<p> The purpose of this study was to formulate a preliminary conceptual perception about how Kuwaiti college students in the United States use and perceive electronic media. This qualitative study has sought to recognize the utilization habits and perception of Kuwaiti college students in the USA toward electronic media. The study examines the reasons for the high degree of dependency on electronic media by Kuwaiti students in the USA and the most significant features and properties that are available by electronic media, which attract youth attention. This research conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a sample of 15 Kuwaiti college students in the United States. It was concluded that Kuwaiti college students are the major users of recent technology and pioneers of electronic and social media. It also seeks for future investigations to understand whether the demographic characteristics of Kuwaiti college students are affecting their media utilization habits. </p><p>

<p> The TV industry is a competitive marketplace with rapidly realigning powers and players, fueled by an environment of intense conglomeration and consolidation. The present study focuses on three facets of this industry that are inextricably related to competition: (1) government rules, regulations, and policies; (2) the role of TV content production; and, (3) the role of consumer behavior and preference. Further, it explores the technology behind TV, as television distribution is intrinsic to the future of the industry. </p><p>

<p> Videogames are complex media objects that require significant input from the player for their enjoyment. The multiple experiences and outcomes that can emerge when an individual plays a game present difficult methodological challenges for games researchers. This dissertation proposes two complementary methods for studying this complexity: <i>temporal data collection</i> and <i>situational analysis</i>. These help delineate both how players acquire knowledge from a game system and use their previous knowledges in future videogame experiences by focusing on the moment-to-moment decisions and actions that the player takes in a given situations. In addition to providing a way to investigate player skill and knowledge of a system over time, this method also provides a way to understand how the meanings that players and scholars make from games develop over the course of their play. </p><p> By expanding on previous definitions of the <i>repertoire</i>&mdash;the sets of skills and knowledges that player rely on in overcoming a game&rsquo;s challenges&mdash;, I develop models for how knowledge is acquired, incorporated, and utilized over the course of an individual game and different game genres. These models developed through the individual situations that occurred in my analysis of these games and show how knowledges and skills develop not only within a single game, but are translatable from game to game. I developed the concept of a <i>technique</i> to provide a means for scholars and designers to understand how an individual&rsquo;s performance is practiced and evolves as they learn more about the game system and come to grow comfortable with particular actions. The second performance model developed in this dissertation, the <i>play style</i>, describes the general ways that a player approaches a game and how different goals, both internal and external, can effect how knowledge and skills are used. </p><p> Lastly, through the temporal data collection and situational analysis methods, I am able to further elucidate the roles that luck plays in videogames&mdash;an undertheorized arena of gameplay experience. I provide three distinct ways that scholars can discuss the experience of luck and how it intersects with the repertoires of skill that a player develops: designed chance mechanics, glitches, and botches. <i>Designed chance mechanics</i> are the elements of a videogame that provide randomness to the game system and must be understood and responded to appropriately by the player in order for their success. <i>Glitches</i> are aberrations in the software or hardware that can develop unexpectedly through player action. Lastly, a <i>botch </i>, adapted from the world of professional wrestling, provides a model for understanding how feelings of luck emerge from unexpected situations that are not intelligible within the repertoires of player knowledge. With these concepts, I have provided the field of game studies a comprehensive method for discussing the forms of luck that emerge from the player&rsquo;s subjective experience, the system&rsquo;s designed uncertainty, and mixtures of the two. By offering models of performance and consideration of a largely overlooked concept like luck, I provide a nuanced look into the complicated development of skill that occurs in the performance of videogame play.</p><p>

<p> Connection to and appreciate for the natural world are directly linked to positive experiences participating in outdoor nature-based activities. These direct experiences have been declining over the past decade, causing concerns about the perceptions of nature by populations that don&rsquo;t participate in nature-based activities. This study examines framing of media coverage about human-wildlife conflicts and its implications for perception building by those audiences with less experience in the natural world. Data were collected via daily newspapers across the Intermountain West from 2010 to 2015. Results demonstrated that there were significant differences between newspapers serving larger, more urban communities and smaller, more rural communities. Findings indicate that urban audiences are exposed to messages that discourage participation in the natural world. Messages regarding human-wildlife conflict in newspapers serving larger, more urban communities should be reframed to avoid negative perceptions of nature and to motivate connection to the natural world.</p><p>

