DEFINING THE SOUTHERN IN SOUTHERN LIVING A Thesis presented to the Faculty of the ...

162 Pages·2009·2.08 MB·English

by  Megan Jones

DEFINING THE SOUTHERN IN SOUTHERN LIVING

A Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School
University of Missouri

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts

by
MEGAN NORRIS JONES

Jan Colbert, Thesis Supervisor

DECEMBER 2009
© Copyright by Megan Norris Jones 2009

All Rights Reserved
The undersigned, appointed by they Dean of the Graduate School, have examined the
thesis entitled

DEFINING THE SOUTHERN IN SOUTHERN LIVING

Presented by Megan Norris Jones,
A candidate for the degree of Master of Arts

And hereby certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance.

__________________________________
Professor Jan Colbert

_____________________________________
Professor Mark Carroll

__________________________________
Professor John Fennell

______________________________________
Professor Jennifer Rowe
DEDICATION

For Matt, through all these years we spent apart and
now all the years we’ll spend together. I love you.

For my mother, who made me finish and who made finishing possible.
Thank you. I love you, too.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My years at the University of Missouri were chockfull of learning and friendship.
Many thanks to Martha Stockstill who told me to go to journalism school in the first
place and to Martha Pickens, who first made me think Mizzou was the right school for
me. I learned to call strangers, meet deadlines, and thoroughly enjoy myself as a
journalist thanks to Liz Brixey. Berkley Hudson taught me to reconsider my role as a
writer. Don Ranly was an absolute pleasure to work for, and the Missouri Association of
Publications gave me invaluable experience and opportunities.
Finally, I would like to thank my committee members—John Fennell, Jennifer
Rowe, Mark Carroll, and especially my thesis advisor Jan Colbert—for their patience
with a long process and with helping me through this project to the end. Thank you all.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii
Abstract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vi
1. INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Diffusion Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
City and Regional Magazines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Critique of Other Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
3. METHODOLOGY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Content Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Interviewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
4. FINDINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Content Analysis of the Magazine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Editor’s Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 40
Garden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Feature Well. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Southword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Special Sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
iii
SouthernLiving.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
At Home With Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Inspirations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Directories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Comparison Among the Sections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Content Analysis Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Interviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Executive Editor, Travel and Livings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Executive Editor, Food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Executive Editor, Homes and Gardens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 77
Travel Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 78
Livings Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .79
Food Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
5. DISCUSSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Analysis of Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Defining Southern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Locating the Origin of the Definition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Building on Previous Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 88
Suggestions for Further Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Appendix A: Content Analysis Form.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 98
iv
Appendix B: Oral Consent Script.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 99
Appendix C: Interview Transcripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
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DEFINING THE SOUTHERN IN SOUTHERN LIVING
Megan Norris Jones
Jan Colbert, Thesis Supervisor
ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to determine (1) the editors’ definition of the term
“Southern” as it is presented in the pages of Southern Living magazine and (2) whether
that definition originates with the magazine’s readers and is merely reflected back to
them in the magazine or whether it originates with the editorial staff and is then
disseminated through the magazine. These questions are researched using two methods:
content analysis of the magazine during the years 2005 and 2006 and interviews with
th
editors at the magazine. The time period was chosen because it marks the 40
anniversary of the magazine’s publication along with a redesign. The editors’ definition
of Southerness is determined to be (1) pertaining to a geographic region known as the
South, and (2) conveying a sense of comfort through food, people, places, and even
plants with which readers in the defined region are familiar. The origination of this
definition is the readership itself.

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INTRODUCTION

Regional magazines, such as Southern Living, exist within the magazine industry
as a specialized subset whose readers fit a regional, not national, profile. Because these
magazines target audiences based on geography and local culture, they must be
responsive to the demands specific to their region. These magazines, however, might also
serve a trendsetting role within their regions as they publish stories that define the region
that they cover. The purpose of this study is to determine how Southern Living, one
regional magazine, establishes its regional identity. (1) How does the magazine define
“Southern,” and how does it apply that definition in its editorial content? (2) Is that
definition a reflection of readers’ views, or does the magazine define Southerness for its
readers?
The relationship between Southern Living and the South is likely an
interdependent one in which the magazine draws its content ideas from the interests of
local culture while simultaneously infusing that culture with the magazine’s own ideas
about what Southern culture ought to be. It is important to note that it is not necessary for
either Southern Living’s image of the South or the South’s image of itself to be accurate.
As long as the image is appealing and rooted in its audience’s self-perception, the
magazine’s popularity will remain.
Diffusion theory provides a framework for examining how Southern Living, as a
regional magazine, influences or is influenced by Southern culture. By looking at the way
regional characteristics are used in the magazine, this study discusses how the idea of
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