Logo: to the web site of Uppsala University

Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this thesis is to define and analyse how Swedish record companies work with digital musical content distributors. A more narrow aim is to show how the record companies and with the digital musical content distributors iTunes Music Store and Spotify create incentives for consumer’s to use legal digital music channels through the Internet. To further circle the core of the problem following questions have been asked: How does the record companies provide iTunes Music Store and Spotify with digital content and what is done by the record companies to retain control over the material? How do the record companies view digital musical sales and what incentives are given to consumers to buy music digitally? Finally, What position of power do iTunes Music Store and Spotify have on the digital content arena?

Material/Method: The data collected for this thesis is retrieved through personal interviews with representatives from three of the four major record companies Universal Music, Warner Music and EMI and their Swedish branches.

Main results: The consumer’s access to digital content through iTunes Music Store and Spotify is of the utmost importance and is a prerequisite. Even if the record companies choose to not demand DRM protection on their products it does not stop Apple from keeping their Fairplay protection. In this way Apple is the company controlling the files, even if the Record Companies have made their decision based on research, which has shown that sales go down if the music files are DRM protected. The record companies have chosen not to get involved with the sales of digital content. This results in power being shifted to E-tailers such as iTunes Music Store and Spotify. The incentives the consumers are given to buy music digitally are found in the surplus value, which is supported by iTunes Music Store and Spotify. These surplus values are such services as recommendations of music or artists. Different packaging solutions, such as subscriptions through an Internet provider, do not raise the value of the music. The value is added to the Internet provider’s products and not the music, but they do guarantee a steady income for the record companies.

Purpose/Aim: The aim of this thesis was to study the construction of gender and to compare Media’s portrayal of male and female athletes.

Material/Method: 140 articles covering seven famous Swedish male and female athletes were selected from two Swedish newspapers (Aftonbladet and Expressen). The articles has been analysed within the frames of Norman Faircloughs Critical Discourse Analysis.

Main results: Male athletes are often described in powerful ways and are framed as being strong and successful. Skills and strengths of women athletes are often devalued in comparison to standards of hegemonic masculinity and self-control. They are often framed as women and girlfriends in advantage of the fact that they are athletes.

Purpose/Aim: The aim of this thesis was to study Sydsvenskans coverage of the police crisis in Skåne 2009.

Material/Method: The study is based on 26 articles which has been analysed within the frames of Norman Faircloughs Critical Discourse Analysis.

Purpose/Aim: The aim of this thesis was to examine how multi channel publishing in different stages effect the work for journalists.

Material/Method: The thesis is based on ten case studies selected from the literature and one conducted especially for this thesis. The case studies have been categorized according to a model that describes three strategies for multi channel publishing. The first strategy is to have a primary publishing channel, the second is to have separate editorial staffs for all publishing channels and the third is to treat all publishing channels equally.

Main results: Journalists working for companies using the first strategy have not experienced any major differences in working conditions or work practices. For journalists employed by companies using the second strategy for multi channel publishing the effects on the journalists was noticeable but not major. The effects on journalists in companies using the third strategy are mainly stress and an uncertainty regarding how to use special media techniques.

Abstract

Title: Effective internal communication –A case study on communication between a manager and the employees in a sportsclub.

Number of pages: 40, without enclosures

Author: Susan Andersson

Tutor: Peder Hård af Segerstad

Course: Media and Communication Studies C

Period: Second term 2005

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University

Purpose/Aim: I aim to do a case study of a work situation, where there is no natural or direct form of feedback between the manager and the employees, and compare the purpose of the information efforts with how it is perceived by the employees.

Material/Method: Qualitative research method, including an assembling method in the form of interviews, and a processing method of those interviews.

Main results: All the used channels combined together (except one channel) seem to have created the right condition so that the content of the information can be perceived and used as the way it was supposed to, even though there’s no direct feedback of the information. The manager gets feedback indirectly and can therefore adapt the messages, or the information efforts, to the receivers.

Keywords: Organizational communication, Internal communication, Information, Feedback.

Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this essay is to analyze and discuss how MTV is affected by the development that takes place on the world’s media market. The aim is also to see how MTV’s target group’s image of the channel can give guidelines in how MTV should act in this new media era.

Material/method: I have examined the development on the media market and then created a model consisting of relevant factors that could affect a TV-channel today. Those factors and the two factors image and profile are then applied on MTV. I have done three interviews with people who work at MTV Networks Nordic and one interview with a person who used to work there. I also arranged three focus groups with members within the target group of MTV (15-24 year). The questions for all of the interviews were based on theories relevant to this study.

