PS 201 Introduction to US Politics
Joseph Boland Fall, 1998

Source Production of News and Media Source Preferences

 

1. An example of source production. In 1979-1980 the U.S. Air Force reported on its public information outreach, which included the following:

newspapers (140)   690,000 copies/week
magazines (Airman)   125,000 month
news releases (headquarters and units)   45,000
news releases (hometown)   615,000
interviews with new media   6,600
news conferences   3,200
news media orientation flights   500
meetings with editorial boards   50
speeches   11,000

This is not the full extent of the Air Force's public relations effort. And, of course, the Air Force is only one branch of the armed forces. Another study found, for example, that the Pentagon published 1,203 periodicals in 1982.

From Herman and Chomsky 1988, 20.

 


2. A study of sources of front-page news stories (in percentages).

Source Times/Post staff stories Local press staff stories Wire services staff stories Total stories
Government 54 48 60 55
  U.S. (32) (16) (36) (31)
  State (5) (15) (6) (7)
  Local (6) (17) (5) (7)
  Foreign (11) (--) (13) (10)
Group-linked person 25 36 19 24
Private person 4 6 4 4
Foreigner 4 -- 7 5
Other 12 9 11 11

From Graber 1993, 112.