ABSTRACT

This study analyzed print journalists’ perceptions of source use during the 2014 U.S. midterm elections. Rank-order measures required journalists to compare five prevalent source types, revealing patterns in the acquisition of news content. While one or two sources (e.g., politicians and experts) exhibit a strong lead on some content, other source types are interchangeable, speaking to the “specialized” nature of certain information. Further analyses demonstrate a dichotomy, with patterns in acquiring traditional journalistic content (e.g., authoritative, credible, articulate) differing from those related to content defined as “soft” or “infotainment” (e.g., drama and emotion).

摘要

本研究分析了印刷记者在 2014 年美国中期选举期间对资源使用的看法。排序测量要求记者比较五种流行的来源类型，揭示获取新闻内容的模式。虽然一两个来源（例如，政治家和专家）在某些内容上表现出强大的领先优势，但其他来源类型是可以互换的，说明某些信息的“专业”性质。进一步的分析表明，获取传统新闻内容（例如，权威、可信、清晰）的模式与那些与定义为“软”或“信息娱乐”的内容（例如，戏剧和情感）相关的模式不同。