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Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage

Throughout the first few months of 2011, a handful of protesters dominated mainstream American media coverage of the Egyptian Revolution. Activists such as Wael Ghonim and Gigi Ibrahim were called â the Facebook youthâ and â digital revolutionariesâ . This thesis explores various characteristics of...

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Main Author: Fox, Rebecca
Format: Thesis
Published: AUC Knowledge Fountain 2012
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access_status_str Open Access
author Fox, Rebecca
author_browse Fox, Rebecca
author_facet Fox, Rebecca
author_sort Fox, Rebecca
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.
description Throughout the first few months of 2011, a handful of protesters dominated mainstream American media coverage of the Egyptian Revolution. Activists such as Wael Ghonim and Gigi Ibrahim were called â the Facebook youthâ and â digital revolutionariesâ . This thesis explores various characteristics of these â media darlingsâ and the ways in which their messages were portrayed in American media outlets. Why did so many news outlets focus on these individuals? This research first establishes a quantitative argument that shows reporters focused on young, tech-savvy, and westernized individuals. Then, through case studies and the application of Bourdieuâ s field theory, this thesis argues that American journalists chose their interview subjects primarily through the influence of news organizational routines/constraints and their personal and professional habitus. In making this argument, this project not only provides valuable context for the revolution itself, but also sheds light on American media biases and how those biases translate into coverage of an event in the MENA region in the early 21st century. This thesis was researched and written by Rebecca Suzanne Fox for American University in Cairo, under the supervision of Dr. Benjamin Geer.
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institution American University in Cairo (Egypt)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:35:44.926Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from AUC Knowledge Fountain — bepress
publishDate 2012
publishDateRange 2012
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publisher AUC Knowledge Fountain
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spelling oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-2021 Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage Fox, Rebecca Throughout the first few months of 2011, a handful of protesters dominated mainstream American media coverage of the Egyptian Revolution. Activists such as Wael Ghonim and Gigi Ibrahim were called â the Facebook youthâ and â digital revolutionariesâ . This thesis explores various characteristics of these â media darlingsâ and the ways in which their messages were portrayed in American media outlets. Why did so many news outlets focus on these individuals? This research first establishes a quantitative argument that shows reporters focused on young, tech-savvy, and westernized individuals. Then, through case studies and the application of Bourdieuâ s field theory, this thesis argues that American journalists chose their interview subjects primarily through the influence of news organizational routines/constraints and their personal and professional habitus. In making this argument, this project not only provides valuable context for the revolution itself, but also sheds light on American media biases and how those biases translate into coverage of an event in the MENA region in the early 21st century. This thesis was researched and written by Rebecca Suzanne Fox for American University in Cairo, under the supervision of Dr. Benjamin Geer. 2012-02-01T08:00:00Z thesis application/pdf https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1022 https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/2021/viewcontent/Fox_Thesis_PDF.pdf The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy. Theses and Dissertations AUC Knowledge Fountain Arab Spring 2010- Ghonim Wael 1980-
spellingShingle Arab Spring
2010-
Ghonim
Wael
1980-
Fox, Rebecca
Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage
title Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage
title_full Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage
title_fullStr Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage
title_full_unstemmed Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage
title_short Media darlings: the Egyptian revolution and American media coverage
title_sort media darlings the egyptian revolution and american media coverage
topic Arab Spring
2010-
Ghonim
Wael
1980-
url https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1022
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/2021/viewcontent/Fox_Thesis_PDF.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT foxrebecca mediadarlingstheegyptianrevolutionandamericanmediacoverage