Editorial Page Editors and Endorsements: Chain-owned vs. Independent Newspapers.

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Title: Editorial Page Editors and Endorsements: Chain-owned vs. Independent Newspapers.
Language: English
Authors: St. Dizier, Byron
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 1986
Document Type: Reports - Research
Speeches/Meeting Papers
Descriptors: Comparative Analysis, Editorials, Editors, Journalism, Media Research, Newspapers, Ownership, Political Attitudes, Political Campaigns, Political Issues, Press Opinion, Social Problems
Abstract: Questionnaires were sent to 114 of the 228 editorial page editors at newspapers in the United States with daily circulations greater than 50,000 for a study that compared (1) the editor-publisher relationship existing at chains to that found at independent papers, and (2) the 1984 presidential endorsements made by chains to those by independent papers. The questionnaire contained 22 questions, 9 of which dealt with issues on which the 1984 Republican and Democratic platforms or candidates had taken opposing positions. The issues included ones that were social (abortion, ERA, school prayer, tuition tax credits); economic (tax increase); foreign policy related (aid to rebels in Nicaragua, limiting U.S. covert activity abroad); environmental (abolishing the Department of Energy); and and defense-related (space-based defense system). The remaining questions sought information about the respondents' newspaper, the process the paper followed in making an endorsement, the political leanings of the publisher and editorial page editor, and the paper's endorsement and editorial page editor's vote in the 1984 presidential race. Of the 85 editorial page editors responding, close to 58% worked for chained-owned papers. The results indicated more similarities than differences between the editorial page editors at chain and independent papers, with editors at both types of papers voting for Mondale by a wide margin. The differences that were found occurred in a paper's endorsements. The chain-owned newspapers were more likely to endorse the candidate leading in the polls, and within a chain, papers had a strong tendency to endorse the same candidate. Although editors claimed they had strong voice in determining whom their paper endorsed, little evidence was found to support their contention. (HOD)
Entry Date: 1986
Accession Number: ED270762
Database: ERIC
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  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED270762
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Editorial Page Editors and Endorsements: Chain-owned vs. Independent Newspapers.
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22St%2E+Dizier%2C+Byron%22">St. Dizier, Byron</searchLink>
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 14
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1986
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research<br />Speeches/Meeting Papers
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+Analysis%22">Comparative Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Editorials%22">Editorials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Editors%22">Editors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Journalism%22">Journalism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Media+Research%22">Media Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Newspapers%22">Newspapers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ownership%22">Ownership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+Attitudes%22">Political Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+Campaigns%22">Political Campaigns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+Issues%22">Political Issues</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Press+Opinion%22">Press Opinion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Problems%22">Social Problems</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Questionnaires were sent to 114 of the 228 editorial page editors at newspapers in the United States with daily circulations greater than 50,000 for a study that compared (1) the editor-publisher relationship existing at chains to that found at independent papers, and (2) the 1984 presidential endorsements made by chains to those by independent papers. The questionnaire contained 22 questions, 9 of which dealt with issues on which the 1984 Republican and Democratic platforms or candidates had taken opposing positions. The issues included ones that were social (abortion, ERA, school prayer, tuition tax credits); economic (tax increase); foreign policy related (aid to rebels in Nicaragua, limiting U.S. covert activity abroad); environmental (abolishing the Department of Energy); and and defense-related (space-based defense system). The remaining questions sought information about the respondents' newspaper, the process the paper followed in making an endorsement, the political leanings of the publisher and editorial page editor, and the paper's endorsement and editorial page editor's vote in the 1984 presidential race. Of the 85 editorial page editors responding, close to 58% worked for chained-owned papers. The results indicated more similarities than differences between the editorial page editors at chain and independent papers, with editors at both types of papers voting for Mondale by a wide margin. The differences that were found occurred in a paper's endorsements. The chain-owned newspapers were more likely to endorse the candidate leading in the polls, and within a chain, papers had a strong tendency to endorse the same candidate. Although editors claimed they had strong voice in determining whom their paper endorsed, little evidence was found to support their contention. (HOD)
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1986
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED270762
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED270762
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Comparative Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Editorials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Editors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Journalism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Media Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Newspapers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ownership
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Political Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Political Campaigns
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Political Issues
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Press Opinion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Problems
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Editorial Page Editors and Endorsements: Chain-owned vs. Independent Newspapers.
        Type: main
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    HasContributorRelationships:
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          Name:
            NameFull: St. Dizier, Byron
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 08
              Type: published
              Y: 1986
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