Today's Army: An Examination Of The Differences Of Newspaper Coverage About America's Army In Small And Large Markets

Abstract

This study examines differences in coverage of prominent Army news stories in a daily newspaper in a rural town near an Army post and the nearest metropolitan area. Past media and visual effects research suggests that newspaper coverage sets the agenda not only for its readers, but for other mass media, as well. As the American population moves in and around metropolitan regions and further away from any major Army presence, newspaper coverage may become essential in informing the general public about the Army that serves them. A content analysis over a two-month timeframe of the Killeen Daily Herald and the Dallas Morning News looked for possible differences in coverage in eight areas. Findings suggest that while prominent Army news stories in the Dallas Morning News include several attributes to help catch readers' attention, the total number of stories published and the location of those stories within the newspaper lacked in comparison to those in the Killeen Daily Herald. This research suggests that metropolitan media may be contributing to a lack of knowledge and understanding about the Army. Further research should address the implications and impact of the differences found in this study on the general American public.