CDOT. Possible benefits of using CDOT as a component of stuttering therapy with adolescents are discussed. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication Disorders in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2009. / April 16, 2009. / Client-Directed Outcome Therapy, Stuttering, Adolescent / Includes bibliographical references. / Lisa Scott, Professor Directing Thesis; Kenn Apel, Committee Member; Shurita Thomas-Tate, Committee Member.

This study aims to examine audience's reception of ethical claims in human rights documentaries. Since the nature of human rights campaigns is international, audiences' responses will have to deal with the distance between themselves and the people in the video. In this study, two groups of Indonesian audiences were shown two human rights documentaries; one is about torture cases in Indonesia and the other one is about rapes in war in Sierra Leone. To examine how the Indonesian audiences received the ethical claims, the study uses a discourse analysis approach to unpack subject positions constructed by the audiences. The findings indicate that the pain shown in the documentaries invokes the Indonesian audiences to align themselves with the sufferers. They sympathize with the sufferers based on their preexisting, or inexistent, knowledge about them. Their ability to receive the transfer of responsibility from the documentaries' world to their real world is determined by the structure of the stories and their knowledge of Sierra Leone and Indonesia. The audiences' intention to act is influenced by the setting of the screenings and the resources provided to them. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2009. / March 19, 2009. / Audience, Reception, Human Rights Media, Indonesia / Includes bibliographical references. / Stephen McDowell, Professor Directing Thesis; Jeanette Castillo, Committee Member; Jennifer Proffitt, Committee Member.

This study analyzed varying factors affecting college student's graduation intentions. To predict intention, an Elaborated Theory of Planned Behavior model was used to study the effects of attitude, normative, normative communication, and perceived control beliefs while accounting for past classroom experiences with university faculty and administrators. While further analysis must be conducted to test the elaborated model, regression analysis revealed that perceived control and prior classroom experiences were significant predictors of graduation intentions. Future efforts to increase graduation rates should focus on positive classroom experiences and building academic skills that in turn affects student's perceived control over graduation. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Fall Semester, 2005. / September 21, 2005. / Factors Affecting Graduation, Prior Experience, Graduation, College Students, Theory of Planned Behavior / Includes bibliographical references. / Gary Heald, Professor Directing Thesis; Jay Rayburn, Committee Member; Felipe Korzenny, Committee Member.

The agenda-setting function in new forms of political communication using computer-mediated communication (CMC) is explored. Issue networks for select online debates are examined, including North Korea's nuclear weapons, the Zero Access policy for media coverage of the removal of dead bodies following Hurricane Katrina, proposals for a hydrogen powered vehicle, cyberstalking, and Intelligent Design, during the period June, 2005 to September, 2005. This study predicted that media agendas or issue frames with higher accessibility on the web are more likely to influence the public agendas of bloggers. In the networked communication space formed by CMC, issues placed in denser web spheres and larger web spheres, are likely to achieve a higher perceived prominence among bloggers. Several procedures were adopted to test the hypotheses and to explore the technical feasibility of combining hyperlink analysis and quantitative content analysis. To systematize data collection in the web sphere, a series of automated procedures were employed, including the use of the Google Search engine, as well as IssueCrawler, SocSciBot (Co-link analysis), and Pajek to identify and map patterns of links among web sites. BlogPulse and Webivore were used to collect textual data from websites and weblogs. VBPro was used to identify themes in issue agendas in the relevant web spheres and blogospheres. A simple correlation between the ranked order of media agendas and public agendas was employed for this study. Empirical findings did not fully support the hypotheses claiming positive correlations between the structural properties, which are density and size for this study, of the web spheres carrying messages and the perceived prominence of issues among bloggers. However, some limited empirical evidence suggests the existence of an agenda-setting function on the web. Relatively strong correlations are reported between the ranking of the issue frames or agendas in the web spheres and the ranking of the agendas in the blogospheres. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2006. / July 19, 2006. / Political Communication, Agenda-Setting, CMC, New Media / Includes bibliographical references. / Stephen D. McDowell, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gary D. Burnett, Outside Committee Member; John K. Mayo, Committee Member; Danielle Wiese, Committee Member.

This inquiry evaluates claims made by stakeholders attempting to circumscribe the concepts of the public interest in the Voice over Internet Protocol policy debate using technology, competition, and the universal service as their foil. The three policy options under debate as stakeholders respond to the 2004 Federal Communications Commission Notice of Proposed Ruling-making 04-28, In the Matter of IP-enabled Services, are the layered approach, the functional approach, and, what this dissertation terms, the dichotomous approach. Each of these approaches to regulating VoIP is mutually exclusive. To help inform future policy debate on the regulation of new communication technologies, the following research questions are posed within the framework of the public interest: What interpretations of the public interest are reflected in stakeholder claims pertaining to VoIP regulatory policy and technology? What interpretations of the public interest are reflected in stakeholder claims pertaining to VoIP regulatory policy and competition? What interpretations of the public interest are reflected in stakeholder claims regarding VoIP regulatory policy and universal service? In what ways has the VoIP debate reflected changes over time regarding interpretations of the public interest? The central method of inquiry is a rhetorical analysis of stakeholder claims using techniques of issue frame analysis. It includes methods of contextual and symbolic language analysis to offer a more complete understanding of the nature of the policy debate surrounding VoIP. The literature will show how theorists recommend evaluating the frames that stakeholders seek to impose on the public interest. It provides a construct for examination of national policies driving a technology sector, telecommunications, that serves as a core component of the U.S. economy. This inquiry intends to inform future policy-making in the communications industry with respect to issues of economic competition, technological innovation and universal service. The broader purpose of this study is to inform discussion of issue framing by stakeholders regarding policy-making in the public interest. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2006. / January 20, 2006. / public interest, telecommunications, communication, internet / Includes bibliographical references. / Stephen McDowell, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Barney Warf, Outside Committee Member; Jonathan Adams, Committee Member; Marilyn J. Young, Committee Member.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical role of communication in the services industry. By conducting two comprehensive studies, the effects of communication quality in services can be assessed. In the first study, communication quality will be integrated as a fourth primary dimension of overall service quality. In the second study, the relative effects of communication quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty will be demonstrated. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2005. / November 30, 2004. / Communication Quality, Services / Includes bibliographical references. / Steven McClung, Professor Directing Thesis; Jerome J. Cronin, Outside Committee Member; Gary Heald, Committee Member.

It is the contention of some members of the media that individuals who play fantasy sports, particularly fantasy football, have less allegiance to their favorite sports teams than individuals who do not play fantasy sports. The following study aimed to evaluate the validity of these claims by comparing fantasy players and non-fantasy players in three respects: 1) their identification with their favorite NFL teams; 2) their identification with their favorite fantasy football players and favorite NFL players, respectively; and 3) their identification with several points of attachment for NFL football, including the teams, players, coaches, the sport, and the level of play. This study aimed to add to the existing body of research on team identification and fantasy sports, and it represents the first academic study to compare fantasy and non-fantasy players. A combination of paper and online surveys of 280 NFL fans at Florida State University revealed that fantasy football players identify with their favorite NFL teams at higher levels than do NFL fans that do not play fantasy football, contrary the contentions of the media. Fantasy players also identified with their favorite fantasy football players at similar levels to non-fantasy players' identification with their favorite NFL players. A number of other points of attachment for NFL fans were also addressed. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2007. / April 5, 2007. / Fantasy Football, Team Identification, Sports Media / Includes bibliographical references. / Arthur Raney, Professor Directing Thesis; Laura Arpan, Committee Member; Steven McClung, Committee Member.