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A content analysis of 48 citizen journalism sites, 86 weekly newspapers and 138 daily newspapers indicates that citizen journalism sites differed enough in six local government content attributes to conclude that citizen journalism sites are, at best, imperfect information substitutes for most newspapers. However, the data also indicate that some large-city citizen journalism sites complement newspapers by increasing the number of news stories and the amount of opinion available about local government. The results also found differences between citizen news sites and citizen blog sites. Few citizen journalism sites outside of large metropolitan cities covered local government.

A long-standing division in positions on media policy rejects differences in faith regarding the eflcacy of market versus government processes for achieving important communications policy objectives. The debate over content diversity between the advocates of market solutions and those who are critical of them reveals that the standard arguments of both camps rest on differences in assumptions that have not been subjected to careful analysis. Furthermore, analysts in each camp have failed to acknowledge or incorporate into their own analyses the other camp S legitimate insights. The result is a j a w e d policy dialogue that shows no signs of iterating toward a consensus or of making much progress toward a n improved understanding of the requirements for effective communications policy. This failure reflects, in part, limitations in the constructs implied by the "marketplace of ideas" metaphor that has guided much of the thinking by both camps and the ways these constructs have been employed. New metaphors are needed to guide an expanded research agenda designed to assist in the development of more effective communications policy.There is a need for conceptual clarification in the study of communications policy. Today, policy researchers seem to divide roughly between what we call the "market economics" and "social value" schools of thought, and the two are often so far apart in their assumptions and languages that they are unable to communicate with each other. Too often, each side is unable or unwilling to learn from the other's approach, and remains insulated in its own world. The results are flawed policy analysis and poor policy decisions.

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