Cold cases, which are criminal investigations that lack sufficient evidence or leads, are a notable presence in true crime media, but little research has been conducted to address their psychological impact on the public. The goal is to determine whether ongoing exposure to unresolved crimes escalates anxiety, sensitivity, or skepticism toward the capabilities of law enforcement.
Idea #1: Live Nation/Music/Concert PR/Promotion
Idea #2: NPR: entertainment, political, health, environment, etc sectors as well.
Album rollouts are a unique way for a music artist to promote their new music before it is fully released. Album rollouts may primarily be seen as a marketing tactic to get fans and the general audience excited and talking about the artist’s upcoming music but from a music artist’s perspective, it is the beginning of a new era and world for their fans and for their music. There used to be a formula to an album rollout that artists would follow but the fun part is seeing the creative choices they make to immerse their fans in this new era of their music. However, in the more recent years, we have seen less effort from some artists to provide an album rollout. Thanks to TikTok, an artist can have a catchy chorus and beat, post a snippet, and have it go viral. While creating a hit record is the goal of most music artists, the art of a good album rollout is vital to an artist’s legacy and lasting effect in the music industry. Fans and the general audience can appreciate a thoughtful album rollout that demonstrates the artist’s passion for their music. Viral audios on social media platforms unfortunately do not always convey the artistry of a musician. Viewing how fans and the audience engage differently with music releases, whether it be a TikTok snippet or a well-curated album rollout, is important for today’s music artists to understand.
For my abstract, I would like to take a deep dive into how reality television, social media and parasocial relationships shape modern fan culture in the media. As reality TV becomes more intertwined with digital platforms, audiences no longer just watch shows. They engage with stars on social media, building one-sided yet personal connections. Parasocial relationships change how we think about celebrities and their audiences and reality TV allows fans to feel close to people they may never meet. My goal with this topic is to examine how social media helps grow these connections, creating a new kind of closeness that mixes realness with performance. By exploring how fans interact with and emotionally invest in media personalities, this study will show how digital media affects identity, social connections and cultural habits. Ultimately, I would like to highlight how reality TV and social media are changing the way we view celebrities and redefine fandom in today's world.
Using the format of the Creative Thesis, this project will investigate the impact TikTok has made on the alternative music industry. I want to explore the benefits and opportunities that the platform gives to bands while also seeing what negative effects it could have on the industry.
While the platform’s impact on more mainstream genres is well documented, there’s not much out there on its role in smaller subgenres. To tell this story, I will conduct interviews with both established and local bands that I have connections with to explore how artists at different levels are using TikTok and how it has helped them if at all.
A prime example I will include is the Chicago band, Action/Adventure, whose 2020 song
Barricades was intentionally written and filmed to be optimized for TikTok’s one-minute, vertical-video format. The track, which the band released during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, addresses racial “barricades” in a predominantly white genre. After posting the full 59 second music video on TikTok, it went viral and led directly to a record deal. Their story shows how TikTok can help bypass traditional gatekeepers while amplifying marginalized voices who may have never gotten a chance.
While exploring cases like this one, I will argue that TikTok is not just a mere marketing tool, but a powerful platform that is reshaping how the music industry works.
Music through cultural backgrounds: How music can bring people together culturally through ethnic backgrounds. Music in general connects people, emotionally, through experiences, etc. But on the topic of family or ethnic groups people can definitely come together through music. For example, when you are having a family gathering, party, or even a wedding, there’s always going to be music. Palestinian music genres consist of Ataaba and Dal'ona, an example for an Indian music genre Hindustani, and a Latino music genre can consist of Reggaeton or mariachi music. I want to focus on the importance of listening to certain music as a group like during family gatherings. Why are certain ethnic groups choosing more traditional music related to their own culture, rather than your top 10 (91.5) radio station hits. On my mothers side, during a family gathering typically everyone is very shy when there is no music. However, once you play a song by Don Omar or Marc Anthony, then everybody wants to get up and show their best dance moves. Even if that means that they cannot dance. In a way you can say that the music puts them in a good mood and makes them feel more comfortable. But not just any music, because if you play a song by Drake or Taylor Swift, everyone would look at each other confused and still seated.
