Theses and dissertations

This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students. 

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Women in TV Journalism

Description
In this research paper I combine statistics from various reports and studies with around 20 different interviews with female journalists to understand how women are faring in national and local television newsrooms in 2019. I explore issues such as the pay gap, sexual assault, the importance of appearance, balancing work…

In this research paper I combine statistics from various reports and studies with around 20 different interviews with female journalists to understand how women are faring in national and local television newsrooms in 2019. I explore issues such as the pay gap, sexual assault, the importance of appearance, balancing work and family life and obstacles that women of color uniquely face. I spoke with women from various cultural backgrounds, experience levels, and in different positions within their newsrooms. Through my scholarly research and 19 interviews with women who either currently work at NBC News in New York City and women who currently or recently worked at 12News, the NBC affiliate in Phoenix, I conclude they share similar stories of oppression, sexism and issues. However, women have made more progress in local markets and have more opportunities when compared to the national level. I also explore reasons for why this disparity is happening and why local newsrooms seem to have more women represented through their on-air talent than national newsrooms do. One of the reasons I concluded for this include, how local newsrooms have a better understanding of their audience members thus making them more able to reflect their talent to their diverse audience. Another factor that might play a role in this disparity includes, the historical factor and societal norm of seeing men in higher positions and authoritative roles, such as being an anchor, at the network level. Lastly, the idea of how family and having children impacts women’s careers more than men. This can lead to less women pursuing a job at the network since they must spend time raising a family and have the ability and flexibility to do that easier at the local level. Overall, I focused on the barriers, obstacles and stories these women have had throughout their careers all while looking at it from both a local perspective and a national one.
ContributorsBaietto, Marcella Marie (Author) / Wallace, Julia (Thesis director) / Dunn, Heather (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05

Black and Female Voices: Examining The Presence and Absence of Diversity in Television Newsrooms

Description
Journalists are the eyes and ears for the communities in which they serve. They don’t cover all issues and stories, however, not necessarily because of a lack of concern, but due to the lack of diverse voices that work behind-the-scenes, on-air, and serve in leadership positions in television newsrooms. This…

Journalists are the eyes and ears for the communities in which they serve. They don’t cover all issues and stories, however, not necessarily because of a lack of concern, but due to the lack of diverse voices that work behind-the-scenes, on-air, and serve in leadership positions in television newsrooms. This paucity of diversity plays out in many more implicit rather than explicit ways. This issue has been addressed by the theoretical framework of intersectionality, utilized as a rationale in this thesis to further develop an argument on how the absence of diversity in television newsrooms affects the entry of new diverse employees in the workplace. The thesis also analyzes microaggressions in the workplace and the factors that influence not only the hiring process but also the ability of newsrooms to retain diverse talent. Most of all, this thesis gives voice to Black female television journalists who stayed in the journalism business despite all odds and highlights their struggles as well as coping strategies for building their careers and taking it to the heights they have.
The creative element of this thesis brings the research to life, with audio and video interviews that describe the challenges and accomplishments of the 11 interviewees currently working in the industry. This thesis reviews recent and older literature to find common trends, explore the issues previously addressed, and uses the interviews to provide a current picture of the situation in television newsrooms.

Keywords: Diversity, Television News, Black Women, Journalists, Leadership, Producers, Broadcasters
ContributorsStephens, Imani Christine (Author) / Chadha, Monica (Thesis director) / Sandoval, Mathew (Committee member) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05