Media reporting and perceived credibility of online polls

Journalism and Mass Communication Quaterly

Volumn 77, Issue 4, 2000, Pages 846-864

  Kim, Sung Tae ^a   Weaver, David ^a   Willnat, Lars ^b  

^a INDIANA UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0040952995     PISSN: 10776990     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/107769900007700408     Document Type: Article

References (67)

1. Kathleen A. Frankovic, "How Polling Becomes News: Communicating the Counting of Public Opinion," Political Communication (special electronic issue 1998).
2. See, for example, Jack W. Germond, "The Impact of Polling on Journalism," in Polling on the Issues, ed. Albert H. Cantril (Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press, 1980); Philip Meyer, Precision Journalism: A Reporter's Introduction to Social Science Method (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1973); Albert E. Gollin, "Exploring the Liaison Between Polling and the Press," Public Opinion Quarterly 44 (winter 1980): 445-61.
3. See, for example, Jack W. Germond, "The Impact of Polling on Journalism," in Polling on the Issues, ed. Albert H. Cantril (Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press, 1980); Philip Meyer, Precision Journalism: A Reporter's Introduction to Social Science Method (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1973); Albert E. Gollin, "Exploring the Liaison Between Polling and the Press," Public Opinion Quarterly 44 (winter 1980): 445-61.
4. See, for example, Jack W. Germond, "The Impact of Polling on Journalism," in Polling on the Issues, ed. Albert H. Cantril (Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press, 1980); Philip Meyer, Precision Journalism: A Reporter's Introduction to Social Science Method (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1973); Albert E. Gollin, "Exploring the Liaison Between Polling and the Press," Public Opinion Quarterly 44 (winter 1980): 445-61.
5. Harold Mendelsohn and Irving Crespi, Polls, Television and the New Politics (Scranton, PA: Chandler Publishing Co., 1970), 13.
6. David L. Paletz, Jonathan Y. Short, Helen Baker, Barbara Cookman Campbell, Richard J. Cooper, and Rochelle M. Oeslander, "Polling in the Media: Content, Credibility, and Consequences," Public Opinion Quarterly 44 (winter 1980): 496.
7. See, for example, Frank Brettschneider, "The Press and the Polls in Germany, 1980-1994: Poll Coverage as an Essential Part of Election Campaign Reporting," International Journal of Public Opinion Research 9 (autumn 1997): 248-65; Irving Crespi, "The Case of Presidential Popularity," in Polling on the Issues, ed. Albert H. Cantril (Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press, 1980).
8. See, for example, Frank Brettschneider, "The Press and the Polls in Germany, 1980-1994: Poll Coverage as an Essential Part of Election Campaign Reporting," International Journal of Public Opinion Research 9 (autumn 1997): 248-65; Irving Crespi, "The Case of Presidential Popularity," in Polling on the Issues, ed. Albert H. Cantril (Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press, 1980).
9. Sung Tae Kim and David H. Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting? A Comparison of Online and Traditional Opinion Polls in U.S. News Media," Newspaper Research Journal 22 (summer 2001) (in press). As another example, more than 5,000 election-related public opinion surveys were conducted and used by the news media during the 1992 election campaign season, according to Michael W. Traugott and Paul J. Lavrakas, The Voter's Guide to Election Polls (Chatham, NJ: Chatham House Publishers, 1996).
10. Sung Tae Kim and David H. Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting? A Comparison of Online and Traditional Opinion Polls in U.S. News Media," Newspaper Research Journal 22 (summer 2001) (in press). As another example, more than 5,000 election-related public opinion surveys were conducted and used by the news media during the 1992 election campaign season, according to Michael W. Traugott and Paul J. Lavrakas, The Voter's Guide to Election Polls (Chatham, NJ: Chatham House Publishers, 1996).
