Source Reliance and Use in Reporting State Government: A Study of Print and Broadcast Practices

Abstract

Previous state house reporting research has found similarities in coverage and story treatment by print and broadcast media. A survey of Michigan state house reporters and a content analysis of state government stories compared source reliance and citation by print and broadcast reporters. The findings demonstrated a significant and positive correlation between the two groups of reporters on source use and source citation. However, the groups differed on particular sources relied upon and cited in state house coverage. Newspaper stories cited more interview and documentary sources than did broadcast stories and were more likely to present more diverse perspectives on state government.