Content Analysis of Three Mass-Circulation Newspapers During Iran's Eighth and Ninth Presidential Terms Regarding Book and Reading Themes

Content analysis of mass-circulation newspapers, Ettelaat, Iran and Jomhouri eslami during the eighth and ninth presidential terms based on book and reading themes. It's an applied research using content analysis methodology. The population consisted of reports, reviews and introductions about books and reading getting published in aforementioned newspapers during May 2001 till July 2009 (totally 297 months and 8782 issues). Data gathered using a worksheet along with a checklist and analysed using EXCEL and SPSS. There were totally 70 articles, 2138 reports, 2553 introductions and 475 reviews during the 8th presidential term and 37 articles, 2164 reports, 2220 introductions and 253 reviews during the 9th term.These numbers reveal a rise in cultural activities related to book and reading in 8th term in compare to 9th term. Iran newspaper with 47.67 percent cultural activity is on top place in 8th and 9th terms above other papers. Regarding the importance of books and reading in society and newspaper's mission as a national media, the result of this research is not rewarding. Mass-circulation newspapers are supposed to have a more prominent role in publishing contents related to book and reading.