11. See, for example, Kim and Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting"; Alan Rosenblatt, "On-Line Polling: Methodological Limitations and Implications for Electronic Democracy," The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 4 (spring 1999): 30-44; and Wei Wu and David H. Weaver, "On-Line Democracy or On-Line Demagoguery? Public Opinion Polls on the Internet," The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 2 (autumn 1997): 71-86.
12. See, for example, Kim and Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting"; Alan Rosenblatt, "On-Line Polling: Methodological Limitations and Implications for Electronic Democracy," The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 4 (spring 1999): 30-44; and Wei Wu and David H. Weaver, "On-Line Democracy or On-Line Demagoguery? Public Opinion Polls on the Internet," The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 2 (autumn 1997): 71-86.
13. See, for example, Kim and Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting"; Alan Rosenblatt, "On-Line Polling: Methodological Limitations and Implications for Electronic Democracy," The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 4 (spring 1999): 30-44; and Wei Wu and David H. Weaver, "On-Line Democracy or On-Line Demagoguery? Public Opinion Polls on the Internet," The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 2 (autumn 1997): 71-86.
14. Robert H. Gettlin, "What Polls are Really Saying," Investor's Business Daily, 18 September 1998, sec. A1, p. A26.
15. Kim and Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting"; Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy."
16. Kim and Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting"; Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy."
17. Cited from John Simons, "Are Political Polls via Internet Reliable? Yes? No? Maybe?" Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, 13 April 1999.
18. Cited from World Opinion News Web site, 9 November 2000 (www.worldopinion.com)
19. See, for example, Herb Frazier, "Citadel Survey a Glimpse of Online Future," Post and Courier, 5 September 1995, p.9; quoted from Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy," 72.
20. See, for example, Herb Frazier, "Citadel Survey a Glimpse of Online Future," Post and Courier, 5 September 1995, p.9; quoted from Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy," 72.
21. See, for example, Herbert Asher, Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know, 2d ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1992); Sheldon R. Gawiser and G. Evans Witt, A Journalist's Guide to Public Opinion Polls (Westport, CT: Praeger, 1994); Warren J. Mitofsky, "The CBS News Callin: First and Foremost, Bad Information," The Public Perspective 3 (3, 1992):19; Traugott and Lavrakas, The Voter's Guide; Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy."
22. See, for example, Herbert Asher, Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know, 2d ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1992); Sheldon R. Gawiser and G. Evans Witt, A Journalist's Guide to Public Opinion Polls (Westport, CT: Praeger, 1994); Warren J. Mitofsky, "The CBS News Callin: First and Foremost, Bad Information," The Public Perspective 3 (3, 1992):19; Traugott and Lavrakas, The Voter's Guide; Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy."
23. See, for example, Herbert Asher, Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know, 2d ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1992); Sheldon R. Gawiser and G. Evans Witt, A Journalist's Guide to Public Opinion Polls (Westport, CT: Praeger, 1994); Warren J. Mitofsky, "The CBS News Callin: First and Foremost, Bad Information," The Public Perspective 3 (3, 1992):19; Traugott and Lavrakas, The Voter's Guide; Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy."
24. See, for example, Herbert Asher, Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know, 2d ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1992); Sheldon R. Gawiser and G. Evans Witt, A Journalist's Guide to Public Opinion Polls (Westport, CT: Praeger, 1994); Warren J. Mitofsky, "The CBS News Callin: First and Foremost, Bad Information," The Public Perspective 3 (3, 1992):19; Traugott and Lavrakas, The Voter's Guide; Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy."
25. See, for example, Herbert Asher, Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know, 2d ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1992); Sheldon R. Gawiser and G. Evans Witt, A Journalist's Guide to Public Opinion Polls (Westport, CT: Praeger, 1994); Warren J. Mitofsky, "The CBS News Callin: First and Foremost, Bad Information," The Public Perspective 3 (3, 1992):19; Traugott and Lavrakas, The Voter's Guide; Wu and Weaver, "On-Line Democracy."
26. Alan Rosenblatt, "On-Line Polling: Methodological Limitations and Implications for Electronic Democracy," The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics 4 (spring 1999): 30-44.
