Conformity in the Newsroom--A Fresh Look.

To investigate the role of newspaper executives in influencing reporters' political perceptions and coverage of political news, a study examined whether reporters and their executives tend to hold similar views on major domestic and foreign policy issues. Two instruments were developed: a 45-card Q-deck containing liberal, conservative, and pragmatic viewpoints; and a questionnaire concerning types and frequencies of communication between staffers and executives. Three midwestern newspapers were chosen--one small, one medium, and one large, in terms of circulation. Subjects were the managing editors of the three newspapers, 14 editors, and 49 staffers. Results indicated that there is widespread diversity among journalists on political topics and that political conformity did not appear to exist in the three newsrooms in the study. (Three tables of data provide the Q-factor analysis of responses of small newspaper participants. (SR)