Political Consequences of the Endangered Local Watchdog: Newspaper Decline and Mayoral Elections in the United States
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-3-2019
Publication Title
Urban Affairs Review
Abstract
Newspapers have faced extreme challenges in recent years due to declining circulation and advertising revenue. This has resulted in newspaper closures, staff cuts, and dramatic changes to the ways many newspapers cover local government, among other topics. This article argues that the loss of professional expertise in coverage of local government has negative consequences for the quality of city politics because citizens become less informed about local policies and elections. We test our theory using an original data set that matches 11 local newspapers in California to the municipalities they cover. The data show that cities served by newspapers with relatively sharp declines in newsroom staffing had, on average, significantly reduced political competition in mayoral races. We also find suggestive evidence that lower staffing levels are associated with lower voter turnout.
Repository Citation
Rubado, Meghan and Jennings, Jay T., "Political Consequences of the Endangered Local Watchdog: Newspaper Decline and Mayoral Elections in the United States" (2019). All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications. 0 1 2 3 1599.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/urban_facpub/1599
Original Citation
Rubado, M. E., & Jennings, J. T. (2019). Political Consequences of the Endangered Local Watchdog: Newspaper Decline and Mayoral Elections in the United States. Urban Affairs Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087419838058
DOI
10.1177/1078087419838058
