Evaluating journalistic routines in Kuwait: The use of information sources.

Abstract

This study investigates the use of information sources in Kuwait and the influence of ownership, newsroom size, and media type on the gatekeeping routines. Using a sample of 1,868 news articles from nine different news outlets, including television, radio, print, and online media, we examine the sources and actors present in the news coverage. The results of the study demonstrate the strong dominance of political sources in the construction of news, highlighting the crucial role of the government in shaping media content. The findings also support previous research that indicates top-down or elite actors have more privileged news access compared to non-elite actors such as citizens. Surprisingly, state-owned media outlets used fewer and narrower ranges of information sources compared to private media outlets. Additionally, a significant proportion of the news articles analyzed had no sources cited or presented unilateral coverage of the news. Likewise, our study challenges conventional assumptions about online media´s role in promoting a greater diversity of sources and perspectives in news reporting. Our findings indicate that online media platforms do not necessarily enhance diversity in news reporting.