O.J. Simpson facts and fictions : news rituals in the construction of reality / Darnell M. Hunt.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hunt, Darnell M., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Simpson, O. J., 1947---Trials, litigation, etc--Public opinion.

Simpson, O. J.

Television broadcasting of news--Social aspects--United States.

Television broadcasting of news.

Public opinion--United States.

Public opinion.

Television viewers--United States--Attitudes.

Television viewers.

Mass media and race relations.

United States--Race relations.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 350 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

O. J. Simpson Facts & Fictions

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Abundant popular discourses surround the O. J. Simpson double murder case. By contrast, Darnell M. Hunt scrutinizes these very discourses in order to further our understanding of the interests underlying them. Exploring the relationships between O. J.'s trial, the social location of television viewers (their race, gender and class) and everyday consciousness of social issues, his textual and audience analyses consider the incredible allure of the trial as 'media event'. Looking beyond the obvious explanations of celebrity, scandal and voyeurism, Dr Hunt asks: why was America so obsessed by this case? Why were so many people interested in particular outcomes? and what are we to make of the apparent racial divide in attitudes about the case, as shown in the opinion polls? O. J. Simpson Facts and Fictions incorporates insights from sociology and cultural studies to examine the implications for race relations in the United States at the dawn of the new millennium.

Contents:

Introduction: Knowing O. J.

Pt. I. Theory

1. O. J. and ritual

2. O. J. and politics

Pt. II. News construction

3. Press rites and O. J. wrongs: behind the scenes at "Camp O. J."

4. Celebrating the process: O. J. and KTLA-TV

5. (Re)affirming official sources: O. J. and the Los Angeles Times

6. (Il)legitimate transgressions: O. J. and the Los Angeles Sentinel

Pt. III. Audience reception

7. Raced ways of seeing O. J.

8. Raced ways of seeing O. J.

revisited

Pt. IV. Conclusions

9. O. J. and reality

App. 1. Page-one O. J. narratives, Los Angeles Times, January 25-October 4, 1995

App. 2. Page-one O. J. narratives, Los Angeles Sentinel, January 25-October 5, 1995

App. 3. Emerging discussion themes, by group, March 30, 1995

App. 4. Emerging discussion themes, by group, August 1, 1995

App. 5. Transcript of Primetime text

App. 6. Transcript of KTLA text

App. 7. Logistic regression of perceptions about Simpson's innocence or guilt on race, gender, education, family income, interviewer race, and perceptions of criminal justice system bias.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 309-343) and index.

ISBN:

1-107-11113-7

1-280-41900-8

9786610419005

0-511-17216-8

0-511-04004-0

0-511-14897-6

0-511-32312-3

0-511-48920-X

0-511-05081-X

OCLC:

475915768