Award Date

5-2009

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies

Department

Journalism and Media Studies

First Committee Member

Anthony J. Ferri, Chair

Second Committee Member

Lawrence J. Mullen

Third Committee Member

Gary W. Larson

Graduate Faculty Representative

Andrea Fontana

Number of Pages

79

Abstract

This study analyzed mediated violent content as seen on the FOX television program 24. The study covered a seven year period, or six seasons, of 24 , with a sample set of 43 episodes and 445 individual acts ofviolence. Three research questions guided this study. The first research question sought to determine if a relation exists between heroic characters inflicting torturous violence and justifying the act with a national security imperative. The second research question examined the prevailing mode of violence and the use of nonlethal and lethal weapons. The third research question examined the portrayed efficiency of violence on24. Findings suggest that while torture is rarely the intent and rarely justified with a national security imperative, 24 is nonetheless very violent, generally portraying violence as physical, involving the use of lethal weapons, intentionally gratuitous, and most often efficient.

Keywords

Heroes on television; Questioning; Terrorism on television; Torture; Violence on television

Disciplines

Communication | Film and Media Studies | Journalism Studies | Mass Communication | Television

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Comments

Signatures have been redacted for privacy and security measures.

Rights

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

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