Politics in the provinces: The Otago Daily Times and Manawatu Standard coverage of Election 2014

Local newspapers play an important role in the democratic process but they are under threat in a rapidly changing media landscape. This study examines the locally produced Election 2014 coverage of two different newspapers in New Zealand: the Otago Daily Times, a metropolitan daily with a strong emphasis on regional coverage; and the provincial daily Manawatu Standard. Content analysis shows some similarities between the publications (broadly similar story size and authorship patterns) and some of the differences (number of stories and amount of coverage) accounted for by circulation. However, the two newspapers also enacted 'localness' in diverse ways. Nearly 80% of election stories produced by Manawatu Standard staff had a city or regional focus, a finding consistent with 2011 election data. In contrast, befitting its metropolitan status, the overwhelming bulk of Otago Daily Times' election coverage was nationally focused, produced by its Wellington-based political reporter. However, despite its long-established commitment to Otago, more local staff and bigger news-hole, it produced considerably fewer election stories with a city or regional focus than the Standard. We consider the possible impact of other influencers on local election coverage, such as the newsworthiness of electorate races and competing regional stories, but conclude that despite its purported importance, local political news continues to occupy a tenuous position in the modern newsroom.