Citizen Newsmaker VoiceShare Among Top 10 Print Journalists
Chart shows VoiceShare of citizen newsmakers (percent of statements from citizens) in articles of the top ten print journalists (based on statement volume per journalist) with statements from candidates excluded from sample (red) and included (blue). Time Frame is Nov 1 – May 15.
Statements from citizen newsmakers only make up more than 25% of statements in articles from four of the top ten journalists when candidate statements are excluded. Aaron Gould Sheinin of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Thomas Fitzgerald of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Mark Z. Barabak of the Los Angeles Times and Todd J. Gillman of the Dallas Morning News attributed at least 25% of their statements to citizens when candidate statements were excluded from the sample, and at least 12% when candidate statements were included.
When taking into account candidate statements, articles by Aaron Gould Sheinin display the highest percentage of citizen statements. 31% of the statements in his articles come from citizens when candidates are included, only 6% less than when they are excluded. This shows that statements from candidates did not make up a large portion of his coverage. On the other hand, articles in the Los Angeles Times by Mark Z. Barabak have only 12% of statements from citizen newsmakers when candidates are included, but when candidates are taken out of the picture, that number goes up to 27%.
