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Abstract
In an increasingly fragmented media environment, some issues stand out and generate huge publicity for a limited period of time. Using Scannell's categories, event and happening, the article analyses two cases – the 1994 Olympic Winter Games and the death of Princess Diana. It is argued that they, in order to account for audience involvement and the complexity of meanings, should be analyzed in relation to the discourses and narrative developments across different media that embed the main, televised, moments. It is also argued that today's proliferation of media channels and the presence of new media can contribute to increasing attention and involvement of the audience. Ceremonial media events that previously dominated have moved in two directions: integrative, entertainment oriented events organized by the media and disaster events.

THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION PROCESS IN THE UNITED STATES PERMITS TO PARTICULAR STATES PREDOMINANT INFLUENCE IN DETERMINING PARTY NOMINEES. OTHER STATES ARE FORCED TO ACCEPT LESSER, EVEN UNIMPORTANT ROLES, AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE DISPARITY IS MEDIA COVERAGE. THIS RESEARCH EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF FIVE VARIABLES ON THE COVERAGE OF STATE DELEGATE SELECTION EVENTS, AND RECENT PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS BY MANIPULATING THE SEQUENCE AND STRUCTURE OF DELEGATE SELECTION EVENTS.

Compares newspaper coverage of state delegate selection events; 1984 and 1988 US presidential nominations. The number of national convention delegates at stake, method of delegate selection, sequence of events, number of same-day events, and the closeness of the race.

The war in Angola provides a classic example of all the deficiencies of US media coverage of African affairs. Most of the more general criticism has centred on such shortcomings as superficiality, sensationalism, infrequency and inadequacy, but propaganda and disinformation are also prevalent, and critical in the Angolan case. The main reason for this poor coverage is that most journalists who have written about the war have relied upon sources committed to one side of the conflict: the rebel movement known as UNITA, led by Jonas Savimbi. The most important of these sources have been the US government, Savimbi and other rebel spokesmen, the UNITA lobby in Washington, and governmental and other sources in South Africa. As media critics have pointed out, the tendency of American journalists to accept their government's agenda has reached new heights during the Reagan and Bush administration. (Documentatieblad/ASC Leiden)

The presidential nomination process in the United States permits to particular states predominant influence in determining party nominees. Other states are forced to accept lesser, even unimportant roles. An important factor in the disparity is media coverage. This research examines the impact of five variables on the coverage of state delegate selection events: the number of national convention delegates at stake, method of delegate selection, sequence of events, number of same-day events, and the closeness of the race. Linear regression analysis is used to estimate the effect of these variables on the percentage of newspaper stories about each state's primary or caucus. Three recent presidential nominations are studied: the Democratic party's in 1984 and 1988 and the Republican process in 1988. The findings demonstrate that state parties act strategically to enhance their importance in presidential nominations by manipulating the sequence and structure of delegate selection events.