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Abstract
This critical study defined the value system present within 255 PM Magazine stories broadcast from April through June 1985. The stories originated from the PM Magazine "national reel," a compilation of stories produced by individual PM-affiliated stations, then screened, selected, and redistributed to all other PM-affiliated stations, by the national administrative organization for the program. These stories provided a broad textual base from which to uncover the underlying value messages promoted within the program about what is important to segments of American culture.
Positive, negative, stated, and implied values were identified within four roughly equal general topic categories; entertainment stories; style, fads and fashion stories; people stories; and action, excitement, adventure stories. These individual values were further analyzed for the emphases, priorities, and relationships among values within each topic category and within the entire group of stories. The PM Magazine value system was placed within a broader context by comparing values identified in the stories to value systems described in other recent studies of contemporary middle class American culture.
The value system within PM Magazine principally revolved around personal success and included value statements reflecting recognition, professional achievement, financial success, physical attributes, excitement and power. Values were overwhelmingly positive and were present as direct statements as well as implied through statements, topics emphasized, and production techniques used. These personal success values were found to be indicative of the value system associated with contemporary white middle class professionals described in great detail by other critics of American culture, such as Barbara Ehrenreich and Robert Bellah et al.
Other values were also present within the stories analyzed. These included happiness, family, relationships, individuality, community and compassion. These values were much less strongly emphasized within the PM Magazine value system and mainly served as a counterpoint to the predominant personal success message within the program overall.
