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oai:mountainscholar.org:10217/809782025-12-30T03:23:34Zcom_10217_100532com_10217_100000com_10217_100460com_10217_100303col_10217_100538col_10217_100465

Stoner, Andrew E., author Landers, James, advisor Champ, Joseph, committee member Plaisance, Patrick, committee member Hogan, Michael, committee member Breaux, Richard, committee member 2007-01-03T06:09:19Z 2007-01-03T06:09:19Z 2013 Stoner_colostate_0053A_12001.pdf ETDF2013500335JRTC http://hdl.handle.net/10217/80978 https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018548 The role of openly-gay reporter and author Randy Shilts (1951-1994) is examined related to his use of journalistic practices and places him on a continuum of traditional reporting roles as considered in the context of twentieth century philosophers Walter Lippmann and John Dewey. Reporter functions demonstrated by Shilts are examined, including those dictated by expectations of either strong journalistic influence over society and media consumers, or those more aligned with democratic practices where education and participation emphasize strong roles for society and media consumers. Using a biographical approach including 17 primary source interviews of former colleagues, critics, sources and family/friends, the examination of Shilts work as both a reporter and noted author is presented as being heavily influenced by his forthcoming attitudes about disclosure of his sexual orientation from the start of his career and his desire to explain or unpack aspects of gay culture, and ultimately the AIDS crisis, to heterosexual audiences. Careful examination of the posthumous critique of Shilts' work - including his construction of Patient Zero - is undertaken. The study concludes that Shilts fully engaged a Lippmann-esque approach embodied in an authoritarian role for journalism that sought to change the world in which it was offered, and did so perhaps most influentially during the earliest days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in America. born digital doctoral dissertations English eng Colorado State University. Libraries 2000-2019 Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright. Dewey, John gay journalism Lippmann, Walter reporter function reporter roles Shilts, Randy Reconsidering Randy Shilts: examining the reportage of America's AIDS chronicler Text Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Doctoral Journalism and Technical Communication Colorado State University This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). open.access