Nr. 3 / 2009

The Romanian Media and the
Never-ending Democratization Process
Peter GROSS, School of Journalism and Electronic Media,
The University of Tennessee, USA

Abstract
The study of journalism as a profession and the scholarly examination of the mass media in all of its many facets and from every disciplinary perspective, is central to the understanding of a nation’s economic, political, legal and socio-cultural realities, and in the case of Romania and the United States, to the understanding of the very nature (and success or failure) of the never-ending democratization process. More than that, the study of mass media and journalism also provides knowledge about a nation’s foreign relations and how well its public diplomacy is being carried out.
Keywords:
Journalism, Romania, Uniterd States of America, democratization processes.

Die Nachricht in deutschen und rumänischen Qualitätszeitungen. Vergleichende Inhaltsanalyse
nach einem Mehrebenen-Modell
Iunia MARTIN, F.L.L.S., University of Bucharest

Abstract
In which ways does the pursuit for objectivity influence the quality of news reporting? The present paper presents a content analysis of news starting from this particular research question and focussing on the relationship between journalistic theory and praxis in two distinct cultural areas, that is Germany and Romania. Texts belonging to the text category ‘news’ found in issues of “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” and “Süddeutsche Zeitung” on one hand and “Evenimentul Zilei” and “Jurnalul Naţional” on the other are discussed in contrast to each other. An interesting case, which is also investigated, is that of the hybrid newspaper “Allgemeine deutsche Zeitung für Rumänien“, published in Romania but in the German language. The contrastive analysis reveals that the Romanian texts belonging to a cultural area in which objectivity is mainly interpreted as intersubjectivity lack rather of factuality, whereas the German texts belonging to a cultural area in which objectivity is mainly interpreted as factuality contain complete information, thus assuring the autonomy of the texts and consequently guaranteeing the autonomy of the readers.
Key words:Text category, intersubjectivity, factuality, objectivity, content analysis

CEC Bank – Representing tradition
within the process of rebranding
Camelia-Mihaela CMECIU, University of Bacău, Romania &
Paul van den HOVEN, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

Abstract
Besides Dacia or Bucegi, we consider that CEC is another well-known Romanian brand which will mentally stir memories about communism. Bearing the burden of a political regime, CEC bank was forced to reinvent its identity in order to survive. Our empirical data (a one-minute commercial – CEC rebranding) will be dealt within the frameworks of two theoretical backgrounds:
– on the one hand, David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson’s formal and stylistic systems. The boxing match encompasses the narrative of the commercial and its chronological order of events is broken by some flashbacks which render the discrepancy between the screen time and story time.
– on the other hand, Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner’s notion of conceptual blending. Our analysis goes beyond a mere narrative structure of a boxing match and proves that the simplex blending corresponds with our intuition of strong conventionality of advertisements.
Key words: Rebranding, formal and stylistic structures, conceptual blending, persuasion, CEC Bank.

Public Policies and Public Relations Strategies –
Implementing Private Pensions System in Romania
Ioana Coman, University of Tennessee, USA

Abstract
Reforming the old Romanian pension system constitutes a major public policy taken in the last years concerning the social domain. The goal of this reform is to eventually move from the state pensions to the private administrated ones (considered to be more sustainable in long term in the actual and future economic, demographic, social context).
The policy implementation was made in 2007-2008, but changes are still made and the process will not be fully completed until at least 2016. This article is concerned
with the first step of the implementation and moreover with the role of communication (public relations) in efficiently implementing a public policy.
Key words: Public policies, public information, public relations, policy implementation, media relations.

The Evolution of Mass Communication Theory
in the 20th Century
Charles C. SELF, University of Oklahoma, USA

Abstract
The Neo-pragmatists, Social Constructionists, Critical Theorists, Structural/Cultural Theorists, Postmodernists, and Network Theorists represent an emerging demand for a new paradigm for communication theory. The concepts they embody have both produced and will help make sense of the new media serving fragments of the universal – local communities – that emerge from mediated networks. The paper present this fascinating transition in communication studies.
Keywords: Communication studies, new theories, new paradigm.

La redéfinition identitaire de l`Europe
dans la perspective de la communication interculturelle
Viorica Aura PĂUŞ, Faculté de Journalisme et des Sciences de la Communication,
Université de Bucarest, Roumanie

