Internet Adoption and Integration by Network Television News (1997 to 2004)
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Syracuse University SURFACE S.I. Newhouse School of Public Mass Communications - Dissertations Communications 12-2011 Internet Adoption and Integration by Network Television News (1997 to 2004) Katherine A. Hughes Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/com_etd Part of the Mass Communication Commons Recommended Citation Hughes, Katherine A., "Internet Adoption and Integration by Network Television News (1997 to 2004)" (2011). Mass Communications - Dissertations. 86. https://surface.syr.edu/com_etd/86 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mass Communications - Dissertations by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Internet Adoption and Integration by Network Television News (1997 to 2004) ABSTRACT The focus of this study is broadcast network news and how the “big three” television networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) responded to the Internet over an eight-year period of time, 1997 to 2004. The study measures the networks’ coverage of the Internet as a news subject and their incorporation of companion news websites into their respective nightly newscasts. Four Internet-related variables: a) news stories per newscast containing an Internet reference; b) Internet keywords; c) invitational references; and d) URL references were identified and utilized to examine whether changes exist in network coverage: a) over time; and b) relative to changes in the U.S. online population. This study found that historical time was not a significant factor in predicting the inclusion of Internet-related news stories and website references in nightly newscasts. The U.S. online population also had no significant influence on the inclusion of such news stories or Web references. Significant differences were identified among the three networks’ coverage of the Internet and their inclusion of website references in nightly newscasts. The findings from this study suggest a series of missed opportunities for the networks to leverage the Internet during its formative years of 1997 to 2004 (as a news subject and as an extension of the newscasts) to benefit the newscasts and their audiences. The Internet and in particular, network news websites, have not received the same attention in gatekeeping and agenda-setting studies as have traditional media. These online extensions of the newscasts warrant additional study based on behaviors reflecting increased online news consumption among the news audience. INTERNET ADOPTION AND INTEGRATION BY NETWORK TELEVISION NEWS (1997 TO 2004) By Katherine A. Hughes B.S. James Madison University, 1994 M.S. Syracuse University, 1995 TITLE PAGE DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mass Communications in the Graduate School of Syracuse University December 2011 © Copyright 2011 Katherine Anne Hughes All Rights Reserved COPYRIGHT TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... i TITLE PAGE ...................................................................................................................... ii COPYRIGHT ..................................................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi I INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 Interactive Characteristics ............................................................................................... 4 Globalization ................................................................................................................... 5 Anytime, Anywhere ........................................................................................................ 6 Internet v. World Wide Web ........................................................................................... 7 Early News Online .......................................................................................................... 8 Newscast Competition .................................................................................................. 11 Decreasing Audiences & Declining Ratings ................................................................. 11 Network’s Aging Audience .......................................................................................... 14 Cable News Outlets ....................................................................................................... 17 Types of News on Cable ............................................................................................... 18 Brief History of Cable News ......................................................................................... 19 The Networks Go Online .............................................................................................. 19 CBS’s Online Launch ................................................................................................... 20 CBS MarketWatch.com ................................................................................................ 21 NBC’s Online Launch ................................................................................................... 23 NBC and Microsoft Partner .......................................................................................... 24 NBC News Online and MSNBC.com ........................................................................... 25 ABC’s Online Launch ................................................................................................... 26 ABCNews.com ............................................................................................................. 27 ABC and Alternative Outlets: Push Channels, Portal Sites & Partners ........................ 28 Push Channels: Netcaster ......................................................................................... 28 Portal Sites ................................................................................................................ 29 Portal Partners ........................................................................................................... 30 Network News Online: Cross-Promotion, Synergy, Audiences ................................... 31 Newscast Format and Alternative Delivery Options .................................................... 33 Program Length and Broadcast Time ........................................................................... 34 Media Displacement ..................................................................................................... 35 Study of Media Displacement ....................................................................................... 35 Media Displacement and the Internet ........................................................................... 37 Companion News Site ................................................................................................... 38 Current Study ................................................................................................................ 40 iv II INTERNET HISTORY & ONLINE AMERICA ....................................................... 45 America’s Online Activities ......................................................................................... 45 Timeline Events ............................................................................................................ 46 Dot-com Bubble Bursts – April 2000 ........................................................................... 48 Timeline Continues ....................................................................................................... 51 September 11, 2001 ...................................................................................................... 52 Timeline Continues ....................................................................................................... 55 U.S. Online Population ................................................................................................. 59 The Changing Online Audience .................................................................................... 61 Online News Audience ................................................................................................. 63 Internet News and Other Sources of News ................................................................... 63 Current Study ................................................................................................................ 63 III THEORY .................................................................................................................. 71 The Changing Nature of News ..................................................................................... 71 Newsworthiness of the Internet .................................................................................... 74 Timeliness ................................................................................................................