The Lacuna Project

lacuna (n.) a gap in a record where something should be

Independent research. Not affiliated with any government, agency, or company.

Exhibit 996

How News Happens: A Study of the News Ecosystem of One American City

Exhibit 996 · Research report (not peer reviewed)

How News Happens: A Study of the News Ecosystem of One American City

Government, at least in this study, initiates most of the news.

Study of the 53 outlets producing local news in Baltimore for one week in July 2009 and six major storylines. Finds that eight in ten stories studied repeated or repackaged previously published information, that 95% of stories with new information came from traditional media, and that in the six storylines 63% of stories were initiated by government officials, led first by the police, and 14% by the press.

Source
Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism
Date
11 January 2010
Quoted from
Findings summary, report p. 4
Grade
Primary record
Document
https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2010/01/PJBaltimoreStudy2010.pdf
Accessed
2026-11-10
Cited by
Findings citing this exhibit
Note
One city, one week, six storylines; the report states these limits.

Cited by

No published finding cites this exhibit.