Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study examined if political characteristics of a community influence the community newspapers’ coverage of 2004 Democratic Primaries and if this community influence on newspaper content differs between print and online versions of newspapers.
For this purpose, this study collected front pages of print newspapers and home pages of online counterparts from 112 US newspapers published in 104 cities. Then, how prominently these newspapers covered 2004 Democratic Primary elections was examined by measuring the proportion of the space of Primary-related stories over the space of a front page or a home page and the number of Primary-related photos presented on the front page or home page. For the political characteristics of communities, 13 secondary data were gathered and grouped into three construct variables such as political interest, political affiliation, and political organization.
Correlation, hierarchical multiple regression, and contextual analyses found that the political characteristics of communities influenced the community newspapers’ coverage of the Democrat Primaries. Interestingly, this community influence on newspaper content was greater for print versions than online counterparts. The boundary-transcending capacity of online newspapers might have led them to be less vulnerable to the community influence on media than the print newspapers.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Paid dailies in Western Europe and Northern America have seen their circulation decline in the last decade. During the same period free daily newspapers have seen their circulation go up to more than 30 million. In this paper the relation between the two developments is studied in 14 European markets. Circulation development before and after the introduction of free papers was compared. Also data from countries without free papers were used to assess whether non-free dallies markets also suffered. Media substitution, however, seems to be modest at least. Other factors may be more important causes for the decline in paid newspaper circulation. Long term effects, however, are not yet clear.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: A Web survey of the student editors, faculty advisers and academic affairs administrators of journalism and mass communication programs accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism in Mass Communication suggest the organizational level of influences on their student newspaper content do play a role in determining news content. The findings have suggested that student editors were more likely to self-censor content when primary control was perceived to belong to individuals acting at the organizational level, such as faculty advisers and academic affairs administrators. Significant differences were found to exist between the perceptions of student editors, faculty advisers, and academic affairs administrators in relation to influences on content and their relationship to censorship issues. Student editors were the only group who reported perceiving censorship as a problem for their student newspaper. The survey results demonstrated that most public institutions had official governing rules and were not experiencing censorship issues.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Using Everett Rogers’ (2003) theory of innovation in organizations, this nationwide study examines U.S. weekly newspapers and their adoption and management of innovation, specifically the online newspaper. From a theoretical standpoint, the creation of the online product was somewhat unsystematic. The data reveal that most weekly newspapers were not following any type of innovation management strategy when developing their online editions. This study echoes the 2002 findings of Saksena and Hollifield in the assessment that newspapers are adopting and managing emerging technology in a “relatively haphazard fashion.” Most newspaper managers report they did not develop a business plan for the new product or set specific, measurable goals to aid in assessing the success of the online newspaper. In addition, almost three-fourths of the newspapers did not gather target-market or audience research before launching the online newspaper. The study found that newspaper managers were sensitive to their staffs’ questions, needs and concerns about publishing an online newspaper and most involved their staffs in the decision-making process. A majority report that they did not meet any resistance from their staffs about the adoption of new technology to produce the online newspapers.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Improvements in Newspapers Quality and Circulation Patterns in 37 Newspapers That “Did It Right”

This paper examines 37 U.S. newspapers identified by Editor and Publisher as making important changes to improve their overall newspaper quality. The kinds of changes the newspapers made were categorized into improvement and expansion of local news, redesign, increase in in-depth reporting, and increases in staff. We then linked both newspaper size and the types of change made with percent changes in circulation in the five, three, and one year before the Editor and Publisher award was made. These percent changes were compared with the mean change for each newspaper’s circulation size group. Results show the majority of these papers were beating the comparators. Staff increases and increase in size of the local news hole had the most consistent positive effect on circulation, although only daily, not on Sunday. Results are discussed in terms of media economics theory.