Main results: The results from the interviews and the focus groups showed that the profile and the image of MTV did not agree completely. An example of that is that the staffs of MTV saw the channel as a youth channel while the target group saw it as a music channel. MTV seems to go from being a niche channel to becoming a broader channel, a move that is quite unusual on today’s media market where niche marketing is the main strategy for TV-channels. People within the target group 15-24 uses the Internet more than TV an average day, and the younger members of my focus groups used the Internet more than the older ones. None of the members of the target group watched TV on their mobile phone but they assumed that younger kids would use it a lot in the future. All agreed upon that MTV was a suitable channel for mobile-TV.

Abstract

Title: Foreign news coverage. Does the media influence the action in international crises? (Utrikesbevakning. Påverkar media agerandet i internationella kriser?)

Number of pages: 39

Author: Charlotta Andrésson

Tutor: Professor Lowe Hedman

Course: Media and Communication Studies C

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University.

Date of submission: 2007-01-03, autumn term of 2006

Purpose/Aim

The purpose of the essay is partly to examine if foreign news coverage influence the political agenda setting and the incentives of the public’s willingness to give charity for humanitarian crises. It is also to answer if the media are responsible for the possible consequences of the news coverage. My main questions at issue are:

1. Does the foreign news coverage influence the political agenda setting and the incentives of the public’s willingness to give charity for humanitarian crises?

2. Is media responsible for the possible consequences of their foreign news coverage?

I also ask a question at issue in a research of Swedish foreign news coverage in my essay to get a clearer picture of the foreign news coverage:

3. How does Swedish foreign news coverage relate to prior research?

Method:

The second chapter of the essay is a literature research of news selection and news values. The third chapter of the essay is a research of media’s influence on the world politics and humanitarian aid. These two chapters are literature studies based on prior research, theories and debates. The fourth chapter is an empirical study of a news programme on a Swedish TV-channel during a five months period between 2004 and 2005. My interest in the empirical study was to examine how the material was divided geographically and as regards contents. The fifth and sixth chapter of the essay consists of an analysis and a discussion.

Main results:

As my main result I concluded that the media influence the political agenda setting and the the incentives of the public’s willingness to give charity for humanitarian crises. The media throw light upon which crises that should be given priority to. The theories for news selection and news value agrees with the result of my research of Swedish foreign news coverage. I also concluded that the media alone was not responsible for the possible consequences for their foreign news coverage but that they are the premier channel of information about the world for most people.

Keywords: Foreign news, news selection and news value, CNN-effect, Media and political agenda setting, Media influence of humanitarian aid.

Abstract

Title Citizen Journalism, a new sort of journalism. An explorative case study in Aftonbladet`s website, Läsarbladet.se.

Number of pages 37 (43 including enclosures)

Författare Claudio Angulo Suárez

Tutor Lowe Hedman

Course Media and Communication Studies C.

Period Autumn term 2006.

University Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science.

Aim To examine and study citizen journalism`s phenomenon through an explorative case study in Aftonbladet`s website, Läsarbladet.se.

Method Interview as well as content´s analysis.

Material Interview with Läsarbladet´s webeditor as well as a selection of articles from Läsarbladet`s website.

Main results There is an ambition to create citizen journalism but what really it crates is citizen media where people contribute with different kind of material like photos or text into this website but the editor fulfil a strong roll as a gate keepers. All the different articles are edited by this web editor. Articles are written by common readers and these articles can be sorting out according their content in three groups: those that deal with self experience, those that are about private subject and those that are about fact and interview.

Keywords Citizen Journalism; gate-keeper roll; new media; aftonbladet.se; läsarbladet.

