Research Catalog

Title

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

Author

Hunt, Darnell M.

Publication

New York : Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

xii, 350 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

"Abundant popular discourses surround the O.J. Simpson double murder case. By contrast, Darnell 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 did so many people invest 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?"--Jacket.

Alternative Title

• O.J. Simpson facts & fictions
• OJ facts and fictions

Subject

• Mass media and race relations
• Public opinion > United States
• Simpson, O. J., 1947- > Public opinion
• Television broadcasting of news > Social aspects > United States
• Television viewers > United States > Attitudes
• United States > Race relations

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 334-343).

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

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.

ISBN

• 0521624568 (hb)
• 0521624681 (pbk.)

LCCN

^^^98038422^

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library