Changes in Media Reporting after RTI Laws in Queensland

CPRafrica 2012/CPRsouth7 Conference, Port Louis, Mauritius, September 5-7, 2012

16 Pages Posted: 17 Sep 2012

See all articles by Rhonda A. Breit

Rhonda A. Breit

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Richard L. Fitzgerald

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: September 17, 2012

Abstract

This paper outlines findings of research into how journalists’ use and report issues related to freedom of information (FOI) and right to information (RTI) in Queensland, following the introduction of access to information reforms in 2009.

A triangulated analysis was used incorporating quantitative and qualitative methods. At a quantitative level, the text analytics software Leximancer was used to identify key concepts, issues and trends in 786 relevant articles from national, metropolitan and regional newspapers. At a qualitative level, discourse analysis was used to identify key themes and patterns from the newspaper articles. Finally, semi-structured interviews with journalists who use and report on RTI/FOI were conducted in order to identify journalists’ attitudes towards RTI and to provide context for the analysis of newspaper reports.

Both qualitative and quantitative shifts in the media reporting of RTI and FOI were revealed across three time periods representing the periods before, during and after the reform implementation. The findings offer insights into the role of newspapers in promoting and/or framing the public sector information environment in Australia. This benchmark study will enable researchers within and beyond Asian contexts to monitor the role journalists’ play as information converters under push model RTI and their capacity to work collaboratively with government agencies in maximizing the usefulness of public sector information.

Keywords: information, access, media, transparency

Suggested Citation

Breit, Rhonda A. and Fitzgerald, Richard L., Changes in Media Reporting after RTI Laws in Queensland (September 17, 2012). CPRafrica 2012/CPRsouth7 Conference, Port Louis, Mauritius, September 5-7, 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2147625

Rhonda A. Breit (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Richard L. Fitzgerald

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
105
Abstract Views
741
Rank
462,937
PlumX Metrics