AbstractTitle: Communicative leadership – a leadership for modern organizationsQualitative research attempting to define the concept.(Kommunikativt ledarskap – ett ledarskap för moderna organisationerKvalitativ studie med ansats att definiera begreppet.)Author: Jenny AxällAim: The aim of this essay is to try to find the essence of and a definition of the communicative leadership. Questions asked are: How can communicative leadership be described? How can it be practiced? What does it demand of those who practice it? What organizational conditions are required? And what results and performances can this leadership lead to?Method: Qualitative explorative research method. The study contains an academic lit-erature review of the science of leadership and communication in general and the more specific communicative leadership. It also includes two personal in-terviews. After analysing the interviews, the result is compared with the litera-ture and discussed in the last chapter. The essay concludes with a definition of communicative leadership.Main results: The following definition of communicative leadership was formulated after concluding the study: In communicative leadership communication is used as the main means of control in order to create joint action and thereby excellent company results. The leadership is based on a conscious and open communication that leads to understanding and participation among employees, as well as to sound and thoroughly founded decisions and well-informed business development. The leadership is constantly practised in formal and informal conversation and dialogue situations where true exchange of opinions and sense making is de-sired. For the communicative leader the employees are the most valuable re-sources in the organization. He or she assumes that employees want to suc-ceed, and will do so, if the right conditions are in place. The communicative leader wants to lead and inspire, emanates joy and comfort, and receives as manager the trust of being a leader.Number of pages: 63Course: Media and Communications Studies DUniversity: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala UniversityDate of submission: 2005-01-17, autumn term of 2004Tutor: Professor Lowe HedmanKeywords: Communicative leadership, communicative competence, communicative fol-lowership, communicative processes, decentralized organizations, leadership, organizational culture, internal communication, definition of leadership.

Abstract

Title: Företag X” the hidden power” a study of internal communication, culture and internal branding. Företaget X has in real life a different name.

Number of pages: 42 (49 with enclosures)

Author: Charlotta Babington Thorszelius

Course: Media and Communication Studies C

Period: Autumn 2007

University: Uppsala University, Sweden

Purpose/Aim: To analyze the internal communication, culture and internal branding of an insurance company and how they can improve these company tools can be improved.

Material/Method: qualitative method using interviews, analysis of internal communication policies and observations.

Main results: The policy documents do not match how the internal communication works in every day life. There is a structure that is working and the information flows through the different levels. The vision and goals are difficult to understand as they are written in a complicated way. The words that carry the values of the company are well known and everyone stands behind them. The staff is happy, content and pleased to be working for Företaget X. There is a strong culture with a lot of the basic underlying assumptions shown as artefacts. This also shows in the strong brand which has been built on the strength of the federation of 24 local companies, at the same time acting on a local market.

Key words: internal communication, culture, internal branding, ambassadors, communication flow, sensemaking in organizations

Abstract

Title: Strategic Communication within franchising, a case study of Gallerix

Number of pages: 60 (65 with enclosures)

Author: Charlotta Babington Thorszelius

Course: Media and Communication D

Period: Spring 2008

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University, Sweden

Purpose/Aim: To find out, by doing a case study, how communication between the two parties in a franchising relationship works, and how communication can strengthen the concept and brand. By analysing the communication, identify strengths and weaknesses and make suggestions for improvement.

Material/Method: Qualitative method by using interviews

Main results: The understanding of the concept and the relationship between franchiser and franchisees are vital for the success of the franchising chain. The main internal communication channel today is the Intranet, and more personal contacts and meetings are requested. The yearly meetings are appreciated by the franchisees, but the content of the meetings are of varied quality. The chains value words, which are important for how the brand is perceived by the customer, are slightly different from how the franchiser and the franchisees sees them. One reason for this can be that the franchiser feels that it is difficult to have common goals and visions for a franchising chain, as the two parties have their own differing goals and visions. Not all franchisees follow the concept to 100%, and this has an impact on the chain and the brand, as a whole.

Key words: Understanding, relationship, brand, franchising, communication, information

Abstract

Title: The New Type of Music Industry at AllEars.se (Den nya musikbranschen på AllEars.se)

Number of pages: 49 (53 including enclosures)

Author: Viktor Backemar

Tutor: Else Nygren

Course: Media och Communication Studies C

Period: Fall 2007

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to compare AllEars´ own view of the website AllEars.se to an observed view of the same site. The comparison is based on theories regarding the Internet in today’s society, convergence, communities and collective intelligence, interactivity and participation, and business in today’s society.

Method: Since the paper has a purpose to compare two views of the same website there are two main methods in use. AllEars´ own view has been created via an interview with the company’s CEO, a press release that was released in connection with the launch of the website and texts found on the website. The other view is based on an observation of the website, preformed in November 2007.

