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Media Research Methods

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Submitted By madsend
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Pages 16
Dave Madsen
JGRD 915: Mass Communication Theory
Dr. Linda Shipley
Final Paper Dec. 14, 2009

Discovering Methods of Communication Use in Ord, Nebraska

In a recent editorial opinion column in the Sioux City (Iowa) Journal, Editor Mitch Pugh wrote “We are becoming a nation that only wants to consume news that perpetuates or supports our own tightly held beliefs. I’m not sure I quite understand how that line of thinking contributes anything to a society that used to value open and fair-minded debate and learned from absorbing diverse viewpoints.” (Pugh) If you actually asked people about their news consumption practices, would they agree with that sentiment? Would the residents of a particular small town in Nebraska be able to determine if any commonly held beliefs might be determined by the selection of a specific type or style of media? These are just some of the questions that arise when evaluating the results of just such a research project.
During the month of October, 2009, students of Dr. Linda Shipley’s Mass Communication Theory class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, conducted interviews with 33 residents of the small town of Ord, Nebraska. The purposes of the survey were:
1) To measure the use of media by the people of Ord. Specifically, how do they gather information about Ord and how do they disseminate information about Ord?
2) To measure their opinions about living in Ord.

The interviews were conducted by telephone, with each of the eleven students in the class talking with three residents, in interviews lasting approximately twenty-five to thirty minutes each. A standard set of questions was asked each interviewee, with all responses being recorded to assist with making a validity check of the interviews.
In addition to providing valuable information to the class in their graduate study of Mass Communication Theory, the hope

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