Journal article
That is Good to Think of these Days: The Campaign by Hearst Newspapers to Promote Addition of "Under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance
American journalism, v 24(2), pp 61-85
01 Apr 2007
Abstract
At issue in this article is the historical precedent for the actions of journalists in their treatment of Michael Newdow, whose constitutional challenge to the Pledge of Allegiance gained national prominence in 2002. In 1954, the Hearst Newspaper chain, with able support from the Knights of Columbus, the nation's largest Catholic fraternal organization, mounted a national campaign in support of efforts to add the words "under God" to the Pledge. Reporters for Hearst's newspapers put aside the journalistic convention of objectivity to openly promote patriotism in the face of the largely imagined threat posed by Communism. The exploration of this effort is based on a close reading of the articles and editorials written by Hearst reporters, in particular those who worked for the New York Journal-American. Also included in the analysis are news stories crafted about the Pledge revision by reporters for some of the nation's most respected news organizations, including CBS and the New York Times. The theoretical foundation for this historical journey comes from application of the "guard dog" function of reporting developed by Donahue, Tichenor, and Olien. By repeatedly mentioning its role in creating the Pledge amendment drive, Hearst Newspapers made itself an essential part of the Pledge story. Hearst reporters provided a stage for public officials to enact a communication strategy designed to attack Communism by affirming the national collective identity. Here, Hearst reporters were carrying out a directive from management to convince Americans that the Pledge of Allegiance must reflect a devotion to God, and God's ongoing role in national affairs.
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Details
- Title
- That is Good to Think of these Days: The Campaign by Hearst Newspapers to Promote Addition of "Under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance
- Creators
- Ronald Bishop - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- American journalism, v 24(2), pp 61-85
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Communication
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84981533495
- Other Identifier
- 991019173942004721