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I ‘q‘fli ;;’s. “1 I “I : . “V gifi‘!‘ .‘ 1: I ., - ‘_: “ 9' ‘- ° " FAWN/X153 WWW 3.1 11”~4"~'1 ' q ~-* ‘1‘. ‘p ‘fm‘.w.~n90b‘. .‘fi' R315 u~,»» ‘ l“...__?.!f '—_——v’.—'.-=—"’ 3-..?“ . -:. '... -‘hul. n.— -- r ’7. ,-?.' fl "( _ 1; Cr fins-uses: .4 I. A “$1.15 Vu—iuwmi an -mo ‘1 0" | 'v u- not“; i This is to certify that the dissertation entitled Profiles of Daily U.S. NeWSpaper Editorial Writers: A Comparison of Opinion writers from the "Prestige Press" and the Circulation Leaders Date presented by David A. Szymanski has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Arts March 14, 1986 MS U is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution . Journalism degree in Major professor 0-12771 RETURNING MATERIALS: erfSI.J Place in book drop to LIBRARIES remove this checkout from .azslzggzln. .your record. FINES wil] be charged if book is returned after the date stamped beIow. PROFILES OF DAILY U.S. NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL WRITERS: A COMPARISON OF OPINION WRITERS FROM THE "PRESTIGE PRESS" AND THE CIRCULATION LEADERS By David A. Szymanski A THESIS submitted to Michigan State University in partial fufillment of the requirement for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS School of Journalism 0\ 198 ABSTRACT PROFILES OF DAILY U.S. NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL WRITERS: A COMPARISON OF OPINION WRITERS FROM THE "PRESTIGE PRESS" AND THE CIRCULATION LEADERS BY David A. Szymanski This thesis explores the demographics, job satisfaction, perceived impact and staff relationships of editorial writers from three special groups: the top 20 circulation newspapers; the prestige press; and a special group of papers that fall on both lists. A national mail survey was conducted and a second mailing was used to compile information on 28 newspapers. That information was analyzed using 39 data tables. The major findings of the study showed that prestige caused more job satisfaction for the high circulation group, while autonomy and societal impact were more important for the prestige press. The special high circulation/high prestige writers said they had the most societal impact. In writing editorials, writers in all three groups favored explaining all sides of an issue and advocating one side as the newspaper's opinion. Most editorial writers were male, about 44 of 104 writers, and had 7 1/2 years of editorial writing experience. About 25 percent were women. This thesis is dedicated to my father. "To dream the impossible dream . . ." iii \ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank the following for help with this thesis, in both big and small ways: Dr. Frederick Fico, my thesis advisor at Michigan State University, for his patience, guidance, good humor and advice; Dr. Stan Soffin and Jerry Morton, my thesis readers; the MSU School of Journalism secretaries; Dr. G. Cleveland Wilhoit of Indiana University; Drs. George Evans, Mary Hamilton and Russell Jandoli of St. Bonaventure University; David Shaw of The Les Angeles Times; the MSU Library System Staff; staff of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies; Suncoast Opinion Research; and the editorial staffs of the following newspapers: The Atlanta Qensiitniieh. The Baltimere San. The Shiease Tribune, The shristian Seienee Meniier. The Des heines Register. The Kansas Qiix Star. The Les Anseles Times. The Lenisxille Qenrierzieernal and Times. The Miami Herald. The Milnankee Jenrnal. The Nee 1223 Times. The Sea Lenis Eestzfliseaieh. The Hall Street ienrnal. The Hashinsteh Best. The Nee Kerk hails Hens. USA Teeax. The Nee Terk feet, The Deereit Hens. The theaae thzTimes. The Deireit Eree Press, megsday, The San Eraneisee Ehreniele. The Ehilaeelehia lnenirer. The Beaten fileee. The flexelane Plain Dealer.Theflensten§hrehiele.TheNenarkS_tar;Leegerand Very special thanks goes out to my family and Rhonda Mellinger, a group of very patient people who were always supportive and upbeat throughout this project. Without their support, the pursuit of a master's degree would have faded in the fall of 1985 and winter of 1986. I also remembered that through many long nights in front of the IBM personal computer and long days compiling survey returns, that with God, anything is possible. PREFACE I decided to work on a project involving editorials after reading some comments from editors that a great newspaper is often reflected in the character of its editorial page. Since I have been fascinated by the great mechanism that puts out a newspaper since I was in fifth grade, I decided to study the editorial pages among the top quality newspapers. I wanted to examine the best minds of the best American