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Full text of this paper is not available in the ETD Center. Copies may be available for inter-library loan from Ohio University or may be available for purchase from Proquest/UMI

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Friend or Foe? Extramedia Influences on U.S. News Magazines' Post-war Coverage of Vietnam, 1976 - 2006

Tang, Mai
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1192116515

Abstract Details

2007, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Journalism (Communication).
The study examined U.S. news magazines’ post-war coverage of Vietnam over 30 years after the war (1976-2006). The study questioned what topics in the articles were emphasized; whether articles that included the U.S. angle would be more frequent than those on Vietnam; whether war references decreased as trade volume between the two countries increased; whether official sources would be used more frequently than other sources in the articles; and whether the city name “Saigon” would gradually change from “Saigon” to “Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)” and finally to “Ho Chi Minh City” as the U.S. foreign policy towards Vietnam changed. A content analysis of 301 articles in Newsweek, Time and U.S. News & World Report between 1976 and 2006 indicated that diplomacy; war/defense; politics; and business were the most common topics. The study also found that stories related solely to the United States outnumbered stories related to Vietnam, reflecting a linkage between U.S. national interests and news content. Government officials were the most dominant sources cited, indicating a heavy reliance by the U.S. media on government officials in covering foreign news. However, changes in U.S. foreign policy towards Vietnam did not influence the choices of city name (Saigon versus Ho Chi Minh City) in U.S. news weeklies’ articles about Vietnam. Use of “Saigon” dominated the first decade after reunification, slipped to fewer than half of references in the second decade; and then surged again as the dominant term in the third decade. Finally, although the Vietnam War ended more than 30 years ago, references about the Vietnam War still prevail.
Anne Cooper (Advisor)
80 p.
Journalism
Vietnam War; post-war coverage of Vietnam War; U.S. foreign policy

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Tang, M. (2007). Friend or Foe? Extramedia Influences on U.S. News Magazines' Post-war Coverage of Vietnam, 1976 - 2006 [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1192116515

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tang, Mai. Friend or Foe? Extramedia Influences on U.S. News Magazines' Post-war Coverage of Vietnam, 1976 - 2006. 2007. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1192116515.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tang, Mai. "Friend or Foe? Extramedia Influences on U.S. News Magazines' Post-war Coverage of Vietnam, 1976 - 2006." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1192116515

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1192116515
© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12