What is the ‘Elite Press’? A Network Analysis of High-Circulation Newspapers in the US

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session and Reception
  In Interactive Paper Session: Journalism Studies Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

The concept of the ‘elite press’ is present in a number of media studies, yet is operationalized in different ways, with scholars employing a range of media outlets. This study sought to gain a better understanding of the concept by employing a network analysis lens, focusing on the structural and relational features of the network of high-circulation U.S. newspapers over the past decade. Among the findings are that the network has remained stable and centralized in terms of prestige, with three newspapers standing out as the ‘elite’ actors: The New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.

Author

• Rodrigo Zamith, U of Minnesota