ScholarLens Back to search
2004•Journal of Communication InquiryRequires access

Business, Advertising, and the Social Control of News

Robert L. Craig

Open publisher page 20 citations

Abstract

This study demonstrates how businesses employ their advertising to socially control and thus censor viewpoints they do not like. In 1970-71, when the University of Iowa student newspaper the Daily Iowan (DI) started advocating anti–Vietnam War, feminist, and antigovernment positions, businesses withdrew a substantial amount of advertising, which caused the newspaper to lose money. This led to internal pressure within the paper to change content and staff. The newspaper’s board refused to let these pressures affect the newspaper’s staff. The study analyzes the paper’s content, board minutes, and financial data as well as interviews former DI staff and Iowa City businessmen.

About this research paper

What this paper is about

This study demonstrates how businesses employ their advertising to socially control and thus censor viewpoints they do not like. In 1970-71, when the University of Iowa student newspaper the Daily Iowan (DI) started advocating anti–Vietnam War, feminist, and antigovernment positions, businesses withdrew a substantial amount of advertising, which caused the newspaper to lose money. This led to internal pressure within the paper to change content and staff. The newspaper’s board refused to let these pressures affect the newspaper’s staff. The study analyzes the paper’s content, board minutes, and financial data as well as interviews former DI staff and Iowa City businessmen.

Why it matters

OpenAlex reports 20 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

Key contribution

A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Method / approach

Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Main findings

Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Limitations

Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Applications

Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Available abstract

This study demonstrates how businesses employ their advertising to socially control and thus censor viewpoints they do not like. In 1970-71, when the University of Iowa student newspaper the Daily Iowan (DI) started advocating anti–Vietnam War, feminist, and antigovernment positions, businesses withdrew a substantial amount of advertising, which caused the newspaper to lose money. This led to internal pressure within the paper to change content and staff. The newspaper’s board refused to let these pressures affect the newspaper’s staff. The study analyzes the paper’s content, board minutes, and financial data as well as interviews former DI staff and Iowa City businessmen.

Key concepts: Newspaper, Viewpoints, Advertising, Control (management), Content analysis, Public relations, Political science, Business

Related papers

Related paper 1Related paper 2Related paper 3
Back to paper searchBrowse research topicsOriginal source
Business, Advertising, and the Social Control of News — Research Paper | ScholarLens