Karin Dryhurst

Some Validation for the Jilted

Should bloggers be dancing on the graves of the overthrown mainstream media?

Not if we value competitive elections as indispensable to democracy, according to Princeton economist Sam Schulhofer-Wohl and undergraduate research assistant Miguel Garrido.

In a recent working paper, the authors examine municipal elections in the Kentucky suburbs of Cincinnati, following the last edition of The Cincinnati Post and find an increase in the probability of an incumbent victory and decreases in the number of candidates and in voter turnout.

The Post reached a fraction of the readers of its competitor the Cincinnati Enquirer but provided more than 80 percent of the coverage of the suburbs in northern Kentucky showing the ability of small outlets to influence local politics.

Wider research may reveal declines in electoral competition in cities and states across the country as newsrooms hemorrhage reporters and more newspapers close down.

A recent survey by the American Journalism Review notes a 32 percent decrease in state capital reporters since 2003—and points to recent examples of corruption in state government that might have been discovered sooner.

Turnout in state and municipal elections has historically been lower than turnout in national elections—a trend that may be amplified as state legislators and city officials receive less coverage.

Schulhofer-Wohl and Garrido admit that blogs play a part in filling the gaps in coverage but argue that none so far have appeared to fulfill the Post’s role in municipal politics in northern Kentucky.

State politics sites have contributed to the conversation, but the blogosphere leaves much to be desired in its original reporting of state capitols. Many of the sites provide commentary on news reported by other outlets.

The ability of the Internet to provide original content that can support competitive democracy relies on the training and resources that updated journalism education and creative models can provide.

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Posted at 2:44 PM, Apr 10, 2009 in Media
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