JMC 332
Electronic Media Programming
Project Hints  

Your project will require you to use resources from the Hayden Library.  Not all information will be available electronically.  No one source will answer all of your questions.  You must piece the information together from several sources.

All sections of your paper will require the use of periodical indexes to articles in magazines and newspapers. Not all of them are online. Jump to Finding The News on Networks.

To find your network website: Newslink Radio and Television Networks. The company that owns your network will also have its own web site. You can usually get to that from the Network web pages. If nothing else, click on the copyright date hyperlink, which often takes you to the parent company website.

Part I: Network Analysis

     Overview of the Network & Ownership

We find the general information about a network in a number of places, but you need to look in all the following places to find the histories and ownership information. Even though there is duplication, if you use only one or two of these, you can miss a great deal of vital information. Only the first 2 in the list will provide any network statistics.

1. Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media.  (ASU has 1932-)
   PN 4867 .A48x HAYDEN REFERENCE
2. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook  (ASU has 1974-)
   HF 6146 .R3 B72x HAYDEN REFERENCE
3. Mergent Online
4. Global Access (Disclosure)
5. International Directory of Company Histories
   HD 2721 .I63 HAYDEN REFERENCE TABLE 10A

     Target Audience Profile

These are the best sources we have to provide demographic and lifestyle information on the target audiences. These provide just statistics. All inferences and conclusions are made by you based on this information and the information found in articles about your network or the programming.

1. Statistical Abstract of the United States  (ASU has 1894-)
   HA 202 .A388 HAYDEN REFERENCE
   online electronic versions:
   US Census Bureau site in PDF format
   also included in Statistical Universe tables available in XLS and CSV delimited formats for importing into databases and spreadsheets.
2. Choices II: Simmons Study of Media and Markets
   HC110 .C6 C57x CDROM HAYDEN REFERENCE MARS #10
3. Lifestyle Market Analyst (ASU has 1991- )
   HF 5415.33 .U6 L54 HAYDEN REFERENCE

     Identification of Key Competitors

The same process you used to find your network history, ownership, and viewer demographics are used to find your competitor networks. Some of the network or parent company websites list the key competitors.

PART II Network Program Analysis

This section requires you to piece together the information on the programming you have found using the network web site and other resources.

Finding the News on Networks:

The best databases to find articles on your network, owner, competitors, audiences, and programming are listed below:

Newspapers: Lexis/Nexis Academic Newsbank Newsfile Business Newsbank NewsBank Full-Text Newspapers Ethnic Newswatch Wall Street Journal

Magazines and Journals ABI/Inform Business and Company Resource Center Business Reference Suite Business and Industry Database Business and Management Practices Tablebase EBSCOhost Prediscasts' F & S Index HAYDEN REFERENCE INDEX TABLE 10A Periodical Abstracts Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature

To find the latest news, as it is happening and for the last week or so, use

Current News your network website Network News websites CNN MSNBC

TV News "magazines" online Broadcasting & Cable TV Guide Zap2it

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