Watching the Watchdog: Antecedents of Media Perceptions.

A study examined the effects of several structural and individual variables on the perceived role of the media by media representatives and the general public. The focus of the study was on public perceptions of the media as "watchdog," but the images of the media as "guide dog," "rabid dog," "lap dog" and "guard dog" were included. Subjects, 567 residents of Dane County, Wisconsin in 1986 and 480 residents of the same county in 1987, were surveyed by telephone t.) determine their normative concerns about the role of the media and to assess the evaluative judgments of the media's performance. Results indicated that: (1) community structure was significantly related to the "normative watchdog" scale; (2) socioeconomic variables were related to positive evaluations of the media's "watchdog" performance; and (3) respondents in high socio-economic status groups were more critical of certain aspects of the media's performance, but they are more positive toward the system, including the role played by the media. (Four tables of data are included; and 6 appendixes containing additional data tables as well as 28 references are attached.) (RS) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** 2 J "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Icts M. Mo Led U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Otnce of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ICI INFORMATION CENTEER C Thus document has been reproduced as tecen,ed horn the person cc organization ong.nang d O Knot changes have been made to tmptove reproduction duaty TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Potnts ()knew or opntons stated tn tbisdocu ment do not necessanty represent othml INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" ()EMpos4,011001.c), WATCHING Thi WATCHDOG: ANTECEDENTS OF MEDIA PERCEPTIONS Douglas M. McLeod Department of Rural Sociology University of Minnesota 64 Classroom Office Building St. Paul, MN 55108 (612) 625-4297 *** presented to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Washington, D.C., August 10-13, 1989 2 titSI U1H AVAILABLE 1