Main results: The views are different from each other seeing that AllEars´ own view is more positive than the observed view. The biggest and most crucial difference between the two views where found in the relationship between the producers and the users, in terms of who has got the actual power on the website. The users aren’t the ones who has got the actual power, instead the producers has the power and controls the activity on the website with predesigned rules and limitations. However there are some similarities between the two views: The website has a strong connection to the offline world, a good possibility for the users to interact with each other, and the fact that AllEars.se represents something new in the music industry.

Keywords: AllEars.se, music industry, Internet, convergence, communities, collective intelligence, interactivity, participation, SonyBMG, TV4.

Abstract

Title: A gaze says more than a 1000 words – a study of the portrayal of female celebrities in the photographic material on the online portals of Aftonbladet and Expressen En blick säger mer än 1000 ord - en studie av porträtteringen av kvinnliga kändisar i Aftonbladetsoch Expressens bildmaterial på Internet

Number of pages: 58 (59 including enclosures)

Author: Sofie Backman

Tutor: Amelie Hössjer

Course: Media and Communication Studies D

Period: Spring 2008

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University, Sweden

Aim: The aim of this essay is to study in what ways female celebrities are portrayed in the photographic material of the Swedish tabloid press. In which situations does she appear? What function does she seem to behold in the pictures? Further the thesis explores whetherthe portrayal of the female celebrity shows signs of stereotyping.

Method/Material: The study combines a quantitative and a qualitative method. A picture analysis of photographic material from the online versions of the Swedish tabloids Aftonbladet and Expressen has been conducted. To do this, a model based on categories from gender and celebrity research in the media field was created and then applied on the material. The study included 40 photographs of Swedish and international female celebritites from the popular culture industries and was studied in-depth according to elements such as activity, smile, gaze, distance and roles.

Main Results: The main results from the picture analysis show that the female celebrity is seldom shown performing any clear activity in the pictures; she is often passive and posing and she is portrayed as an object to be looked at. She also seems to be aware of this position. There is great focus on body and looks, which even further enhances the objectification. The pictures of the female celebrity show clear signs of stereotypisation. The female role in the pictures can be described using the keywords: inactive, available, personal address, body and looks and an object to be looked at.

Keywords: women, celebrity, stereotypes, picture analysis, Swedish tabloid press

Abstract

Title: The picture of Studenthälsan – a focus group study of the image that students in Uppsala have of the organization and of how they look at the way the organization addresses them. Studenthälsans image - en fokusgruppundersökning omUppsalastudenternas bild av organisationen och dess sätt att tilltala dem

Number of pages: 65 (73 including enclosures)

Author: Sofie Backman

Tutor: Göran Svensson

Course: Media and Communication Studies C

Period: Fall 2007

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University

Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the image that students in Uppsala have of Studenthälsan and its excersice department. This includes how the students perceive the organization’s way of communicating with them, both in terms of the marketing and their reception at the facilities, and what they would like to be different regarding this in the future.

Method/Material: Together with literature studies, a qualitive method has been used and three focus group interviews with a total of 15 informants have been conducted. One group contained students that are customers of Studenthälsan, one group contained only students that use anther training facility, and a third group was a mixed group which combined both students training at Studentälsan and elsewhere.

Main Results: The main results from the focus group interviews show that theimage of Studenthälsan varies among the students. The studentsthat use or have used the facilities are generally slightly more positive about the organization. Generally, students feel that the organization is accessible and they like the student-dominated clientele. However, the the overall opinion about Studenthälsan’s image is quite vague and the marketing material is regarded dull and often too informational. The students are mobile and do not feel loyality toward the organization as such. Studenthälsan is in need of a clear communication platform to strengthen its profile and thus further improve its image among the students.

Keywords: Studenthälsan, students, image, profile, relations.

Purpose/Aim: The aim with my study is to reveal changes in the construction of gender in weekly press over time. To do so I study the picture of the woman on front pages of the Swedish magazine Veckorevyn.

Material/Method: Qualitative research method, semiotic picture analysis.

Main results: There have been a lot of changes in the picture of the woman in Veckorevyn over the years and the results points to a more objectifying picture. The woman has gone from doing something and actually having a role, to simply being there to be looked at, all passive.

Abstract

Title: A changing climate? A study on the changes of the communicative

climate. Klimat i förändring? En studie om det kommunikativa

klimatets förändring.

Author: Anne Björck

Aim: The aim of this essay is to study changes in the area of the communicative climate and link that to Karl Weicks thoughts on communication and change. Karl Weick is famous for his contribution to organizational theories and he is still very well used around the world and that is the main reason to why his theory is served as a base in this essay.

