Approaches to the newspaper archive: content analysis and press coverage of Glasgow’s Year of Culture

Abstract

Glasgow’s year as European City of Culture in 1990 is perceived as an event marking a renaissance in perceptions of the city. This article examines how the contemporary press coverage can be used as a resource to trace the narratives and mythologies surrounding the event. To facilitate this research, a pre-existing archive of press cuttings, totalling over 5000 clippings, was employed. This article describes how the interests of the project, and the nature of the large press archive being examined, led to the utilization of a distinct methodology of media analysis. The article describes the attempt to unite both quantitative, statistical analysis with qualitative, pre-informed examination. By tracing aspects of the practical examination of the Glasgow 1990 press coverage, the article explores the successes and failures of the approach taken and assesses its potential for development and employment in other contexts.

Health, Climate Change and Energy Vulnerability: A Retrospective Assessment of Strategic Health Authority Policy and Practice in England

“…Methods such as those outlined above have previously been used successfully, and have been advocated in the literature (Yin, 1994; Watkins et al 2006; Reason and Garcia, 2007). For example, Yin (1994) argues that the analysis of evidence obtained from the searching of documentation can aid attention to detail, while Reason and Garcia (2007) find that smaller data sets comparable to those obtained during the searches of the SHA websites may well be suited to the kind of qualitative thematic content analysis described above.…”

“…For example, Yin (1994) argues that the analysis of evidence obtained from the searching of documentation can aid attention to detail, while Reason and Garcia (2007) find that smaller data sets comparable to those obtained during the searches of the SHA websites may well be suited to the kind of qualitative thematic content analysis described above.…”

Negative accounting stereotype: Enron cartoons

“…In the first stage of our analysis, the main themes (Reason and Garcia, 2007) underpinning the cartoons were analysed. Condensation, domestication, opposition, combination and carnivalisation were looked at in succession.…”

Everyday atrocities: does internal (domestic) sex trafficking of British children satisfy the expectations of opportunity theories of crime?

“…Data were interrogated using content analysis (Berelson and Lazarsfeld 1948), selected due to its broad applicability, well-established nature and particular utility in structuring and systematising documentary analysis (Bryman 2001;Reason and Garcia 2007). In incorporating both qualitative and quantitative aspects to the analysis, we ensured a systematic and well-rounded exploration of ICST that did not reduce this complex social issue to numerical assessment alone.…”