With a desire to explore how organizations craft storytelling, manage crisis communications, and maintain a positive image across media outlets, I plan to pursue a public relations internship with a public relations/marketing firm in Las Vegas. Given that Las Vegas is heavily dominated by the hospitality industry, many local firms specialize in shaping the images of hotel and entertainment brands. For example, during MGM’s recent company wide data breach, I became curious about how internal communications were managed before public statements were made and how the company worked to rebuild its reputation after such a significant crisis. Through an internship with a hospitality-based marketing firm, I hope to gain firsthand experience in addressing situations like these while also building skills in media relations, brand strategy, and event promotion. I intend to one day apply these lessons towards a career in the entertainment industry, where maintaining the reputations of individual musicians and athletes is essential in developing a fanbase and sustaining long-term success.
With the creative thesis, I think I'm looking to focus on fan spaces in the broader fan culture field. I think it would be really interesting with the creative thesis to host my own fan event(s), whether that be a few smaller ones, or a smaller one and then one bigger one, or just a big one. Seeing how media interacts with fan spaces, both for giving the space itself with the genres and nerdy things, but also allowing fans to connect through social media and use it to reach each other across distances and use it to spread the word about fan events being hosted.
For me, fan events were something very normal, but seeing how others not in the community have reacted when I've talked about cupsleeves, conventions, and gatherings, I realize that it is a very unique situation. It's humans gathering and sharing joy and things they're interested in, and using media to host those spaces.
A common theme within the TV news industry is experiencing burnout. According to the World Health Organization, it is “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” A Facebook group called “Standby: TV News Producers Group” was started not only to share job postings but to share personal experiences in news. There are countless posts that are dealing with that issue and wanting to leave the industry as a whole. Mental health issues may come up dealing with a high stress environment plus the “death and destruction” of the world. Being exposed to graphic material like 911 calls and bodycam footage to traumatic events can take a toll on one’s well being. There is an unsaid mindset expected to move on as there is no time to decompress because of the 24/7 news cycle. Other factors included lack of support from management, issues of how newsrooms are run and problems with perfectionism. In return, many felt like this affected their craft and their passion for news in the first place.There is a need to properly address the issue and create a safe space in the newsroom for people dealing with these issues to get those resources and be supported.
In pre-contact Hawai‘i, much of Hawaiian history, stories, teachings, and values were passed down orally. Since this time, the medium in which stories of Native Hawaiian people and their culture are delivered has evolved immensely from oral histories and newspapers to social media, and Hollywood movies and series. With this evolution, it is also important to recognize that Native Hawaiians valued and sought knowledge from the past to solve contemporary issues in the present day (Kame‘eleihiwa, 1992, p. 22). As Native Hawaiian people move forward in perpetuating their culture, it is imperative to look at how these stories are being digested, how their ancestors sought ‘ike (knowledge) contributing to the creation of these stories, and how we can seek ‘ike similarly in the present day through investigating hidden kaona (meanings) and practicing makawalu (observing deeply) to ensure that living stories of Native Hawaiian culture and history are being portrayed accurately as storytelling methods continue to evolve.
Over the past decade, the popularity of fantasy football has exploded beyond the niche hobby it once was. Season-long fantasy sports, typically football, have always had a dedicated following. According to a 2022 survey, 19% of Americans aged eighteen and older participate in fantasy sports (Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association). While multiple factors impact this increase in popularity, including social media and accessibility, I propose that it’s more crucial to examine the impact fantasy football has on the individual. As sports betting continues to become legal across the United States, it has become more common for people to participate. Fantasy football is a form of sports betting, opening the door to a whole world of gambling for the fantasy football community. I’ll also examine how this affects the way fans interact with sports teams. The relationship between the players and the fans has certainly shifted in line with the increased legality of sports betting. This thesis will examine the impacts of fantasy football on multiple scales to gauge the significance it holds.
How have the effects of AI in the field of journalism been shown through specific media such as various print and online publications? The answer to that lies in this experimental
prospectus that discusses specific examples of the two types (print/online). In this prospectus, you can explore the question of whether AI is beneficial to journalists and their workplaces and
examine its impact. You might even be discussing the issue of journalists being completely replaced by AI. Is the journalist’s job at stake? Are people utilizing AI as opposed to hiring
writers? But the key question is this: “Who is doing this and why?” The methods that will be used include questionnaire surveys and personal interviews. Due to the nature of these
questionnaires and personal interviews dealing with human subjects, an IRB approval would have to be sought after. I would try to do a questionnaire survey across different departments at
UNLV (i.e., English Department; Journalism and Media Studies Department; Communications). .
