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A study of 258 news personnel from 17 newspapers indicated that professional attitudes toward contemporary newspaper journalism fell into three distinct clusters: traditional, interpretative, and activist. Traditional journalists focused on local and spot news, downgraded interpretative and national/international material, and shared their audience's news preferences. Less concerned with local interests, interpreters stressed national news and human interest stories, while activists emphasized international news. Both interpreters and activists stressed investigative reporting. According to multiple-regression analyses, traditionalism indicated both local orientation and pragmatic efficiency--spot news can be processed quickly using newswriting conventions. Results were supported by L. Kohlberg's six-stage model of moral/ethical development. Stage 1, emphasizing arbitrary, fixed rules, reflected the traditionalist stance. Stage 4--basing beliefs on logical reasoning rather then on majority opinion--suggested the interpretative attitude, while stage 6--positing a concern for universal ethical principles--described the approach of many activists. Further research is needed on the possible associations between belief clusters and professionals in journalism. (MM)

In recent years, increasing concern with newspaper accuracy and credibility has led some people to question whether newspapers should use veiled, non-specific, attributions in news reporting. This study contains a content analysis of a sample of newspapers to determine the frequency and nature of veiled attributions as they are now employed. The newspapers selected for this study were located in the East and Midwest. One of the major findings of the study was that 36 percent of the 5182 stories examined in this investigation contained at least one attribution to unnamed sources. Additional findings of this study are reported in both narrative and table format. (RB)

A total of 123 upper-level and graduate students in journalism completed a questionnaire on beliefs about newspaper work. Most of the students were in advanced writing and editing courses, while 32 were in magazine courses. Questions in the survey dealt with beliefs related to James Grunig's theory of information systems. Factor analysis suggested a single problem recognition factor, two concepts relating to decision rules, two on constraints, and a single audience-orientation variable. In general, students rated newsroom decision making as complex and high on uncertainty (problem recognition). They saw a strong need for audience study. Also, while expressing a preference for formal newspaper makeup and high regard for objectivity, they tended to downgrade "news elements" in news assessment, event reporting, and sensationalism. Although students in both magazine and nonmagazine courses agreed on beliefs about the newspaper setting in general, the magazine course students did stress perceived audience interests more and their own preferences less in newspaper editing. Overall, the data suggest that the "neutral" and "participant" perspectives underlie belief clusters held by today's journalism students. (Author/RL)

"Breadth of perspective" is a significant concept for definition of public goals, especially in line with the two-way symmetric model of public relations practice. The concept involves four components: (1) awareness that more than one definition, stand, or conclusion is possible and is probably accepted as valid by significant persons or groups; (2) awareness that there are, in all probability, differences between one's own position or definition and that of other people; (3) an inclination to take others' views into account when making and carrying out communication decisions; and (4) knowledge of arguments and their ramifications that support viewpoints opposed to one's own. So defined, "breadth of perspective" has roots in a number of disciplines and research traditions, including symbolic-interactionist sociology, personality theory within social psychology, political science, and communication. Three studies have shown partial determinants and implications of breadth of perspective. These include a survey of working journalists, a study of the public relations posture of osteopathic medicine, and a general-population survey relating to three political issues in Ohio. Breadth of perspective is important in public relations because it is in line with the libertarian heritage; it can lead, under many circumstances, to productive, flexible, innovative behavior and output; and it can help articulate and add substance to the two-way model of public relations practice. (Author/FL)