newspapers. Eventually, through review of studies in the scholarly journals, I discovered plenty of work on editorials (con- tent analysis), but very little on those who write the editorials (communicator analysis). I wanted to know how an editorial writer prepared for a profession that demanded a wide-ranging knowledge and appreciation for an array of subjects; a degree of academic achievement; and a substan- tial amount of vocational experience recognized by their peers. The person who pursued editorial writing was clearly going beyond the requirements of reporting, because he or she not only had to present all sides of an issue, but also had to advocate one of those points as the newspaper's well- conceived institutional opinion, similar to a lawyer's vi function in court. This was a noble task because of the diversity of the writer's audience and the complexity of all issues. After I completed a survey on editorial writers of almost every daily newspaper in Florida in 198“, I began to rethink the specific focus of my master's thesis, and I decided to expand the work I started in St. Petersburg. I would complete a national survey of editorial writers working for the most prestigious and largest newspapers in the country. One of the questions I had going into this project was how editorial writers working for the "elite" reader compare with those working for the "mass" reader The hope motivating this research is that both news- paper professionals and readers will find it illuminating and useful. This thesis helps us understand job satisfac- tion, job goals and influences and job motivation in the context of editorial writers. I hope that the editorial page editor and the lay reader can put these results to work for them in writing and reading editorial opinions. I also would hope to encourage future communicator analysis research that will update these data and explore other aspects of job preparation, motivation, satisfaction and writing priorities. In the end, the public is served. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS List Of Tables 0 O O O O O C O O O O O O O O I 0 Chapter I. II. III. IV. VI. Introduction to the Communicator Analysis Study: Who is the editorial writer? . . . . . . . . Literature Review and Justification: What past research has shown .How the thesis extends and fills a gap in communicator research . . . . . . . . Hypotheses, Research Questions and Rationales: The thesis' value to mass communication research and society . . . . . . . . . . . . Research Method: The national mail survey . . . . . . . . . . Results and Discussion . . . . . . Editorial Writer Characteristics Hypotheses Tests . . . . . . . . Research Questions . . . . . . . Other Analyses . . . . . . . . . Conclusions and Recommendations . . . . . . . Appendices: A. The National Survey Instrument . . . . . . B. The Florida Survey Instrument . . . . . . C. The Miami Herald Editorials . . . . . . . EnanteS O O O O O O O O O C O C O O O O O O O O O Bibllography I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O I I viii Page 21 21 39 51 66 Table Nomkwmfl o o o o o 10. 11. 12A. 128. 12C. 13A 133 13C 1AA 148. 14C. 15. 16. 17 18A. 188. 18C. 19. 20. 21. LIST OF TABLES Editerialflritertharaeteristies Gender . . . . . Education . . . . Major . . . . . . Job Preparation . salary O O I I 0 Research Time . Research Time vs. E fixeethesis Tests Discussion Type . Debate Frequency . Debate Intensity . Job Satisfaction . Job Satisfaction vs. Impact: High Circulation (HG) . . . . . . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Impact: High Prestige (HP) . . . . . . . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Impact: High Circulation/High Prestige (RC/HP) Job Satisfaction vs. Prestige: HC . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Prestige: HP . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Prestige: HC/HP . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Group Interactions: HC . . . . . . . . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Group Interactions: HP . . . . . . . . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Group Interactions: HC/HP . . . . . . . . . . Top Writing Priority . . . . . . . . . . . Resear_hc Qaestiens Decision- Making Model . . . . . . . . . . “0.0000 00.0... c i n ua Story Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Decision-Making MOde1:HC O I I O O O O O 0 Job Satisfaction vs. Decision- Making Model. HP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Job Satisfaction vs. Decision-Making Model: HC/HP . . . . . . Impact . . . . . . Work Involvement . Work Effort . . . ix Page 22 23 25 27 29 31 33 3A 37 37 39 tn 1n in t3 an an 146 us 46 ”9 52 53 St: Su 51: 56 57 59 Table Page 22A. Impact vs. Work Involvement: HC . . . . . 