Method: The essay has a theoretical base with elements of qualitative explorative research method. The study contains academic literature rewiev of communicative changes. The result is compared to a theoretical starting point from the famous organizing theorist Karl Weick.

Main Result: The main result is that a lot of changes have been made when you study how communication has evolved. The world is no longer a rapid or a complex world, now days you can say that the communicative sphere is raplex. The importance of having media trained CEOs have grown. Together the CEO and the information directors are often companies’ spokespersons and their public faces. In a very competitive climate a company can not afford bad publicity due to lack of media training. The world is also a more global place and globalisation has left its mark on how companies communicate their messages. All this means that there are a lot of differences from how it worked when Karl Weicks theory was produced. Despite all the new change Weicks theories are still possible to implement on organisations of today and their way of dealing with communicational change.

Number of pages: 38

Course: Media and Communication studies C

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University

Period: Fall Term 2006

Tutor: Peder Hård af Segerstad

Keywords: communication, raplex, organisation, Karl E Weick, change, information, company

Purpose/Aim: To create a communication strategy for PADI Nordic with the intention of getting Swedish divers, who have been certified abroad, to Swedish dive centers.

Material/Method: The study is based on a number of personal interviews conducted with a) divers who are active in Sweden, b) divers who are not active in Sweden and c) representatives from PADI and PADI affiliated dive centers.

Main results: The main reason that people who have been certified abroad do not dive in Sweden is that they regard it as being too complicated, too cold, too expensive and with nothing interesting to see. These might partly be misconceptions that can be corrected through a communication strategic effort. The best way to change this perception is by two different forms of communication. One will go from PADI Nordic straight to the divers through an email. This will have the purpose of getting their attention, making diving sound interesting and raise their awareness in preparation for the other part of the process. The other part is communication from PADI affiliated dive centres directed towards the divers. This will be in the form of more traditional marketing, and will have the purpose of making diving in Sweden sound easy, uncomplicated and price worthy. Hopefully this will bring people in to the dive centres, and in the ideal case they will in time also bring their friends along – by becoming the first link in a two step flow of communication.

Purpose/Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the expectations towards the launch of an intranet in a large organisation.

Material/Method: A qualitative method has been used to fulfil the purpose of this essay. Indepth interviews have been made with eight informants of dioceses.

Main Results: The study shows that the eight informants of dioceses all are positive towards the launch of an intranet in the organisation. They believe that it in time will lead to a more effective intern communication with less channels and more efficient messages.

AbstractTitle: Swedish freedom of speech compared to european freedom of speechNumber of pages: 57Author: Gabriella BoodeTutor: Göran SvenssonCourse: Media and Communication Studies CPeriod: Spring 2009University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science,Uppsala UniversityPurpose/Aim: The purpose with the dissertation is to see if there has been a limitation inSwedish freedom of speech since parts of the European union laws is superiour to theSwedish constitution as freedom of the press regulations and freedom of speech constitution.A more narrow purpose is to find out how the specific Swedish rights such as individual’slegal right to publish information are influenced by the European union laws and are superiorto the freedom of the press regulations and freedom of speech constitutionThe survey will also try to find out the effectiveness with the Lisbon Strategy ‘s emergencybrake and its purpose to protect the Swedish freedom of the press regulations and freedom ofspeech constitution. How big is the difference between the different member states concerningthe protection of the freedom of speech?Material/Method: The data collected for this thesis is retrieved through personal interviewswith representives from experts with in the field as Uppsala University and the SwedishGovernent.Main results: It is obvious that Sweden has the strongest protection of freedom of speechcomparing to the other EU member states. No other EU country has as detailed constitution asthe Swedish constitution TF and YGL. Comparing the Swedish meddelarfrihet to theEuropean the Swedish is the most protective concerning meddelarfrihet. This may be ofimportance for the individual standing outside of the professional market. It is most importantto the informant since they because of the ensamansvaret in the Swedish rules otherwisewould be left with no answers (with some exeptions). There was criticism to the brakeNödbromsen, considered being not efficient enough and that it was only politics since onlytop level could decide whether to accept an issue or not in different countries. Because of thatthe brake should be a rather bad protection for the Swedish freedom of speech.Keywords: Swedish freedom of speech, European freedom of speech

Abstract

Title: Superiors, co-workers and communication. A study of an internal communication process. (Chefer, medarbetare och kommunikation. En studie av en intern kommunikationsprocess.)

