Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisor: Marvin Olasky. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Akron, School of Communication, 2006. / "December, 2006." Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed 10/15/2007) Advisor, Dudley B. Turner; Faculty readers, N. J. Brown, Kathleen D. Clark; Director, School of Communication, Carolyn Anderson ; Dean of the College, James Lynn; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-39).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Canterbury, 2006. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-178). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2006 / "Publication number AAT 3242504."

Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2006 / "Publication number AAT 3242491."

Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2006 / "Publication number AAT 3251769."

This study aimed to provide insights into the manner in which the representation of social media usage in relation to cyber-related crimes within selected South African newspapers can potentially shape the ideas and perceptions that society may have towards social networking channels. Drawing on the literature from fields such as developmental studies, new media studies, identity formation and cyber-criminality, an analysis of the Price Water House Coopers Global Economic Survey (2011) was used to provide some insight into the issue of cyber-crime within South Africa. The survey which was conducted by Price Water House Coopers revealed that South Africa is ranked second in the world with the highest rate of reported fraud cases. According to them this rate is comparatively higher than the escalating percentage of cases reported in the United States and other nations. In order to correlate and illustrate some of the findings of the survey and that which was found through primary research, an in-depth content analysis applying limited designations analysis and detailed assertions analysis techniques (Du Plooy, 2007) has been performed on selected content from local print and online publications such as The Herald, Algoa Sun, The Weekend Post, The Sunday Times and News24, from the time period of January 2009 until January 2012. Herewith, a total of 125 articles were analysed in order to determine the tone and thematic nature of the communication within the respective platforms. Furthermore, the mass media has been argued as being the main platform of communication within society. Whereby, different communication techniques are used to communicate with different target audiences. On a theoretical level, the study explored whether or not social media perpetuates the prejudices of the modernisation theory or serves to challenge such prejudices. Furthermore, the study explored whether social media may potentially have an impact on the reported cyber-related crimes. Associated theory such as the representation theory, globalization, the privacy trust model, social contract theory, media richness theory, participatory theory, convergence, the digital divide, media-centricity, dependency and identity formation has been explored. It was found that social networking sites Facebook and Mxit have been represented as the most common platforms of cyber-related crime and women and teenagers are the most popular victims. The likelihood of individuals being exposed to cyber-crime within social networks is high due to the fact in order to develop online relationships, personal information needs to be shared. The Privacy Trust model was identified as being an important factor which shaped the findings of this study. This is due to the fact that a certain level of trust is held by social network subscribers to the Internet hosts who they entered into a social contract with and with their friends.

Recent studies have shown an increasing impact of online social networks such as Twitter on sports media. The following study aims to provide insight about communication patterns of athletes during the Olympic Games 2012 in London. Drawing on literature from traditional fields such as social capital (Field 2003), the 'uses and gratifications' approach (Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch 1974), self- presentation (Goffmann 1971) and recent studies about social media in sports (Kassing and Sanderson 2012), a Twitter-analysis of ten athletes was conducted during the Olympic Games 2012 in London. Following a content analysis of 1042 tweets (including 246 pictures), the research findings of this study reveal that athletes predominantly use Twitter as a platform for self- presentation. Furthermore, the analysis showed the possibility for fans to use Twitter in order to overcome the parasocial orbit (Kassing and Sanderson 2012) of virtual space and engage in actual social interaction with athletes. It is concluded that linkages of athletes with various stakeholders and the official framework of social media guidelines by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), result in self- restricting communication patterns of the athletes during the Olympic Games 2012.

Television is our most pervasive representation of a shared "cultural space" within which the allocation of social value is negotiated. This study traces the efforts of one social group, Viewers for Quality Television, in their attempts to contest the distribution of cultural space on television. Data collection included a survey of 1107 members, a series of focus groups, participant observation, and textual analysis. Since the group is composed of television fans, the project also develops a theoretical framework within which to view fandom: what produces fandom, what its role in popular culture is, what practices distinguish fans from each other, and who is likely to be a fan. Using a sociology of culture perspective, fandom is reconceptualized as a spectrum of practices engaged in to develop a sense of personal control or influence over the object of fandom (such as a star or text). Fans may be seen as members of subordinated social groups who try to align themselves with meanings embodied in stars or other texts that best express their own sense of social identity. However, there are widely varying degrees of involvement in fan practices oriented toward this alignment, and this variance is associated with different outcomes. The most important finding is that for these fans, the more involved one is in fan practices, the more one comes to feel one is empowered with a sense of control over the television industry, regardless of whether or not one's efforts to influence the object of fandom have been successful. In addition, how much one enjoys television is positively and significantly associated with degree of involvement in fan practices as well as one's perception of influence. The process of asserting one's social values and "tastes" within the television programming structure is politicized and class-driven. If social values (therefore, tastes) are expressed via social identity, one would expect to see this demonstrated in cultural preferences. The membership of VQT (and of most fan groups) is overwhelmingly female, and inasmuch as this comprises a specific form of social identity for members, not surprisingly the group has a strong implicit taste agenda oriented toward protecting and enlarging representations of women on television.