Media Coverage of Presidential Sex Scandals: JFK, Clinton, Trump

master's thesis

• Author: Karla Kozina
• Mentor: Jelena Šesnić (mentor)
• Committee member: Sven Cvek (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Stipe Grgas (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2020-09-28, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

This research paper deals with media coverage of important sexual scandals by former U.S. presidents John Fitzgerald Kennedy and William Jefferson Clinton, and by the current president Donald Trump. The three were chosen because they made an important influence on American popular culture and are an inspiration behind several films, books, TV shows, documentary shows and so on. Their sexual scandals vary, and the most severe ones are rape allegations of Clinton and Trump. By choosing the manner in which to cover all of these scandals, the media influenced the opinion of the public not only on the severity of the scandal, but also on the character of the president in question. Kennedy was spared media frenzy mostly due to his image in public that had to be maintained and the importance of that image for the wellbeing of the nation, considering the historical context. Clinton, on the other hand, encountered a completely different situation. The press, television and the internet were swarming with unflattering details of his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky. As for Trump, his relationship with the press is very intricate. He has always been a media personality and enjoys the attention. He uses the media as much as they use him to gain public attention. For him, Twitter is the way to broadcast his opinions and attitudes to the public. Each of the presidents had different amounts of media coverage and by different media, specific to their historical context and period, but their influence is still present.

• Keywords: US presidents; John Fitzgerald Kennedy; William Jefferson Clinton; Donald Trump; sexual scandals; the media
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:571936
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-09-28 14:02:32