Number of pages: 52 (55 including enclosures)

Author: Carina Boson

Tutor: Peder Hård af Segerstad

Course: Media and Communication Studies C

Period: Autumn term 2007

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University.

Aim: The internal communication process in a medium sized Swedish company is studied with the aim to identify elements crucial for an effective internal communication. The communication between superiors and co-workers will be in focus, with the intention to analyze the communication process and make suggestions for improvements.

Method: This essay is based on qualitative interviews with superiors and co-workers.

Main results: The results indicate that several factors inhibit the communication between superiors and co-workers. Superiors and co-workers are without knowledge of each others responsibilities, roles, needs and expectations when it comes to communication. There are also indications that there is a lack of sensemaking and this may be the most essential obstruction for the communication. The results also show that both superiors and co-workers main understanding of communication is to distribute information, i.e. not to actively communicate. To improve the internal communication superiors and co-workers need to talk about their responsibilities, roles, needs and expectations; and communication systems ought to be set up. Furthermore, a process to make meetings more effective is crucial to create opportunities for sensemaking dialogues.

Keywords: communication, organizational communication, leadership, communication systems, sensemaking

Abstract

Title: Interactivity and participation - a qualitative study about the making of machinima with

World of Warcraft (Interaktivitet och och deltagande – en kvalitativ studie kring skapandet av

machinima med World of Warcraft)

Number of pages: 68 total, 50 without appendix

Author: Peter Brandberg

Tutor: Else Nygren

Period: Autumn 2006

Course: Media and Communication Studies C

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University

Purpose/Aim: The aim of this study is to take a closer look at the phenomenon machinima by analysing a number of specific movies from the site worldcraftmovies.com. This analyse is focusing on how the content of these movies relate to the wider game culture of the MMORPG World of Warcraft, what specific elements in the movies is referring to and if there is differences or similarities between different genres (or categories).

Material/Method: The method used in analysing the movies is a combined method inspired by hermeneutic, semiotics and discourse analysis.

Main results: Instead of answers this study raises many questions about the diverse content of the movies. A general division can be seen between movies focusing on the games rules and movies that are trying to present a fictive world. But the study also shows how there are many movies moving between these two points. The study also suggests that further studies need to focus on the emotional investment players put into the game.

Keywords: cultural studies, participatory culture, convergence culture, fan culture, new media, game studies, machinima, MMORPG, World of Warcraft

Abstract

Title: The game of playing: A media ethnographic study of children playing videogames on a Swedish after school recreation centre. Spelet om spelandet: En medieetnografisk studie av barns dataspelande på en fritidsklubb.

Number of pages: 46

Author: Peter Brandberg

Tutor: Amelie Hössjer

Period: Spring term 2008

Course: Media and Communication studies D

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University

Purpose/Aim: The aim with this study is to describe how children play video games in an everyday context. In this study this context consists of a Swedish after school recreation centre. By combining three different aspects on the activity this study tries to understand how both the video game and the social and cultural context in which the activity takes place in influences it. This by taking one analyse of the specific game that the children played at the time of the study and how the overall environment is structured into account. Together these two perspectives contribute to the understanding of the playing as a complex and dynamic activity.

Material/Method: The material and method consists primary of a participatory observation which were conducted for eight days in an after school recreation centre. The analyse of the video game uses specific parts from the ludologist Aki Järvinens “applied ludology” to understand the game Guitar Hero.

Main results: The main results of this study shows how the social context influences the play activity in which the children needs to negotiate about the resources needed to play. They used different strategies to try to gain control over the interfaces to the game. The study also shows how the children didn’t relate to the fact that these interfaces looked like guitars in their use of them. Instead the children used knowledge about other interfaces and played the game by “pressing buttons in the right time”.