<p> The human brand in social media presents an understudied phenomenon, particularly in the sports domain. The current study focused on sports fans&rsquo; perceptions of athlete brands as presented on Twitter. The analysis assessed the rated likeability of athletes based on the social media content attributed to athlete brands. The current study examined this relationship in the context of interacting variables including message tone, group status, and fan identification. Utilizing social identity theory, the overall aim was to understand interaction effects to enhance the ability of scholars and industry practitioners to investigate the phenomenon of human branding in media. Furthermore, the current study intended to expand the brand persona concept to include the social and branding functions represented by humans in media.</p><p> The current study utilized an experiment with a survey measure. Participants were presented with stimuli via tweets from athletes. The tweets varied on message tone (positive or negative) and group status (ingroup or outgroup), and respondents were categorized as high-level or low-level fans, resulting in a 2x2x2 design. Results indicated a significant main effect of fan identification level on likeability ratings such that those with higher levels of fan identification were more likely to rate athletes as likeable. There was an interaction effect of fan identification and group status with the positive message condition such that fan identification and group status may influence likeability when tweets are positive.</p><p> There was also a significant main effect of message tone on likeability ratings such that those shown positive tweets by athletes were more likely to rate athletes as likeable compared with those shown negative tweets. Finally, results revealed a three-way interaction such that influence of message tone was potentially greater for those who were exposed to an ingroup tweet, but only among high-level fans. There was a greater difference in likeability ratings between negative and positive conditions for those presented with ingroup tweets, which suggests that tweets from athlete brands may have more impact on high-level fans. Thus, social media posts from athletes of a favorite team or rival team prompt stronger reactions from high-level fans than low-level fans.</p><p>

<p> This study compared and contrasted product placements found in two different pop music markets in the United States: the American Hot 100 Billboard charts and the American Hispanic Hot Latin Billboard charts. It determined there are numerous product placements in the current music video market. Also, differences were found between the types of products in a video and the artists and record labels using those products in videos. A majority of the videos had male artists performing in them. Artists were analyzed based on their genders, ethnicity, and the number of performers in the ensemble. Product placements were also analyzed by the way the products were placed in the music video: background, in use by a character, or connected to the story shown on screen. The study related the theory of the social construction of reality to the product placements present in popular music videos.</p>

<p>Media and culture are interrelated, which shapes what is culturally relevant. War films reflect a culture?s view on war as well as the viability of a culture?s mythology of war. Grounded in the concepts of war myth and genre, this thesis takes the stance that the Iraq and Afghanistan War film genre transforms the image of the American warrior. Iraq and Afghanistan War films, specifically The Hurt Locker, Green Zone, Lone Survivor, and American Sniper illuminate the destructive reality of war and the humanness of the warrior hero. They reaffirm the warrior?s heroism and sacrifice while also acknowledging war as damaging to the warrior?s psyches, hearts, minds, and bodies.

Reason for information seeking by consumers and community members has been the subject of previous research to ascertain any unique issues about the personal attributes of the information seeker, the search environment and context or particular issues associated with the goods or services being researched. Several researchers have identified ways to study how information on health related topics is communicated to the community. While research is limited on the sources, search approaches and conditions associated with obtaining reliable information on health issues and topics, there is extensive literature on the important aspects of communication processes that impact on the unique, and at times complex, environment within which health consumer research occurs. This research project has enabled a review of the interpersonal and noninterpersonal communication modes to understand a range of issues that impact on the community member as the receiver of messages on health issues and topics. A qualitative and quantitative research approach has been utilised in original research to examine a number of issues associated with where community members in Australia turn to find information on health related topics. The study involves the comparison of a number of communication and information gathering approaches and expectations with a picture of information source experiences. The study highlights a range of considerations for campaign, individual communication, environment and background communication planning for those involved in engaging with the community to impart health care orientated messages.