Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL
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| Language: | English |
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Kent State University / OhioLINK
2019
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556034655111704 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-kent15560346551117042021-08-03T07:10:49Z Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL Cassilo, David Journalism Mass Communications Communication media framing football head injuries documentaries league of denial This dissertation examines how the documentary League of Denial may have influenced media coverage frames about head injuries in the National Football League. Prior research has indicated that documentaries can influence attitudes and behaviors of the viewer. To examine this, the research uses a two-phase approach. For the first phase, media framing of head injuries in newspaper coverage of the NFL is examined during four time periods between 2012 and 2017—two of which are before the release of the documentary and two of which are after. Within this phase, the sources cited within coverage were also explored. Then in the second phase, to contextualize these findings, interviews with reporters who covered the NFL during the same time period were conducted. The findings in the first phase of research showed a dichotomy within the coverage between frames that downplayed the impact of head injuries within the sport and frames that that prioritized safety of players. It was not until the final time period, in 2017, that the frequency of those safety-first frames overtook the frames that downplayed the level of concern about the injuries. Using reporter interviews to contextualize those findings, it remains unclear the level of influence League of Denial may have had in this shift in media coverage frames. Reporters indicated that the documentary was part of a wave of information about the effects of head injuries that likely influenced coverage while also stressing that personal experience with players who sustained head injuries influenced their own coverage more than anything else. Reporters also suggested that professional factors such as the publication’s resources and a lack of access to medical personnel influences how head injuries are covered. 2019-04-24 English text Kent State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556034655111704 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556034655111704 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Journalism Mass Communications Communication media framing football head injuries documentaries league of denial |
| spellingShingle |
Journalism Mass Communications Communication media framing football head injuries documentaries league of denial Cassilo, David Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL |
| author |
Cassilo, David |
| author_facet |
Cassilo, David |
| author_sort |
Cassilo, David |
| title |
Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL |
| title_short |
Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL |
| title_full |
Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL |
| title_fullStr |
Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Reversing Field: An Investigation into the Impact of League of Denial on Media Coverage and Attitudes about Head Injuries in the NFL |
| title_sort |
reversing field: an investigation into the impact of league of denial on media coverage and attitudes about head injuries in the nfl |
| publisher |
Kent State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2019 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1556034655111704 |
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AT cassilodavid reversingfieldaninvestigationintotheimpactofleagueofdenialonmediacoverageandattitudesaboutheadinjuriesinthenfl |
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