Keywords: media ethnographic, participatory observation, ludology, applied ludology, video game, game studies, guitar hero, children, after school recreation centre, situated play

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze how the Swedish company VisitSweden and The Swedish institute creates an image of Sweden and what that image looks like? And also to compare their goals and their ways of present Sweden to find out how that contributes to the images of Sweden. The method for this analyze is chosen from the work and theories of Norman Fairclough called “critical discourse analyze.” The analysis focuses on the text and how the text is created and if the author’s opinions are hidden in the words. The method can be applied in many ways. I choose to focus on is what kind of themes the author presents in the text and what meaning the author gives the themes. The other one I focused on is how the author addresses the reader of the text trough the choice of words and sentences. The third one is analyzing how the author says thing in the text, if the author agrees with certain statements ore if the author takes a very authoritarian expression in the way of telling things to the readers, which is taken from the work of Roger Fowlers. The material used in the analyzing parts is taken from books concerning discourse analyze. More material is taken from interviewing several employees in VisitSweden and the Swedish institute. The main result of the essay is that the image of Sweden is depending on which company who presents it and their individual goals. The main thing is that Sweden is more and more becoming a brand and that the companies want to sell that brand in different ways.

Number of pages: 45

Course: Media and Communication Studies C

Period: Fall 2006/2007

University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University

___________________________________________

Key words:

The image of Sweden, the Swedish institute, VisitSweden, critical discourse analyze, Sweden as a brand, selling a country, goals to make PR for a country, how to present a country to foreigners.

Purpose/Aim: The goal of this thesis is to examine access and knowledge computers and the Internet among the senior-year students of Anacostia High School. Do the students of this facility have the same opportunity as the residents from better socioeconomical backgrounds or are they being excluded from the technology?

Material/Method: To approach the thesis goal I have used a quantitative method. More specifically, a questionnaire was handed out to the senior year students at Anacostia High School.

Main results: The study has shown that most of the students of Anacostia had in some way access to computers and Internet. Most of the students asked had the access of computer and Internet at home. Few of the students whom lacked computer and/or Internet access at home could access it from somewhere else. The study also showed that the High School of Anacostia had Internet access and computers. Even so, the students felt they didn’t have physical access to Internet and computers from school, because the demand was too big and the supply not enough. Therefore most of the student did not have the opportunity to use the computers and Internet at school.

Abstract

Title: From old rightwing-ghost to the new labour party – The new conservatives political communication during the Swedish election 2006

Authors: Pontus Caresten

Aim: The aim of the essay is to study how the conservative party communicated during the election campaign in 2006. I wish to find out how political parties work in todays society and how the communication has changed over time. To get relevant results I will also see how the theories and empirics interact. The purpose is further to illustrate the new conservatives’ campaign work from a senders point of view.

Method/Material: I have chosen a qualitative method which consists of three interviews with relevant key persons. I also did an content analysis of the campaign material. In order to carry out the empirical study I chose to depart from existing theories and compare these with the empirics.

Main results: The new conservatives have altered their political communication to fit todays society, and the market is increasingly important. The conservatives have gone though a major internal change since Fredrik Reinfeldt was elected to be head of the party. Today, the conservatives campaign work is professional and the party uses external experts to maximize the efficiency of the communication.

Number of pages: 38

Course: Media- and communication studies C

University: Division of Media and Communication, department of information science, Uppsala University,

Period: HT 2006

Tutor: Lowe Hedman

Keywords: Political communication, political marketing, election campaign

Abstract

Title: The role of the Intranet in the internal communication. A case study at QMed AB. (Intranätets roll i den interna kommunikationen. En fallstudie på Q-Med AB)

Author: Erika Cassman

Aim: The aim of this master thesis is to investigate the attitude of the users and their use of the communication channel Intranet, and which factors that influence the use of it. The result is aimed to give a platform for strengthening the internal communication, and will illuminate the eventual shortage of the existing Intranet at Q-Med AB today.

Method/Material: In the beginning of the work of this master thesis I did an observation of the existing Intranet at Q-Med AB. After that I did ten observation interviews and the informants also had to answer an inquiry. To find out more about the company and how the internal communication works today I interviewed the Manager of Internal Communications.

Main Results: The Intranet is not the most common information channel at Q-Med AB today. The existing Intranet at Q-Med AB is in the so called, phase one, and is more like a billboard than an effective tool. There is no purpose and the management does not tell their employees the importance of using the Intranet every day. Q-Med AB has a long way to go to get an Intranet that is useful, effective and for everyday use.

Number of pages: 45 (55 including enclosures)

Course: Media and Communication Studies D University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University

Period: Spring semester of 2007

Tutor: Else Nygren, Senior lecturer

Keywords: Q-Med AB, Intranet, communication, organizational communication, internal communication, information, hermeneutic, Shannon and Weaver, Karl Weick, Wilbur Schramm, The Social Relationship theory, Uses and Gratifications model, Weicks´ Model of Organizing, the Hermeneutic Circle