60 228. Impact vs. Work Involvement: HP . . . . . . . 61 22C. Impact vs. Work Involvement: HC/HP . . . . . . 61 23. Personal Philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 24. Staff Makeup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 25. Personal- Staff Philosophy Duplication ns . . . . 66 cherAnalrsis 26A. Job Satisfaction vs. Salary: HC . . . . . . . 67 268. Job Satisfaction vs. Salary: HP . . . . . . . 67 26C. Job Satisfaction vs. Salary: HC/HP . . . . . . 68 27. Impact vs. Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY This study questioned daily newspaper editorial writers from the 20 largest circulation U.S. newspapers and from the 14 prestige newspapers to determine how they prepare, per- form and set objectives for their profession.1 Szymanski's fall 1984 mail survey of Florida daily newspaper editorial writers (see Appendix B)2 served as a pretest for this study._ In addition, considering the nature (i.e. size versus prestige) of the two sample groups, the author examined several main research questions dealing with the perceived impact of editorials and the sources of job satisfaction. Writers among the largest circulation newspapers are important to study because they reach more readers than any other U.S. dailies and thus may have the greatest oppor- tunity for public impact. Three of the papers are in New York, the nation's largest city, and the editorial writers in this sample group can be seen, in the context of this study, as writing for the diverse "mass" audience. In comparison, writers among the prestige press are a significant sample group because they are considered superior by professional peers and because they may be read by elites 2 and crucial opinion leaders in society who make important societal decisions. To quote Stempel, "These are elite news- papers, and what they do in coverage is of substantial significance. At the same time, we should note that what the prestige press represents is some of the best of American journalism, not the typical in American journalism." 3 In contrast, these newspapers can be seen writing not only for the "mass" audience, but also for the more sophisticated and perhaps more demanding "elite" audience. .This study in part extended past research on editorial writers by focusing on these two extraordinary groups. The study will compare responses from these editorial writers on their preparation, motivation and management preferences along the dimensions of newspaper circulation, job prestige, age, sex, education, experience, salary, personal philosophy, job duties, job satisfaction and editorial board cooperation. Using the survey, the author hopes to generate findings of significance to working journalists, teachers, scholars, students and media managers. The results should be helpful in understanding editorial writers in a number of ways: how motivated do they feel they are; what their professional and social relations are like with their staff; how satisfied are they in their job and what makes them satisfied; how effec- tive they feel they are in changing public policy; how they work with their (fellow) writers; and what do they feel their main objectives are in editorial writing. CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY Kenneth Rystrom, communication professor and 17-year editorial-writing veteran, described an editorial as an essay representing the media organization's opinion. Editorials explain issues, develop and discuss the merits of opposing arguments and draw conclusions to inform and spur readers to action.4 And while individual journalists write these essays, the opinions represent the newspaper's collective view. Editorials appear as anonymous columns of enlarged type, usually appearing on the left side of the editorial page. The heading above The Detrgit flfiflfi' editorial page reads, in the largest type on the page, "Our Opinions." Furthermore, Rystrom described the editorial writer as "a writer, a thinker, a scholar, an objective viewer, a critic, a scold and a person with humility." He should hold seven qualities: a wide variety of interests; good reporting skills; ability to fully understand an issue; good writing skills; a sense of fairness or justice; desire to express an opinion; and an ability to reason cogently.5 Many editors argue that the quality of a newspaper is reflected in its editorial page. To Cnieege Tgipgge editor u James Squires, the editorial page is "the heart of the paper . . . the voice of the paper." The page should lead the community, not play up to it "like a whore," said Eugene Patterson, publisher of The Ste Eetehehhhg £Ela.) Timee. Patterson won a Pulitizer Prize in editorial writing at The Atlanta Cenetithtieh and said he