I also have a connection with a guy who knows the chief editor (Glenn Cook) of the Las Vegas Review-Journal through a retail job I did recently, so I could try to use Mr. Glenn Cook as a
resource in this research. This prospectus will look at the specific medium of the magazine, as in the physical copy, and ways that it has been revolutionized through the development of AI.
Examples could be Cosmopolitan, Vogue, or the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It will also look at online publications, such as potential newsletters and online news media outlets (i.e., Tumblr,
the Las Vegas Review-Journal). This prospectus describes the thesis track. This research will use the mixed-methods approach. There are potentially different quantitative and qualitative methods
that could be used to support this research, such as the analysis of different Cosmopolitan/Vogue covers and the differences between their recent covers to older ones. Quantitatively, we could
measure the vividness of colors, changes in creativity, and representation of gender.
Qualitatively, we could try to study (through close reading of specific published online articles)
whether there has been a cultural shift in attitude and perceptions towards AI. There’s a recent
movie that I watched that has really fueled my excitement about my topic: The Mitchells vs. the
Machines. TLDR: A family goes against some AI robots and saves the day against an AI-
induced apocalypse. I think it’s a rather interesting topic to dive into, especially with my
connection to someone with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and just trying to connect that with
my passion for magazines and Tumblr.
My project is covering content creation as a whole, and how UNLV could provide classes to students to get a better understanding of what methods they could take to gain a following. Whether that be at the level of a nano-influencer (1-10k followers) or a mega-influencer (1m+), not everything is luck-based. There are ways to understand the algorithms that different platforms have.
UNLV teaches a class about podcasting, but I don’t believe they teach other content creator-based classes. We’re in an age of content creators/influencers, and so classes that teach the basics behind getting started on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, etc, can prove very useful to students interested in becoming a creator. A lot of the skills that can be picked up from classes could also be picked up from the Internet, but having guaranteed ways of being taught the most consistent methods of at least minimal success is absolutely a route that UNLV, and colleges in general, should pursue.
This paper will investigate the distribution of news and information across traditional television outlets, social media platforms, and emerging formats such as podcasts. The study examines how the medium through which audiences access news influences the type of content they receive and evaluates whether these platforms vary in the degree of bias, opinion, or editorial framing they present. By comparing the characteristics of information that is released across multiple media channels, this research is to provide insight into the relationship between platform choice and the perceived reliability and objectivity of news. Questions I hope to raise and have answered is if traditional types of journalism are reliable anymore. Why are younger generations leaning away from big news? What kinds of problems are there with getting news from creators on social media, or listening to a political podcast as a form of gaining information. I also want to examine the ethics of these platforms.
Animation as a medium for filmmaking and storytelling has evolved from traditional 2-D animation to a modern 3-D format. 3-D animation has dominated the medium since it became available in the 1990's. However I am curious about the current trend in mainstream 3-D animated works that are utilizing the style and principles of 2-D animation. With this trend of 3-D animation embracing what I consider to be the charm of traditional 2-D animation, I am curious to explore this response from the audience of animated works and its impact on the industry. Is there a favorability from audiences that respond well to 2-D animation? Is there a skew in favorability in 2-D animation and 3-D? Should media producers not discount 2-D animation as direction to take?
Additionally, does the element of the human craft of animation shine the brightest when engaging with 2-D animated works? I believe I would be looking at the animated content available and their critical and financial response with audiences. The element of animated works typically being animated by humans also makes me want to consider the implication of the uncharted landscape of AI generated animation that will seemingly have a presence according to startups and studios that are forecasting the adoption of films to be created through AI generated means. Are current and future audiences going to accept animated works that are primarily generated by software and models?
My background is mainly in digital and social media. During my time in undergrad at UNLV, I was able to intern at a PR/marketing firm. I was also able to work as a team lead for Rebel Media Group (RMG), which I still continue to do during my master's program. RMG is a student-run social media agency on campus that helps run various social media platforms.
I want to further my skills in digital/social media marketing by continuing on the professional track. The organization I have chosen to intern at is the OneSeven Agency. Their clients range from local restaurants, nonprofit organizations, resorts, etc. During my PR/marketing internship, I worked with one of our nonprofit clients. I managed all of their social media platforms and attended events to interact with club members. This slowly became my favorite client because of all the good work they were doing for the community.
Another research question I ask myself about digital/social media marketing is how much growth in revenue do businesses experience switching from print to digital marketing. Obviously, we are in the digital age of everything, but there was once a time when the Sunday paper was where we found out about new movies or the new Mexican restaurant opening downtown.