Mapping, Measuring and Modeling Press Differences (October, 2009-October, 2010)
Project Timeline
October 2009: Conducting Web- based survey.
1. Finalizing the purposive sample of the Web-based survey
2. Send invites and gentle reminders
3. Collecting, processing and analyzing data
4. Categorizing all the collected research articles
5. Writing Introductory chapter: Background, Framework, and Approaches
November 2009: Comparing news coverage of election and daily news coverage:
1. Collecting election stories,
2. Coding stories and processing data
3. Comparing press ethics, policies and regulations
4. Collecting and reviewing more research articles and data for Chapter 1
5. Writing a book proposal
6. Writing Chapter 1: Mapping Normative Differences
December 2009: Conducting email interviews and analyzing the survey results
1. Email in-depth interviews
2. Collecting and reviewing more research articles and data for Chapter 2
3. Survey: Data entry and processing
4. Writing a paper on the results of the Web-based survey
5. Writing Chapter 2: Mapping Empirical Differences
January 2010: Analyzing and Writing: Comparative Study of Election Stories
1. Writing a paper on the results of the comparative study of election stories
2. Writing a paper on the results of the comparative study of daily news coverage
3. Writing a paper on the results of the in-depth interviews with key journalism professors and practitioners
4. Collecting and reviewing more research articles and data for Chapter 3
5. Writing Chapter 3: Mapping Normative-Empirical Differences
February 2010: Compare all the findings
1. Comparing all the findings: survey, interview, documentary research and content analysis
2. Processing all the data
3. Collecting and reviewing more research articles and data for Chapters 4 and 5
4. Writing Chapters 4 and 5: Measuring Normative Differences/Measuring Empirical Differences
5. Writing a conference paper for IAMCR
March 2010: Research and Writing
1. Reviewing more research articles and data for Chapter 6
2. Writing Chapter 6: Measuring Normative-Empirical Differences
April 2010: Research and Writing
1. Further documentary research and further data collection for chapter 7
2. Writing Chapter 7: Social Environments and Press Differences
May 2010: Research and Writing
1. Further review and data collection for Chapter 8
2. Writing Chapter 8: Economic Environments and Press Differences
June 2010: Research and Writing
1. More review and data collection for Chapter 9
2. Writing Chapter 9: Political Environments and Press Differences
July 2010: Research and Writing
1. Further documentary research for Chapter 10
2. Writing Chapter 10: Cultural Environments and Press Differences
August 2010: Writing Conclusions
1. Final documentary research for concluding chapter
2. Writing the final chapter: Modeling Press Differences
September 2010: Editing and submit for publication
1. Editing and proofreading all the chapters
2. Submit for publication
Background
The press differs from country to country in terms of what it should be and do in society, what it actually is and does in society and the differences between the normative and the empirical. Differing from previous efforts which tackled either normative or empirical differences only, this study will map, measure and model normative-empirical differences through addressing the following five research questions:
RQ1: What are the differences among selected news media in different countries in terms of what the press should be and do in society?
RQ2: What are the differences among selected news media in different countries in terms of what the press actually is and does in society?
RQ3: What are the differences between the normative press and the empirical press?
RQ4: How are normative-empirical differences shaped by their social, economic, political and cultural environments?
RQ5: Is there a central pattern among press differences?
To describe, explain and predict the normative-empirical differences, five dimensions, i.e. social, legal, political, economic and cultural environments, are to be examined in relation to normative-empirical differences. Indicators of each of the five environments are to be worked out and quantified on a scale between 1 and 5 respectively.
Methods
Web-based survey, in-depth interview, Web-based focus group discussion (forum, twitter, and blog), participant observation (forum, blog, and twitter), documentary research, content analysis, and case studies
Posted by Xiaoge 