often had to write editor- ials that disagreed with public sentiment in Atlanta in order to better the community he lived in. "At the heart of the job is public service," noted Patterson, whose StT Petehehhhg Timee often is at odds with its more conservative elderly community. Walter Lippmann, the renowned editor and columnist of the last generation, also subscribed to this notion. To Lippmann, "a newspaper's job is to put a community in con- versation with itself." This conversation can only result from a mix of different ideas through news dissemination. Newspaper editorials have traditionally encouraged Lippmann's "conversation" by taking one side--analyzing issues to promote one interpretation or solution rather than another. Accepting these distinctions, the National Conference of Editorial Writers defines the mission of the editorial writer this way: "It's a profession devoted to the public welfare and the public service. The chief duty of its practitioners is to provide for the information and guidance toward sound judgment, which are essential to the sound functioning of a democracy." 5 When Stempel conducted his poll of editors for his 1980 election study, newspaper professionals chose 14 publications they believed were the best in the United States. These newspapers gained this distinction through a dedication to quality, and what Robert Haiman, director of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, describes as "reputation." On a similar, yet separate plane, high circulation newspapers could have done a number of things to have achieved their circulation dominance, but the fact remains: they are read by the greatest number of people in that market. Recognizing this societal importance of editorials, this thesis examined how certain especially influential editorial writers define their job preparation and objectives. How these journalists perceive their profession's role in society also was explored. East Res_arehe Researchers such as Szymanski, Hynds, Martin, Drew, Emery, Krieghbaum and Wilhoit have done previous studies that showed that editorial writers were satisfied with their jobs, were highly educated and were highly paid. For example, Wilhoit and Drew explored the political and socio- logical activities of editorial writers outside of work, as well as demographic variables that affect performance.6 Wilhoit and Drew's most recent study on editorial writers in 1980 found that the profession is still mostly male, with the writer's median age at 48 years, about the 6 7 same as Wilhoit and Drew's 1971 study. The number of women in the profession increased from 2 percent in 1971 to 7.Percent in 1980. Education levels remained about the same, with 83 per- cent of the writers earning bachelor's degrees. Journalism was the major area of study, both studies found. In 1980, out of 650 respondents, 10 percent more editorial writers (total of 22 percent) said that their salaries were only average in comparison to other staff members. By 1979, inflation had run ahead of salary increases for editorial writers, who earned an average of $24,000 that year and $16,750 in 1971. Most editorial writers in both surveys said they were very satisfied with their job, with more than 67 percent in 1971 and 1980 responding with that high level of satisfac- tion. In both surveys, only about 2.5 percent found the profession not very satifying. In 1977, Hynds and Martin explored how newspaper editorialists obtain information and perform their tasks. Hynds used a cluster of four variables: 1. writer-related demographic variables (i.e., In what ways do editorialists differ in age, education and editorial experience?); 2. Information-related variables (In what ways do editorialits differ in their use of sources of ideas and information?); 3. Task-evaluation variables (In what ways do these writers vary in what they consider the most important factors in good editorials, the basic functions of editorials and the 7 ways to handle issues?); and 4. Writing-style variables (In what ways do editorialists vary in their use of research and writing time? How do they organize materials, choose leads, show preferences for endings and preferences in expository writing devices?).9 Hynds surveyed editorial writers and concluded the following: Most editorials are designed primarily to express a viewpoint, motivate readers or provide informa- tion. Editorial writers use their own newspaper as the most‘common information resource. Most editorial writers believed the best approach to handling issues was to give both sides and tell where the paper stands. A relatively small number would give the arguments for one side only, and even fewer would give both sides and leave the decision to the reader. More