What is e-leadership and how can it be framed in a distance context? How can work motivation be understood as a correlated theme? In prior leadership research and theory it has been taken for granted that leadership occurs in a face-to-face environment, so how to study leadership in a remote context? According to recent research, e-leadership defines this leader-member relation in this new arena, and a central focus of this research has been on communication. Communication is a central theme in the remote setting because it is the only interaction arena which allows leadership to be seen and understood. By conducting a case study in a multi media organization with distance working journalists as focus group this essay aims to bring a deeper understanding of how e-leadership works and how it effects work motivation. The field of media organizations is interesting to study as distance work is not an unusual working environment for journalists, and research has indicated that work motivation needs for these highly specified creative workers are somewhat differentiated from other, for example industrial workers, which implies that motivation theories urges an update. The data was collected by individual interviews which later were transcribed and categorized into emerging themes. The themes were then analyzed through the theoretical framework. The results from this case study implies that the distance working context includes several challenges and more responsibilities in a comparative to a physical environment where there are other service units. For example the social aspects of having meaningful social relationships to coworkers and leaders is a challenge in a context where there are few, if any physical meetings. The time pressure in the daily work makes the communication mostly work based, and there is little time over for small talk. The distance work environment also includes more responsibilities in terms of watering the flowers at the office, filling up the printer with paper and other responsibilities not strictly attached to the work assignments, but still a part of them.

On February 22, 2011, Christchurch-based journalists were jolted out of their normal work routine by a large 6.3 magnitude earthquake that killed 185 people, wrecked the city and forced reporters to reappraise their journalism. This study considers how the earthquake affected journalists’ relationship to the community, their use of sources and news selection. A theory of collective trauma is used to explain the changes that journalists made to their reporting practice. Specifically, Christchurch journalists had a greater identification and attachment to their audience post-earthquake. Journalists viewed themselves as part of the earthquake story, which prompted them to view sources differently, use those sources differently and see advocacy as a keystone of their news work after the disaster. This study adds to a growing scholarship about journalists and trauma, but focuses on what the event meant for local reporters’ choice of sources and news selection rather than measuring rates of psychological distress.

This study examined environmental reporters and their attitudes toward the stories they cover. Sixteen journalists, from across the United States, who reported either full-time or part-time were asked to participate in a Q study by sorting fifty-four statements. On an 11point distribution grid from most disagree (-5) to most agree (+5).The statements were selected from a model of short term and long-term problems facing the environmental reporter. Issues raised in the statements included topics surrounding the beat. For example, do journalists who report on the environment feel frustrated by the short-term vision of reporting? Do they feel they are watchdogs for their community when reporting about environmental issues?Research revealed three factors that were labeled the "Watchdogs", the "Company People," and the "Frustrated Reporter." This study revealed that environmental reporting has emerged into a legitimate "beat" in the past thirty years. There is also a large gap between scholarly research has found and what the environmental reporter faces on a day-to-day basis while out in the field. / Department of Journalism

With the women's movement of the 1960s, more career opportunities opened to women. Women now had the opportunity to work fulltime at jobs that were once held by men only. Accordingly, female reporters became a larger part of the newsroom, but male and female reporters were not being treated equally. For example, female reporters were assigned news topics that included human interest and education, and male reporters were assigned stories dealing with war and politics. Past research has examined bylines of small, medium, and large newspapers and the news topics male and female reporters have covered.The present study is a content analysis examining the years 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, and 2005 of the New York Times. The study examined male and female bylines, along with topics of news stories, sources used by male and female reporters, and collective sources. The findings suggest that female reporters are making some strides in the newspaper business. Stories by female reporters more often appear on the front page currently than in the past. However, male reporters are writing about "feminine topics," such as education, and human interest. Lastly, female reporters use more female sources in stories than their male counterparts. / Department of Journalism

"Reporting Wartime Germany" is a study of the memoirs, diaries, and other works of American journalists who were in Berlin during the early wartime years, 1939-1941. It analyzes their perceptions of the changes which occurred during that important period. Manipulation of politics and political power is discussed, along with growth of resistance to the regime, and the apparent inability of the regime to negotiate with foreigners in good faith. The role of newspapers, periodicals, radio and the motion picture industry as media of propaganda is studied; the system of education, control of religion, and attempts to regulate artistic endeavors are surveyed. Particular attention is paid to the use of literature and art as means of directing the minds of the Berliners. Various forms of culture, including opera and the theater, are analyzed in terms of their importance as a"-form of escape for the Berliners. Other types of entertainment, such as nightclubs, restaurants, and vaudeville, along with spectator sports, are also included. Analysis is offered concerning the immediate loss of such "luxuries" as adequate transportation, liquor, coffee and tea, and cigarettes, the shortage of housing and the rationing of such staples as food and clothing, and the impact these changes in lifestyle had on the Berliners. The gradual change in attitude perceived by the Americans, from acceptance of conditions to fear that the war might be lost, is described. Because of the need to verify the often highly subjective reports of the journalists, there are extensive notes which include references to accounts by others who were in Berlin, either contemporaneously or earlier or later than the first wartime years, and also to significant secondary works. Thus this study presents a broad overview of Berlin during the early wartime years, as seen by foreigners with many different perspectives. The similarities and differences in their perceptions are noted. The discrepancies are stressed, with verifying sources for different viewpoints included in the notes. The conclusion drawn is that the real changes perceived by the Americans occurred in 1933, when the Nazis came to power, and after the summer of 1941 following the beginning of the Russian campaign. More importantly, the study underlines the importance of using and carefully comparing multiple sources for any type of historical inquiry. The study underscores how well-meaning and supposedly objective observers of the same scene can often differ significantly in their perceptions, interpretation, and reporting of specificevents and major trends.

The concept of social media is top of mind for Canadians today. Decision makers, such as the Canadian government, try to identify ways in which they can benefit from tools such as Twitter. This thesis is an investigative analysis that studies how the Canadian government currently uses social media networks. Based on the conceptual framework of Rogers’ diffusion of innovations (2003) and Qualman’s socialnomics theory (2013), the study aims to define how members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery use the Government of Canada tweets. Through a series of interviews with members of the press and government communications executives, a themed analysis was conducted to demonstrate how Twitter is being used and if a dialogue exists between federal institutions and reporters. The research unveiled that the Government of Canada uses social media as a one-to-many broadcasting channel, not actively engaging in online dialogue with members of the press. Conversely, journalists use Twitter as a wire service to obtain instant information, and to gain insight from the consumers. However, they are not interested in conversing with the public service on social media as they want to protect the exclusivity of their story, and they criticize the anonymity of the government corporate accounts as having an impact on its credibility.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Germanic Studies and Dept. of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies, University of Sydney, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-247).

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 165-178). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universiteit Leiden, 1999. / "Stellingen": ([1] leaf) inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. 373-383) and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 443-467). Also available on the Internet.