27. See, for example, National Telecommunication and Information Administration, "Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide," 1999, cited inhttp://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fttn99/contents.html; S. Ross and D. Middleberg, "The Media in Cyberspace Study II," 1996, cited in www.mediasource.com/study.
28. See, for example, National Telecommunication and Information Administration, "Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide," 1999, cited inhttp://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fttn99/contents.html; S. Ross and D. Middleberg, "The Media in Cyberspace Study II," 1996, cited in www.mediasource.com/study.
29. Richard Morin, "Unconventional Wisdom: New Facts and Hot Stats from the Social Sciences," Washington Post, 27 December 1998, sec. C, p. 5.
30. Cited from the Harris Interactive Web site (www.harrisinteractive.com).
31. Wu and Weaver, "On-line Democracy."
32. Kim and Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting."
33. Bradley S. Greenberg, "Media Use and Believability: Some Multiple Correlates," Journalism Quarterly 43 (winter 1966): 665-70, 732; Tony Rimmer and David H. Weaver, "Different Questions, Different Answers? Media Use and Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 64 (spring 1987): 28-36, 44; Eugene Shaw, "Media Credibility: Taking the Measure of a Measure," Journalism Quarterly 50 (summer 1973): 306-11; Michael D. Slater and Donna Rouner, "How Message Evaluation and Source Attributes May Influence Credibility Assessment and Belief Change," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 73 (winter 1996): 974-91; Bruce Westley and Werner Severin, "Some Correlates of Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 41 (summer 1964): 325-35.
34. Bradley S. Greenberg, "Media Use and Believability: Some Multiple Correlates," Journalism Quarterly 43 (winter 1966): 665-70, 732; Tony Rimmer and David H. Weaver, "Different Questions, Different Answers? Media Use and Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 64 (spring 1987): 28-36, 44; Eugene Shaw, "Media Credibility: Taking the Measure of a Measure," Journalism Quarterly 50 (summer 1973): 306-11; Michael D. Slater and Donna Rouner, "How Message Evaluation and Source Attributes May Influence Credibility Assessment and Belief Change," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 73 (winter 1996): 974-91; Bruce Westley and Werner Severin, "Some Correlates of Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 41 (summer 1964): 325-35.
35. Bradley S. Greenberg, "Media Use and Believability: Some Multiple Correlates," Journalism Quarterly 43 (winter 1966): 665-70, 732; Tony Rimmer and David H. Weaver, "Different Questions, Different Answers? Media Use and Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 64 (spring 1987): 28-36, 44; Eugene Shaw, "Media Credibility: Taking the Measure of a Measure," Journalism Quarterly 50 (summer 1973): 306-11; Michael D. Slater and Donna Rouner, "How Message Evaluation and Source Attributes May Influence Credibility Assessment and Belief Change," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 73 (winter 1996): 974-91; Bruce Westley and Werner Severin, "Some Correlates of Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 41 (summer 1964): 325-35.
36. Bradley S. Greenberg, "Media Use and Believability: Some Multiple Correlates," Journalism Quarterly 43 (winter 1966): 665-70, 732; Tony Rimmer and David H. Weaver, "Different Questions, Different Answers? Media Use and Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 64 (spring 1987): 28-36, 44; Eugene Shaw, "Media Credibility: Taking the Measure of a Measure," Journalism Quarterly 50 (summer 1973): 306-11; Michael D. Slater and Donna Rouner, "How Message Evaluation and Source Attributes May Influence Credibility Assessment and Belief Change," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 73 (winter 1996): 974-91; Bruce Westley and Werner Severin, "Some Correlates of Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 41 (summer 1964): 325-35.
