Web-only Online Sites More Likely to Post Editorial Policies Than Are Daily Paper Sites

Newspaper Research Journal, Winter 2005 by Cassidy, William P

An increasing number of Americans obtain their news via the Internet.1 However, some media critics, scholars and journalists have expressed reservations about the credibility of online news because of concerns about the high speed at which a story can be posted online2 and the linking of news content with advertising.3 Johnson and Kaye believe that lack of trust in information obtained from the Internet could keep it from becoming an even more important and influential news source.4 To address these concerns about the credibility of Internet information, noted online media critics such as Steve Outing and J. D. Lasica have called for Internet news sites to publish statements disclosing to users the standards and values of the sites, as well as information explaining how the corporate relationships of the newsgathering organization relate to editorial coverage.5

This exploratory study uses content analysis to examine the Web sites of daily newspapers, as well as Web-only news sites, for the presence of such information, referred to by Outing as "credibility statements."6

Credibility Concerns of Online News

The Internet allows journalists to post information almost as soon as they receive it, a quality seen by many journalists as having a positive impact on the profession.7 However, Lasica alleges this ability heightens the traditional competition among journalists to be the first to report a story and makes errors more common.8 A recent study found a majority of journalists said the Internet has increased the amount of errors in news stories9 and a study of online newspaper editors found that nearly half said the speed of the Internet has decreased the time spent verifying facts in news stories.10

In addition, the public feels that maintaining a clear separation between editorial and advertising content is important.11 However, news sites often put related advertisements adjacent to articles.12 Linking articles to commerce, according to McNamara, is more powerful online than in print. A print advertisement requires a reader to visit a store to make a purchase, but online users simply have to click on a link.13

Another aspect of "transaction journalism" includes the formation of alliances in which an outside company sponsors an entire content area.14 The relationship between a news site and its advertisers is even more difficult for readers to understand when sponsorships are related to editorial content15 and such sponsorships can compromise a site's credibility.16

The mixing of editorial content and e-commerce, says Outing, "represent serious threats to a journalistic entity's credibility with the public."17 News organizations, he says, need to publicly post editorial policies clearly explaining the relationships they have with other companies and how those relationships impact their editorial coverage. Lasica agrees, noting that in this age of cynicism regarding the media, the public declaration of a news site's principles would send a powerful message and help gain public trust.18 Online media executives interviewed by McNamara said they believe that because the Internet is an evolving medium it is more difficult for online readers to recognize the line separating commerce from content, a sentiment that is confirmed in a study conducted by the Online News Association.19 Byrd writes that links explaining news decisions and policies would give notice that news sites are accountable to their readers.20 Outing also writes it is vital for news sites without a traditional media counterpart to publish their policies to boost their reputation. Such news sites, he says, don't have the luxury of relying on the reputation of "an old media parent."21 Sites with traditional counterparts would be well-served by publishing their policies, given that journalistic standards can differ within a single news organization.22

Research Questions

RQ1:

To what extent are daily newspaper Web sites and Web-only news sites posting statements regarding their editorial policies?

RQ2:

Are Web-only news sites more likely than daily newspaper sites to post statements regarding their editorial policies?

RQ3:

What types of information are contained in statements regarding the editorial policies of daily newspaper Web sites and Web-only news?

Method

A total of 196 news sites were content analyzed (111 daily newspapers and 85 Web-only news sites). The online editions of the top 100 daily U.S. newspapers by circulation based on March 31, 2004, figures were made part of the sampling frame as were the top papers in the 11 states not represented in the top 100. The Google search engine was used to generate the Web-only portion of the sample,23 supplemented with sites that were finalists for the 2000-2003 Online Journalism Awards.24

Several online media critics, most notably Outing and Lasica, suggest six criteria that should be included in editorial policy statements:25

* A set of guiding journalistic principles

* An employee code of conduct

* Standards for separating editorial content from advertising