Date: September 12, 2006
Contact: Lindsay Gladstone
Governors State University
Phone: (708) 534-7090
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: l-gladstone@govst.edu
For Immediate Release
University Park, September 12, 2006 - One of the maxims Mary Nolan of Oak Lawn firmly believes is that with research often comes revelation. The research Nolan conducted as part of a class at Governors State University (GSU) led to an in depth analysis of newspaper coverage which in turn has led Nolan to a unique opportunity and a singular honor.
Nolan, a graduate student in communications and media at GSU, will present her paper and her conclusions at the Sixth Annual Global Fusion Conference in Chicago on October 1 to an audience of international scholars and professionals in journalism, mass communication, and diplomacy.
“This is an amazing honor,” said Nolan, who earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Saint Francis. “I show that the media failed to keep the public informed. I ask questions that demand answers. This conference gives me the opportunity to ask those questions of a broader audience.”
Nolan’s research analyzed American newspaper coverage of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq to determine the thoroughness, impartiality, effectiveness of their work.
“My research illustrated that throughout the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq,’ concludes Nolan, “the media was an inveterate press machine spooling stories that were in sync with the Bush Administration’s policies on the wars. For a press to operate freely in a democracy, there needs to be a sense of independence with the government. My research shows this was not the case.”
Nolan was surprised when her research revealed how many Americans were disenchanted with the news media coverage of the wars. “Many people are turning to foreign news outlets like the BBC. The American media needs to wake up and give people what they want. A free press is indicative of an enlightened public.”
According to Dr. Eric Martin, dean of the College Arts and Sciences, “Nolan’s research is very relevant in today’s media driven, 24-hour news day. Her conclusions are based on solid research. There is much that can be learned from her analysis.”
