Date of Award
5-2024
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Academic Program
Journalism BA
Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
First Advisor
David R. Davies, Ph.D.
Advisor Department
Mass Communication and Journalism
Abstract
On October 11, 1973, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker reported that they were taken aboard an unidentified flying object (UFO) in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Hickson and Parker’s abduction is now known as one of the most famous extraterrestrial encounters in the United States. In 1973, Hickson and Parker’s story captivated the media’s attention, and fifty years later, in 2023, UFOs are still widely reported on. This thesis utilizes the first-hand narratives from Hickson and Parker’s individual books to provide a detailed retelling of what happened on October 11. This thesis then analyzes the media coverage of the Pascagoula alien abduction in its direct aftermath, as well as current UFO coverage. This thesis argues that while the media coverage from 1973 of Hickson and Parker’s encounter was published in a hard news style, lacked complexity, and supplied only the facts, current UFO coverage is written as longform, in-depth, and often multiple-page articles. This conclusion was made by analyzing the differences in UFO knowledge, government involvement and programs on UFOs, and journalistic practices in 1973 and 2023, respectively. While in 1973, the Pascagoula alien abduction was reported as if UFOs were science fiction, recent coverage approaches UFOs more seriously with the release of new government programs dedicated to investigating unidentified phenomena. This thesis further serves as an insight into media evolution and how the digital age has made journalism more accessible, multi-faceted, and analytical.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Fort, Jane, "“UFO Reports Swamp Mississippi”: Media Coverage of the 1973 Pascagoula Alien Abduction" (2024). Honors Theses. 988.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/988