37. Bradley S. Greenberg, "Media Use and Believability: Some Multiple Correlates," Journalism Quarterly 43 (winter 1966): 665-70, 732; Tony Rimmer and David H. Weaver, "Different Questions, Different Answers? Media Use and Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 64 (spring 1987): 28-36, 44; Eugene Shaw, "Media Credibility: Taking the Measure of a Measure," Journalism Quarterly 50 (summer 1973): 306-11; Michael D. Slater and Donna Rouner, "How Message Evaluation and Source Attributes May Influence Credibility Assessment and Belief Change," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 73 (winter 1996): 974-91; Bruce Westley and Werner Severin, "Some Correlates of Media Credibility," Journalism Quarterly 41 (summer 1964): 325-35.
38. Bradley S. Greenberg and M. Miller, "The Effects of Low-Credible Sources on Message Acceptance," Speech Monographs 33 (1966): 127-36.
39. Nancy R. Moiser and Andrew Ahlgren, "Credibility of Precision Journalism," Journalism Quarterly 58 (autumn 1981): 375-81.
40. Thomas J. Johnson and Barbara K. Kaye, "Cruising is Believing? Comparing Internet and Traditional Sources on Media Credibility Measures," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 75 (summer 1998): 325-40.
41. See, for example, Greenberg, "Media Use and Believability"; Westely and Severin, "Some Correlates of Media Credibility."
42. See, for example, Greenberg, "Media Use and Believability"; Westely and Severin, "Some Correlates of Media Credibility."
43. Shyam Sundar, "Exploring Receivers' Criteria for Perception of Print and Online News," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 76 (summer 1999): 373-86.
44. Shyam Sundar, "Effect of Source Attribution on Perceptions of Online News Stories," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 75 (spring 1998): 55-68.
45. Andrew J. Flanagin and Miriam J. Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility," Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 77 (autumn 2000): 515-40.
46. Paletz et al., "Polling in the Media."
47. Michael B. Salwen, "Credibility of Newspaper Opinion Polls: Source, Source Intent and Precision," Journalism Quarterly 64 (winter 1987): 813-19.
48. Especially, among many previous studies, our hypotheses are based on the following studies: Salwen, "Credibility of Newspaper Opinion Polls"; Flanagin and Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility."
49. Especially, among many previous studies, our hypotheses are based on the following studies: Salwen, "Credibility of Newspaper Opinion Polls"; Flanagin and Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility."
50. A comparison of the survey respondents' main demographic characteristics with the 1990 U.S. Census data shows that the sample is nationally representative in terms of gender, age, and race. However, survey respondents tend to be slightly more educated and have higher incomes than the national average.
51. Response rate (RR1) was calculated by following the AAPOR guidelines: the number of complete interviews divided by the number of interviews (complete plus partial) plus the number of noninterviews (refusal and break-off plus non-contacts plus others) plus all cases of unknown eligibility (unknown if housing unit, plus unknown, other). RR1 = I/((I + P) + (R + NC + O) + (UH + UO)). For more information, see The American Association for Public Opinion Research, Standard Definitions: final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for RDD Telephone Surveys and In-Person Household Surveys (Ann Arbor, MI: AAPOR, 1998).
52. Andrew Kohut, "Rating the Polls: The Views of Media Elites and the General Public," Public Opinion Quarterly 50 (spring 1986): 1-9.
53. Burns W. Roper, "Evaluating Polls with Poll Data," Public Opinion Quarterly 50 (spring 1986): 10-16.
54. Survey questions for news exposure were: "About how many minutes did you spend reading a daily national newspaper such as the Washington Post or the New York Times yesterday?"; "About how many minutes did you spend watching the national network evening news (ABC, NBC, CBS) yesterday?"; "About how many minutes did you spend listening to radio news yesterday?"; "Do you ever go online to get information on current events, public issues, and politics?" (1=yes, 2=no, 3=don't know, 4=refused); "How often do you go online for this type of information? Would you say every day, 3 to 5 days per week, 1 or 2 days per week, once every few weeks, less often, or never?" (1=no/never, 2=less often, 3=once every few weeks, 4=1-2 days per week, 5=3-5 days per week, 6=every day, 7=don't know, 8=refused).
