| During the first decade of the 21st Century, two developments affected the manner in which New Jersey residents obtained news and information about their state. The size of newsroom staffs at the newspapers covering the state was reduced substantially through buyouts, layoffs, cutbacks and consolidations, and the growth of the Internet altered the manner in which news was gathered, reported and disseminated, placing new demands on depleted news staffs. Although neither development was unique to New Jersey, there is a value in exploring their effects on the Garden State because of the role the media play in ensuring a healthy democracy, namely keeping citizens informed and serving as a watchdog over government and other powerful entities. If the media's ability to fulfill this responsibility is compromised, there could be significant consequences. A content analysis of the coverage of New Jersey's 2005 and 2009 gubernatorial elections, coupled with three sets of interviews with individuals involved in both campaigns, showed that the quality of news coverage declined during this four-year period. Stories were reported in less depth, with less context and with more emphasis on personalities and horserace issues than on substantive public policy matters. The reasons for the decrease in the quality of the reporting were directly related to the staff reductions and growth of the Internet. Individuals involved with the two elections indicated that the New Jersey media's ability to ensure a healthy democracy declined between 2005 and 2009, leaving citizens less informed and government less accountable. |
