Edinburgh Napier University

  Image, brand narrative and stakeholder collaboration each represent pivotal paradigms in the analysis, evaluation and formation of good management practice for festivals. The role of the media as significant intermediary offers a core measurement instrument linking these paradigms. This exploratory work applies a two-stage empirical study to investigate and posit a methodological procedure for this instrument. A principal component analysis of data relating to the scales of significance given by festival visitors and festival directors, respectively, to the socio-cultural effects of festivals indicates that both the local media and national media are strong elements in the emerging factors. A further media framing methodology is provided to assess variations in the role of newspapers (a medium identified as particularly significant in the decision making process of festival goers) in converging agendas which may influence and vary the public perception of the socio-cultural influences of festivals. The authors conclude that these agendas are affiliated and can be measured with reference to the factors that emerged in the principal component analysis. © 2009 Taylor & Francis.