Local Breaking News: Sources, Technology, and News Routines

Abstract

The contribution of electronic information technologies to breaking general assignment and routine beat news stories in large metropolitan newspapers is examined through a content analysis and in-depth interviews with reporters. Reporters working on breaking news stories make hea y use of their own paper's electronic bacqles and of fax technology, but do not use other information technologies available to them. Reporters use multiple sources for their stories and claim that electronic information technologies make it easier and faster to identify sources. However, the content analysis reveals reporters rely on the same types of sources representing the same institutional and social power structures as in the classic newsmaking studies.nologies, have had much more attention? Accordingly, this study revisits some previously "established conclusions about newsmaking and raises additional issues about the studies of earlier decades. Kathleen A. HansenandJean Wardarefacultymembers,andJoan L. Conners isadoctoral student in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. Mark Neuzil is an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and MassCommunication at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. This research was supported, in part, by a grantfrom the University of Minnesota GraduateSchool.

To name or not to name: a cross-cultural comparison of on-air attribution in US and Chinese TV news

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The Perfect Communication Storm: News Coverage of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act

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