Broadcast media sourcing: A case study of the 2010 health care debate

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the theories of media sourcing as well as content and media diversity as it relates to the public interest through a political economic lens. Over the years, the fact that the media is where everyday citizens turn to get their news has been realized. What is less commonly discussed is where media outlets turn to get their information to produce the news of the day. It has been hypothesized by scholars who study political economy of media that outlets only relay what is in the interest of the government and business elite; therefore, these ideas will be tested. Furthermore, using the 2010 health care debate as a case study, this thesis measures who gets to speak in news stories aired on broadcast, cable, and public outlets as well as the context of what they are saying during pertinent times in the debate