Award Date

1-1-2000

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication Studies

First Committee Member

Lawrence Mullen

Number of Pages

74

Abstract

This study examines whether political disengagement is related to the amount and/or type of television that young people watch. The study was conducted through survey research at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with over one hundred undergraduate participants. It demonstrates that there is no relationship between the amount of television which students watch and their political engagement. However, it also demonstrates that there is a relationship between the types of television programs which students watch and their attitudes toward politics and politicians. Frequent viewers of local news feel less trusting toward the government in Washington, whereas frequent viewers of late-night talk shows feel greater trust toward politics and politicians. Further, there is a relationship between the types of programs which students watch and their level of political involvement. Frequent viewers of local news, network news, and political talk shows are more involved with politics than less frequent viewers.

Keywords

Disengagement; Downward; Media; People; Political; Spiral; Young

Controlled Subject

Mass media; Political science

File Format

pdf

File Size

2191.36 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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