than half of the editorial writers spent between one and two hours doing research and an hour or more in writing their typical editorials. Many liked to begin editorials with a general statement to gain attention and close with a call to action.10 Szymanski also asked similar questions in his Florida survey11. The purpose of the Florida study was to develop a profile of the "ideal editorial writer." Questions on the kinds of sources used, the academic and professional prep- aration and demographic factors all showed that there is no ideal "profile." What emerged was a description or series of conclusions about the average Florida editorial writer: 8 The average Florida editorial writer was male, about 43 years old and had completed his B.A. in journalism. He was most likely a liberal. He spent almost 40 percent of his time researching and used a wide variety of sources. The Florida editorial writer found his job very satisfying. He believed he is very influential in setting his newspaper's policy on an issue and has never been forced into writing an editorial against his will or beliefs. Policy at his newspaper was determined by a consensus of the editorial board. He measured his influence based on a perception of medium prestige for his profession--about 3 1/2 on a scale of 5, with 5 being the most prestigious kind of job. His personal perspective on the craft was described as an ideal in the noble skeptic--a person who continu- ally wants to learn--and at the same time, this trait was blended with a tremendous public concern for justice, or as one editorial writer described "a sense of outrage" when a writer thought people were being persecuted 12 unfairly. Thesis Breelem This thesis replicates Wilhoit's 1972 and 1980 studies, Hynds' 1977 study and Szymanski's 1984 Florida study by measuring the preparation, job tasks and social and politi- cal habits and preferences of the editorial writer. 9 However, in addition, it extends research in this area by adding updated demographic and sociological and political information and focusing several especially important groups of editorial writers--those working for prestige papers, those working for mass circulation papers, and those working for papers combining both these qualities. It fills a gap by examining group dynamics among editorial boards, such-as how decisions are made and how writers form the basis for their editorial position. It also compares demographics, social influences and perceived societal impact and satisfaction among these groups of especially crucial writers. The survey extends research by examining demographic and sociological aspects affecting the job performance of editorial writers in 1985. It also compares the writers among different newspapers using the variables of educa- tion, autonomy, salary, impact, age, prestige (writers and papers) and newspaper circulation. Wilhoit cross tabu- lated using age, geography and newspaper circulation. Szymanski's 1984 report and the research published by Wilhoit and Drew in 1980 and 1972 serve as a general guide for the theme of the survey, although survey questions were dropped and added and the samples are different. This study also updates and answers contemporary questions that the Szymanski, Wilhoit and Drew studies could not anticipate, or that they omitted or handled indirectly when they drafted their surveys. 10 Some of those new questions include: What are the main priorities for writers when structuring editorial arguments? Are editorial boards demographically homogenous? How common is serious debate at editorial board meetings and does anyone ever play devil's advocate to assure a divergence of issues are discussed? How is editorial policy formed and what is the role of the publisher among a shrinking number of daily newspapers? How effective do writers among the prestige press and the circulation leaders believe they are influencing the community through their editorials? The importance of the autonomy of the editorial board was brought to Miami fieheifi readers' attention October 28, 1984, during a presentation of Szymanski's 1984 survey results. On October 17, The Heheigie editorial board voted to endorse Democratic Presidential Candidate Walter Mondale for president. After deciding to write a pro-Mondale editorial, Publisher Richard Capen overruled the board and directed page editor James Hampton to write an editorial endorsing incumbent Republican President Ronald Reagan. The result was an editorial endorsing'Reagan and a dissenting column by Hampton (see Appendix C). Hampton explained that a majority of the board wanted to endorse thandale, but the publisher can pull rank, and did. Staff linrest followed, and after considering resigning, Hampton