Does the Spotlight Last? Policy Coverage in Local Newspapers After Mass Shootings

• In Event: News Media, Narratives, and the Policy Process

Abstract

This study investigates how local media shape public understanding of policy alternatives in the wake of focusing events like mass shootings. Using a database of several thousand local newspapers spanning three decades, I examine whether outlets in closer proximity to a mass shooting provide more sustained coverage and engage more extensively with policy discussions—such as those around gun control—than national outlets or more distant newspapers. I employ keyword-assisted topic models and large language models to identify relevant policy areas and to analyze how both journalists and public officials frame these debates. Preliminary findings suggest that geographic proximity significantly influences the scope and duration of policy coverage, with local newspapers offering richer and more sustained engagement. These findings highlight the important role local media can play in the policy process—shaping what voters learn, helping to generate public pressure on policymakers, and potentially influencing how government responds to crisis events.

Author

• Ryan Baxter-King, University of Nevada, Reno
  Presenting Author