| This study examined television's role as an agent of change by comparing the structure of the pre-television Miss America Pageant (1921-1953) with that of the post-television Miss America Pageant (1954-1984). To determine which changes found between the two time periods were due to the influence of television, the data were analyzed using the Model for Analyzing the Structure of Television (MAST). This model was developed by the investigator based on claims made by Edmund Carpenter, Edward Jay Epstein, Neil Postman, and Michael Real about the structure of television.;This study used historical analysis based upon primary sources contacted in-person, by telephone, or by mail, and upon secondary sources available in libraries and collections. Some of the findings confirmed the assertions of the theorists while others did not. The Miss America Pageant's form became more visual, more embedded with music, and more concisely segmented confirming Postman's and Real's claims about television's form. The pageant's uni-directional structure was compatible with television's structure, supporting the assertions made by both Carpenter and Postman concerning the structural biases of media.;At other times, the Miss America Pageant changed in ways contrary to expectations. For example, after the advent of television, the Miss America Pageant ended after prime time, contradicting Epstein's assertions that the time/day a program is made accessible to an audience is determined by the market. Contrary to Real, instead of a sequential and dramatic structure building to a tense climax, the Miss America Pageant's concluding coronation segment became anti-climactic. Contrary to Carpenter, the findings of this study show instead that television allowed for greater use of spatial variety.;The findings of this study support the assumption that television is an agent of change, though not always as predicted by theorists. To fully assess the influence of television on the structure of events in general, it is recommended that other live, televised events be probed using a similar methodology. |