55. Survey questions for demographics were: Age - "What is your age?"; Education - "What is the last grade or class that you completed in school?" (1=none, or grade 1-8,2=high school incomplete, 3=high school graduate, 4=business, technical or vocational school after high school, 5=some college, no 4-year degree, 6=college graduate, 7=post-graduate training or professional schooling after college, 8=don't' know, 9=refused); Race - "What is your race? Are you white, black, Asian, Hispanic or some other?" (1=White, 2=Black, 3=Asian, 4=Hispanic, 5=other or mixed race, 6=don't know; 7=refused); Party Affiliation - "Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, Democrat, or Independent?" (1=Republican, 2=Democrat; 3=Independent; 4=no preference; 5=other, 6=don't know, 7=refused); Income - "Last year, that is in 1998, what was your total family income from all sources, before taxes? Just stop me when I get to the right category: 1=less than $10,000; 2=$10,000 to under $20,000; 3=$20,000 to under $30,000; 4=$30,000 to under $40,000; 5=$40,000 to under $50,000; 6=$50,000 to under $75,000; 7=$75,000 to under $100,000; 8=$100,000 or more; 9=don't know/refused."
56. The stories used in the experiment are as follows: Traditional random-sample poll version - "… Overwhelmingly, people do not think Clinton should or will be impeached this week, the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll shows…According to the Times/CBS News Poll, 64 percent of Americans, including a majority of independent voters, said they did not want their own representative to vote for impeachment…The telephone poll of 653 adults nationwide was conducted on Sunday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percent points…"; Online poll version - "…Overwhelmingly, people do not think Clinton should or will be impeached this week, the latest New York Times/CBS Online Poll shows…According to the Times/CBS Online Poll, 64 percent of Americans, including a majority of independent voters, said they did not want their own representative to vote for impeachment…The online poll of 10,653 adults on the Internet was conducted on Sunday…"
57. Richard L. Berke, "Polls Find Most Americans Still Oppose Impeachment and Now Frown on the GOP," New York Times, 15 December 1998, sec. A1, p. 24.
58. The number of respondents used in the online poll version of the story (10,653) was based on the average sample size of the online polls we analyzed in this study.
59. Experimental questions to measure the subjects' attitudes toward public opinion polls in the news story were: Trustworthiness of poll results - "How often do you think you can trust the results of public opinion polls about Clinton's job approval to represent what people think about this issue?" (1=hardly ever right, 2=only some of times right, 3=right most of the time, 4=almost always right); Honesty of pollsters -"Generally speaking, do you think the pollsters who conducted the public opinion polls about Clinton's job approval are: 1=very seldom honest, 2=only sometimes honest, 3=usually honest, 4=almost always honest"; Truthfulness of respondents - "Generally speaking, do you think the people who were interviewed in the polls about Clinton's job approval tell the truth?" (1=very few, 2=only some, 3=most, 4=nearly all).
60. The experimental question to measure the subjects' attitudes toward believability of the story was: "In the news story you read, there were some statements people have made about Clinton's job approval or his impeachment. How much do you believe these statements or this story in general?" (l=not at all; 2=not very much; 3=somewhat; 4=very much).
61. For example, a recent issue of Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly (vol. 77, no. 3,2000) focused on the Internet with the following articles: David Tewksbury and Scott L. Althaus, "Differences in Knowledge Acquisition Among Readers of the Paper and Online Versions of a National Newspaper," 457-79; S. Shyam Sundar, "Multimedia Effects on Processing and Perception of Online News: A Study of Picture, Audio, and Video Downloads," 480-99; Bruce Garrison, "Journalists' Perceptions of Online Information-Gathering Problems," 500-14; Andrew J. Flanagin and Miriam J. Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility," 515-40; and Guido H. Stempel III and Robert K. Stewart, "The Internet Provides Both Opportunities and Challenges for Mass Communication Researchers," 541-48.
