Authorship and Information Sourcing for Health News on Local TV Web Sites: An Exploratory Analysis

Abstract

This study provides a nationwide examination of general health information on local television Web sites, analyzing 278 news stories on 79 Web sites. Professional authorship and expert sources of information are assessed in an effort to explain how journalists, along with individuals and organizations outside of the newsroom, influence the health news stories posted in the online environment. Stories were significantly more likely to be authored by a television staff reporter than a syndicated service or wire service. Almost 15% of the stories included no attribution or quotes from health sources. When a story did include a reference, it was most often a government source. Authorship and health content varied significantly by media market size. Primary sources of information also differed significantly, depending on the authorship and health focus of the online information.

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