A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Mass Communication in The Manship School of Mass Communication
By Abby Kral B.A., University of South Florida, 1996 May, 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................ iv ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................… v CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE OF RESEARCH..........................1 PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ......................................................................................................2 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY ...................................................................................................3 ORGANIZATION OF PAPER..................................................................................................5 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .......................................................7 MEDIA, PUBLIC AND POLICY AGENDAS.............................................................................7 MAKING A CONNECTION: MEDIA AND PUBLIC POLICY...................................................10 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN.....................................................................16 LOUISIANA STATE LEGISLATURE.....................................................................................16 LEGISLATIVE SESSION .....................................................................................................16 SAMPLING........................................................................................................................17
Bibliography: Memo Date: April 3, 2000 To: Louisiana State Senate I am a student at Louisiana State University, completing the thesis requirement for my graduate degree in Mass Communication To: Subject: Date: Louisiana State Senate Legislative Survey April 4, 2000 Earlier this week, and LSU graduate student fulfilling her thesis requirement forwarded surveys for Senators to complete