62. For example, a recent issue of Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly (vol. 77, no. 3,2000) focused on the Internet with the following articles: David Tewksbury and Scott L. Althaus, "Differences in Knowledge Acquisition Among Readers of the Paper and Online Versions of a National Newspaper," 457-79; S. Shyam Sundar, "Multimedia Effects on Processing and Perception of Online News: A Study of Picture, Audio, and Video Downloads," 480-99; Bruce Garrison, "Journalists' Perceptions of Online Information-Gathering Problems," 500-14; Andrew J. Flanagin and Miriam J. Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility," 515-40; and Guido H. Stempel III and Robert K. Stewart, "The Internet Provides Both Opportunities and Challenges for Mass Communication Researchers," 541-48.
63. For example, a recent issue of Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly (vol. 77, no. 3,2000) focused on the Internet with the following articles: David Tewksbury and Scott L. Althaus, "Differences in Knowledge Acquisition Among Readers of the Paper and Online Versions of a National Newspaper," 457-79; S. Shyam Sundar, "Multimedia Effects on Processing and Perception of Online News: A Study of Picture, Audio, and Video Downloads," 480-99; Bruce Garrison, "Journalists' Perceptions of Online Information-Gathering Problems," 500-14; Andrew J. Flanagin and Miriam J. Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility," 515-40; and Guido H. Stempel III and Robert K. Stewart, "The Internet Provides Both Opportunities and Challenges for Mass Communication Researchers," 541-48.
64. For example, a recent issue of Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly (vol. 77, no. 3,2000) focused on the Internet with the following articles: David Tewksbury and Scott L. Althaus, "Differences in Knowledge Acquisition Among Readers of the Paper and Online Versions of a National Newspaper," 457-79; S. Shyam Sundar, "Multimedia Effects on Processing and Perception of Online News: A Study of Picture, Audio, and Video Downloads," 480-99; Bruce Garrison, "Journalists' Perceptions of Online Information-Gathering Problems," 500-14; Andrew J. Flanagin and Miriam J. Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility," 515-40; and Guido H. Stempel III and Robert K. Stewart, "The Internet Provides Both Opportunities and Challenges for Mass Communication Researchers," 541-48.
65. For example, a recent issue of Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly (vol. 77, no. 3,2000) focused on the Internet with the following articles: David Tewksbury and Scott L. Althaus, "Differences in Knowledge Acquisition Among Readers of the Paper and Online Versions of a National Newspaper," 457-79; S. Shyam Sundar, "Multimedia Effects on Processing and Perception of Online News: A Study of Picture, Audio, and Video Downloads," 480-99; Bruce Garrison, "Journalists' Perceptions of Online Information-Gathering Problems," 500-14; Andrew J. Flanagin and Miriam J. Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility," 515-40; and Guido H. Stempel III and Robert K. Stewart, "The Internet Provides Both Opportunities and Challenges for Mass Communication Researchers," 541-48.
66. For example, a recent issue of Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly (vol. 77, no. 3,2000) focused on the Internet with the following articles: David Tewksbury and Scott L. Althaus, "Differences in Knowledge Acquisition Among Readers of the Paper and Online Versions of a National Newspaper," 457-79; S. Shyam Sundar, "Multimedia Effects on Processing and Perception of Online News: A Study of Picture, Audio, and Video Downloads," 480-99; Bruce Garrison, "Journalists' Perceptions of Online Information-Gathering Problems," 500-14; Andrew J. Flanagin and Miriam J. Metzger, "Perceptions of Internet Information Credibility," 515-40; and Guido H. Stempel III and Robert K. Stewart, "The Internet Provides Both Opportunities and Challenges for Mass Communication Researchers," 541-48.
67. See, for more information about the comparison, Kim and Weaver, "Different Polls, Different Reporting." According to their findings, news reports based on traditional polls were much more likely to focus on politics and election races, and somewhat more likely to stress health/medical issues, than were online poll news stories.