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    Killing innocents : an analysis of historical news reporting of multiple-child murders in New Zealand and the legislation that changed the crime reporting framework : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Tyler, Francine
    The murder of children – innocents who require nurture and love – is one of the most horrific and inexplicable of crimes, and has generated innumerable column inches of newspaper reportage. This research project addresses a gap in academic research by examining naming and framing practices in newspaper accounts of multiple-child murder cases in New Zealand during the 60-year-period from 1870 to 1930. It also examines the discussion around New Zealand’s suppression laws and their introduction and evolution in legislation and in common law; these laws changed the framework for how multiple-child murders could be reported in news reports. The research into the evolution of suppression laws, beginning at the turn of the twentieth century, is used to examine whether these legal changes altered the media landscape and the way multiple-child murders were reported. Drawing on a database of digitised historical New Zealand newspapers, and using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, this study examines how historical New Zealand journalists crafted stories of multiple-child murders, and illuminates whether some media practices observed in other Western nations, in both modern and Victorian times, are also evident in historical New Zealand news reporting. Earlier research has found that in cases of murder, one way that journalists seek to explain the actions of the accused persons is by broadly constructing frames for them using categories of ‘mad’, ‘bad’ or ‘sad’. An historical analysis of the evolution of New Zealand’s unique name suppression laws also illuminates a broader media context which affected whether and how media could name and create frames for those involved in the court process. The findings showed that newspapers at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century named the accused killers much more frequently than their victims, effectively raising the killers’ profile while diminishing the status of the dead children. In addition, the findings also suggest that while coverage of early New Zealand child murder cases broadly fits within classic theories of media framing of crime, in particular the use of ‘mad’, ‘bad’ or ‘sad’ categories to create frames for murderers, there are distinct limitations to expecting that modern explanatory models and taxonomies can or should apply. The examination of the evolution of New Zealand’s name suppression laws shows that the increasing judicial, media and public discourse around these laws had little impact on the naming patterns in the multiple-child murder cases examined. The research, however, illuminates a little-examined area of New Zealand’s media history and reveals that the restrictions on the information which may be published in crime and court news have been imposed gradually over more than 100 years and have eroded press freedoms in New Zealand. Analysis of the development of New Zealand’s suppression laws has illuminated some of the reasons that ‘newsroom practice’ in New Zealand developed in unique ways and demonstrates that, while certain journalistic challenges may be universal, individual media/cultural contexts may have highly distinct impacts on journalistic practice. This research project has contributed to a more thorough understanding of historical newspaper practices and suggests that these reporting practices were not monolithic. This research shines a light on reporting practices in New Zealand which, during the period analysed, evolved from a British colony to a nation with its own unique identity and, to a degree, the study addresses the limitations of British and North-American focused scholarship to date, providing a useful and needed extension of the literature on historical journalism.
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    A period of change : menstruation in the media : a 60-credit Journalism project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Journalism at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Bhamidipati, Soumya
    This project examines the portrayal of menstruation in news and other media. It provides an in-depth examination of New Zealand media coverage of the ‘Positive Periods’ petition for government funding of menstrual products in schools and explores how news coverage of issues can lead to social change movements. Additionally, it examines the use of framing, news values, as well as the practical limitations of journalists who have covered menstruation stories in New Zealand media.
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    It is not rocket science : a sharper focus is required for New Zealand’s road bridges : a 60-credit Journalism project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Journalism at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Scannell, Mazz
    Bridge collapses due to age and external events occur all over the world, and New Zealand is no exception. Two recent bridge collapses in New Zealand have been attributed to adverse weather events. The ability of bridges to withstand environmental events is based on the quality of the bridge inspection regime and the resulting repairs and maintenance. This research aims to investigate the inspection regime of road bridges in New Zealand. Using case studies, it analyses how bridges are inspected, data is managed and the role of the asset manager in determining repair and maintenance programmes. Influencing factors including bridge age and the inspection practices and procedures of councils are compared to the bridge inspection guidelines published by the New Zealand Transport Agency. This paper will also investigate if New Zealand is ready to address the large number of bridges that are nearing the end of their useful life and will soon either require replacement or substantial remediation. The results show that local authorities are using the official guidelines as a guide rather than a minimum standard. The research and its findings are expected to allow for a better insight into decision making and priority setting for asset managers working in bridge management.
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    The representation of cults / new religious movements in the media : a 60-credit Journalism project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Journalism at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Burmeister, Hope
    This project aimed to discover how cults were represented in the New Zealand media by comparing what was found in international media about cults. It analysed how Gloriavale Christian Community and Shincheonji 2019 news articles were written through themes, sources and language. The accuracy of cult stereotypes was challenged through interviewing people who were part of Gloriavale and Shincheonji. It concludes there were similar features throughout the personal stories. However, the stereotypes are often more simplified or exaggerated than what people have experienced.
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    At war on Twitter? : the impact of gendered harassment across digital platforms on high-profile women in broadcast journalism : a 60-credit Journalism project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Journalism at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2017) Graham-McLay, Charlotte
    This research project explores the impact of gendered harassment across digital platforms on high-profile women in broadcast journalism. The journalistic feature article collated stories of gendered harassment that women journalists had experienced online, most of which they had not spoken publicly about before. The interviews conducted for this feature found a lack of policy in newsrooms to address gendered harassment, and no strong awareness or understanding of the issue in other places journalists might expect to be able to seek redress, such as ACC, counselling services, or their union. Scholarly research into the effects of repeated exposure to trauma on journalists is a fledgling field, and journalists’ exposure to trauma in digital spaces is even less examined or understood. This leaves a broad scope for further research. This project found, through a content analysis, evidence that women broadcasters were subject to more gendered feedback than men. While women broadcasters interviewed said they could weather abuse, most acknowledged that gendered harassment took some form of toll, and that they had been forced to develop mechanisms to cope with it. In keeping with global trends, this project found most New Zealand newsrooms surveyed are not proactively addressing the problem.