Geographic and source biases in network television news 1982‐1984

Content analysis of 5,190 network evening news stories appearing between May 1982 and April 1984 reveals two sorts of biases: a “geographic” bias whereby some geographic areas receive far more news coverage than is due them than their populations would proportionately predict, while others receive far less, and a “source” bias showing that governmental agencies and major institutions particularly business and major political parties are the most frequent sources of news. Women are infrequent news sources as well. The sources of such bias are discussed, and the study confirms structural biases of television as a major reason for unrepresentativeness.