Reporting the Arts II: Sections [2003]

• The Pew Charitable Trusts
• John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
• The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
• The Rockefeller Foundation
• Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture
• The Fund for Amateur Art and Performing Art

Study conducted by: 
National Arts Journalism Program

Author:
Szanto, Andras, National Arts Journalism Program, Columbia University

Abstract (CPANDA)

Reporting the Arts II [2003], conducted by the National Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University, analyzed the arts-and-culture coverage by three national newspapers and 17 metropolitan daily newspapers in ten markets (weekday editions, plus Saturday and Sunday editions as applicable) during the month of October 2003. In addition to analyzing newspaper articles for arts and culture content, researchers also classified and measured the sections of each newspaper issue. Sections were classified according to one of seven categories: news, business, sports, daily arts and lifestyles, weekend arts, nonarts features, and advertising. Neither national magazines such as Parade nor unpaginated pullout advertising supplements were included. The number of pages for each section was counted and expressed as a proportion of the newspaper's total. The data were collected and analyzed by ADT Research. Funding for the study and report was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture, and The Fund for Amateur Art and Performing Art.

Methodology (CPANDA)

This study analyzed 5,036 sections of 583 separate issues of 20 newspapers during the month of October 2003. National newspapers included in the study were The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Metropolitan newspapers included in the study were the Charlotte Observer, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, Houston Chronicle, Miami Herald, Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Portland Oregonian, Providence Journal, Contra Costa Times, Oakland Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, and the San Jose Mercury News. Cities were selected for inclusion in the study based on their geography and size and an interest in comparing cities with and without established arts scenes, broad arts presence, and newspaper competition.
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