THE FACE OF INVESTIGATIVE NEWS: A MIXED-METHOD ANALYSIS OF LOCAL TELEVISION INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM CONTENT, PERCEPTIONS, AND INFLUENCES

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  • March 19, 2019
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  • Abdenour, Jesse
    • Affiliation: Hussman School of Journalism and Media, Mass Communication Graduate Program
Abstract
  • Investigative journalism is seen as the most important form of news reporting, but many fear it has declined because of economic considerations. This dissertation addresses gaps in the literature by empirically analyzing the quantity and quality of investigative journalism production within the most popular news format, local television. The project also examines organizational and market factors that influence investigative productivity. A content analysis of local TV newscasts showed that investigative quantity and quality were generally low. Of the long-form stories coded (N=398), about one in five was presented as investigative by the producing station, and approximately one in nine was actually investigative by definition (less than half the stories presented as investigative were also investigative by definition). In addition, a majority of the stations sampled (N=80) produced no investigative journalism of any kind during the sample week of newscasts. However, an accompanying survey showed that more than half of local television investigative reporters thought investigative production was increasing at their stations. Ownership of a station by a publicly traded corporation was strongly associated with higher investigative productivity; corporate stations produced more news that was presented as investigative and placed greater perceived emphasis on investigative reporting compared to privately owned stations. This finding is in stark contrast to literature touting the negative effect of corporations on news, and has ramifications for future study of news organizations. A station’s perceived emphasis on profit predicted less perceived station emphasis on investigative reporting, but profit emphasis was not related to stations’ actual investigative productivity in the content analysis. Larger news staffs also predicted greater investigative emphasis, but staff size was not related to actual investigative productivity. Market size and competition level did not significantly predict investigative productivity or investigative emphasis. This dissertation provides support to those who charge that local television is providing little quality “watchdog” reporting, but also indicates that investigative journalists are optimistic about their craft, which has borne the brunt of newsroom cutbacks in recent years. It also uncovers clues that could help researchers determine the particular circumstances under which investigative journalism is produced at the local level.
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  • In Copyright
Advisor
  • Dillman Carpentier, Francesca
  • Tuggle, C. A.
  • Thornburg, Ryan
  • Blackburn, Richard
  • Riffe, Daniel
Degree
  • Doctor of Philosophy
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School
Graduation year
  • 2015
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  • Chapel Hill, NC
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  • There are no restrictions to this item.
Date uploaded
  • August 25, 2015

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