Contextual Coverage of Government by Local Television News

This content analysis of 14 local television news operations in five markets looks at how local TV news shows contribute to the marketplace of ideas. Performance was measured as the allocation of stories to types of coverage that provide the context about events and issues confronting the public. Overall, just under a third of the stories dealt with a government entity, and commentaries accounted for only about 1% of all stories. Small-market stations provided less contextual information than did large-market stations, which in general provided more in-depth coverage.

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Good Guys Are Still Always in White? Positive Change and Continued Misrepresentation of Race and Crime on Local Television News

Communication Research ◽

10.1177/0093650215579223 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 44 (6) ◽

pp. 775-792 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Travis L. Dixon

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Los Angeles ◽

News Media ◽

Television News ◽

Local Television ◽

Race And Crime ◽

Tv News ◽

Racial Representations ◽

Local Television News ◽

News Programs

A content analysis of a random sample of Los Angeles television news programs was used to assess racial representations of perpetrators, victims, and officers. A series of comparisons were used to assess whether local news depictions differed from outside indicators of social reality. In a significant departure from prior research, they revealed that perpetration was accurately depicted on local TV news. Blacks, in particular, were accurately depicted as perpetrators, victims, and officers. However, although Latinos were accurately depicted as perpetrators, they continued to be underrepresented as victims and officers. Conversely, Whites remained significantly overrepresented as victims and officers. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of incognizant racism, ethnic blame discourse, structural limitations, and the guard dog perspective of news media.

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Tuning in: Does TV news influence the political process in Fiji?

Pacific Journalism Review – Te Koakoa ◽

10.24135/pjr.v13i2.905 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 77-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dale Hermanson

Keyword(s):

Television News ◽

Political Process ◽

Political Agenda ◽

The Political ◽

Cultural Economic ◽

Agenda Setter ◽

Local Television ◽

Tv News ◽

Local Television News ◽

History Of

Local television news programmes in Fiji have been the most watched programmes for the entire 13-year history of broadcast television in the country. Although survey polls consistently show that television news is extremely popular, the influence it may have due to its popularity has not previously been investigated. This article is based on a study examining the influence that television news programmes have on communities in Fiji. The study shows that the influence of TV news is complex and is interwoven with cultural, economic and political contexts. Findings for the study indicate television news is not only an influential source of information, but that it is also an agenda setter for Fiji public opinion. The research conducted indicates that television news influenced people in Fiji before the 2006 general election. While this influence did not necessarily change the way people voted, it may have helped set the political agenda. Television news may not only be informing the public about forces that shape their lives, but it may be a shaping force itself.

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In Step at the Top? Optimism, Efficacy, and Orientation Among Local Television News Managers

Electronic News ◽

10.1177/1931243119883845 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 196-213

Author(s):

Justin C. Blankenship ◽

Daniel Riffe

Keyword(s):

Television News ◽

White Male ◽

The United States ◽

Industry Analysis ◽

Strong Connection ◽

Upper Management ◽

Local Television ◽

Tv News ◽

Local Television News ◽

News Industry

A quantitative survey of local television news directors in the United States ( N = 159) explored three main topics: the perception/attitudes of current local TV news directors, potential differences in those attitudes by market size, and whether news directors felt “in step” with their staff and/or upper management. The results indicated that the majority of news directors are still White, male, and middle-aged. News directors see a strong connection between news product quality and resources devoted to news. News directors were also, overall, pessimistic about the future of the TV news industry. Analysis indicated that there were few differences among the news directors working in large, medium, and small markets. Further, news directors reported being somewhat “out-of-step” with their staff and management regarding profit and market orientation.

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