Résumé
L`Europe de nos jours essaie d`offrir une série de réponses au besoin de connaissance et d`autoconnaissance qui caractérise de plus en plus l`homme moderne. Notre société a évolué vers une nouvelle spiritualité qui renferme de véritables mutations dans la zone des mentalités collectives et individuelles et de nouvelles perceptions des réalités historiques dont les contenus ne peuvent plus se légitimer par le pouvoir de la tradition. Des notions comme identité, valeur, national, multiculturel, etc., ont dépassé le cadre des sciences humaines, s`impliquant de plus en plus dans la configuration du domaine économique, politique et social.
Dans ces conditions, les problèmes de la communication interculturelle regardent dans la même mesure tous les Etats, soient-ils grands ou petits, développés ou en train de restructurer leurs économies, basés sur un nouveau type d`inter-relations. “L`homme des racines”, le modèle dominant des sociétés traditionnelles, est remplacé au fur et à mesure par “l`homme des antennes”, ouvert aux pluralités des références et des valeurs de la société contemporaine. La mondialisation de l`information et l`informatique ont transformé la société en orientant l`intélligence et l`action humaines  vers de nouvelles voies, insoupçonnables il y a un siècle.
Dans ce contexte, au niveau de la conscience de l`humanité, les valeurs éthiques et morales devront enregistrer un saut qualitatif, marqué par une rupture nette par rapport au XX-e siècle, le plus violent de l`histoire de l`humanité. Des concepts tels: la tolérance, la solidarité, la non-discrimination, l`interculturel, pourront être opérationnalisés et introduits dans la pratique culturelle courante.
Pour que tout cela devienne réalité, la connaissance et l`analyse des évolutions historiques, économiques, politiques et sociales du monde contemporain auront une importance de premier ordre.
Mots clés: Interculturalité, Communication, Identité, Valeurs, Nation.

Iconic pictures of ad heroes
Mădălina Moraru, School of Journalism and
Mass Communication Studies, University of Bucharest, Romania

Abstract
The hero from advertising prints has got different iconical representations which permanently illustrate the report between denotation and conotation- as Roland Barthes noticed while analyzing image’s semiothique. What is highly interesting is the fact that there are many perspectives upon picturing reality, especially when building different advertising portraits. Thus, at first we can identify figures of ”mimesis” type, with a faithful representation of the individual, as it is about the iconical level , after the Umberto Eco’ s classification. The second outline is the metaphorical or the symbolical one where the image does not abide to the primary proportions anymore, but it conveys a deeper message. Finally, the third one is the perspective of an outlined figure, that may appear rather suggested, where the message is expressed in an abstract way. The human face is depicted here more like a possibility and its representation is hypothetical, because the product has more authority than before. In order to build this classification, we used connections to classical painting techniques and manners to represent reality in certain currents and artistic schools.
Keywords: Print, portrait, representation, conotation, denotation.

Structures dans la sémiosis et nébuleuses en éthique
Costin POPESCU, Faculté de Journalisme et des Sciences
de la Communication, Université de Bucarest, Roumanie

Abstract
Omagiu (Homage), a painting Gheorghe Pârvu dedicated to Elena Ceauşescu in the Romanian communist era, supports two readings: political and religious. The painting can be perceived as an ideological veil covering up reality, or as mockery. (Is the blatant comparison between Elena Ceauşescu and the Virgin pure blasphemy or mere contempt, as some comparisons between improbable terms can be considered?). A semiotic analysis cannot possibly find sufficient elements to choose the right answer.
Key words: Semiosis, sign, isotopy, ideology, religion, painting.

La ruralité d’aujourd’hui
Pierre MORY, IHECS de Bruxelles, Belgique

Résumé
Les différences entre la ville et la campagne sont connues. La campagne est constituée, traditionnellement, de terrains cultivés et est habitée par des groupes humains peu importants en nombre, liés à l’agriculture et à des activités connexes. Ces groupes possèdent une identité forte, le village.
Bien des images ont existé à propos du monde rural. Elles ont pu être méprisantes ou ironiques. Les ruraux étaient lourds et s’adaptaient peu aux changements. Elles ont pu aussi être idylliques. La campagne était un lieu de rêve et de bonheur et les ruraux étaient des philosophes.
Nous allons essayer, au-delà de ces images, de reconnaître quelques éléments importants de la réalité rurale d’aujourd’hui, une réalité en changement profond.
Mots clés: Ruralité, identité, l’Europe du nord-ouest.

“I Need to Communicate with Many People”:
The Low Cost Opportunities given by Blogging
James Beckman, University of Applied Sciences, Fulda, Germany, & Norton Marks, California State University,
San Bernardino, USA

Abstract
From an American viewpoint, blogging encompasses both the need for individual self-expression and the possibility for revenue or savings. This is true from the viewpoint of the blogger, and of the readers who normally can respond with their own blogs. A growing phenomenon of mass communication, blogging allows journalists and others to express themselves at very little cost. Constraints upon message content depend upon national standards of modesty and the criticism of others, but seem considerably less than in the normal venues of mass communication for most countries. With respect to profitability, organizations from other mass communication channels often use blogs in their online formatting. Compensation for the bloggers is assumed.
However, in our estimation the greatest opportunity for profitable blogging comes from non-journalists in non-media firms offering blogs which have the effect of enhancing status and probably revenue in their customary businesses or professions.
Keywords: Blogging, journalism, status, media economics.