Andrea C. Lloyd
Masters of Arts in Advertising
Longitudinal Analysis of NASA Public Relations and New York Times Newspaper Articles (1963-2011)
Using Grunig & Hunt’s models of public relations, this thesis provides a longitudinal content analysis of NASA press materials and New York Times newspaper articles from 1963 to 2011 with regards to various sampled crewed and uncrewed spaceflight missions. Additionally, semi-structured interviews with space industry practitioners, including NASA public affairs officers, journalists, and astronauts, were gathered to provide additional insight to content analysis.
From the 1960s up until the 1990s, NASA used a public information model to inform journalists about key facts. After the 1990s, NASA public affairs used a mixed motives model, tailoring to their audiences and messages. While in the beginning, NASA could rely on journalists to share their narrative and instead focused on disseminating the scientific results to the press. Presentday NASA has developed strategies and tactics to support their brand narrative and acknowledge their various audiences that interact with the agency.
Highlights
1
Models of Public Relations
From the 1960s to the 1990s NASA employed a public information model to convey important facts to journalists, who then reported these details to the public through their news articles. Initially, NASA trusted journalists to tell their story, allowing the agency to concentrate on sharing scientific findings with the media.
2
Brand Narrative
Following the 1990s, NASA's public affairs adopted a mixed motives model, customizing their communications different audiences. They moved away from depending on the press corps to convey their messages to the American public. The emergence of new technologies enabled them to explore alternatives beyond traditional media.
3
Moving Forward
Today's NASA crafted strategies and tactics to enhance their brand narrative while recognizing the diverse audiences that engage with the agency. They interact with the media and press when necessary to connect with the public, but also produce numerous communication materials internally.
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This is a great place to tell users a story about your website and let them know more about what you offer. You may want to share information about your company's background, your team, or the services you provide. Be sure to keep the tone and voice consistent throughout the site so users become familiar with your brand.
This is a paragraph. Use this area to add any information you want to share with users. Just click "Edit Text" or double click here to change the text and make it your own. You can also adjust the paragraph's font, size and color so it fits your website’s theme.
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This is a great place to tell users a story about your website and let them know more about what you offer. You may want to share information about your company's background, your team, or the services you provide. Be sure to keep the tone and voice consistent throughout the site so users become familiar with your brand.
This is a paragraph. Use this area to add any information you want to share with users. Just click "Edit Text" or double click here to change the text and make it your own. You can also adjust the paragraph's font, size and color so it fits your website’s theme.
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This is a great place to tell users a story about your website and let them know more about what you offer. You may want to share information about your company's background, your team, or the services you provide. Be sure to keep the tone and voice consistent throughout the site so users become familiar with your brand.