US Study: border newspapers more negative on immigration

A new Rice University study has found that California newspapers in markets close to the Mexican border report stories with more of a negative slant on immigration in an effort to please readers. 'Slanted Newspaper Coverage of Immigration: The Importance of Economics and Geography,' was conducted by Rice University political scientist Regina Branton along with Johanna Dunaway of Louisiana State University and published in the Policy Studies Journal. The study found that the negative reporting occurred in both general news stories and on opinion pages to a larger extent than newspapers in other parts of the state. Using content analysis, geographic information systems and contextual data, Branton and her research staff examined 1,227 California newspaper news articles and opinion pieces from 2004 to 2005. 'Moreover, we found corporate-owned newspapers are more likely to report a negative slant to the issue than privately owned newspapers,' Branton said in a statement. Branton said that the reason for the difference is that newspapers are trying to please their readers and thus maximize profits. 'The immigration issue is an emotional national issue that newspapers can sensationalize and provide influence on,' she said. In addition, Branton believes further studies would likely confirm the same trend in other U.S.-Mexico border states, like Texas and Arizona.

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