Top of the hour radio newscasts and the public interest

Top of the hour radio newscasts are an important source of political information for many Americans. While there is an extensive research literature on the political role of television news programs, few studies have examined this electronic medium of political communication. Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, this paper assesses the performance of radio newscasts in serving the public interest by presenting diverse viewpoints that engage citizens in the political sphere and by making available the specific information they need to hold the government accountable. It concludes that the public interest is only modestly served by these newscasts.