Comparing American and Canadian local television crime stories: A content analysis

Abstract

This study compares crime coverage on local television broadcasts in the U.S. and Canada. A content analysis was conducted with 400 thirty-minute episodes from 4 markets (100 from each), resulting in a sample of 1,042 stories. Results failed to uncover a difference in the types of crimes presented on Canadian and U.S. newscasts. Multivariate analyses revealed, however, that sensational stories, live stories, and stories involving firearms were more likely to appear in U.S. markets than in Canadian ones. Conversely, national stories and lead stories were more likely to be shown in Canadian markets. To provide context, the propaganda model developed in Herman and Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent (1988) is discussed. At the local level, both American and Canadian news makers engage in selective news constructions in an attempt to appease owners or advertisers, and uphold traditional attitudes toward criminality and justice.