The Arizona Republic and the Indianapolis Star: A Comparative Analysis of Content Changes After Purchase by Gannett

ABSTRACT Gannett’s purchase of the Arizona Republic and the Indianapolis Star in 2000 created fertile and historically uncommon conditions for considering ownership’s impact on news coverage. This study provides quantitative evidence that a local newspaper’s quality before an ownership change substantially influences whether a new ownership model will have a positive, negative, or neutral effect. The two newspapers’ similar characteristics, shared ownership history, and simultaneous purchase undergird this study’s quantitative evidence and reduce the influence of variables that could account for inconsistencies in previous content analyses, including those specifically examining the effects of a Gannett purchase. In this case, Gannett ownership had a significantly more detrimental impact on the Republic than on the Star. The study also suggests implications for the USA Today Network and the evolutionary arc of commercial journalism, particularly in view of the Gannett and GateHouse merger.