ABSTRACT
Newspapers are the major source of news about racial, religious, and ethnic group relations in the cities. For most newspaper writers, research means talking to as many “experts” and other people as their deadline permits. Typically, the story form becomes an inter-related set of paragraphs which are basically quotes. Probably the most knowledgeable writers on any newspaper are those who write about sports. Reporters, like most people in this society, have an implicit theory of prejudice and group relations. Through their own reading and life experiences they have come to formulate some ideas about race, about ethnicity, about how and why people are prejudiced, and so on. Newspaper executives have frequently expressed their perceived obligation to protect the public from unworthy news. Although increasing the numbers of minority journalists may have some impact on news coverage and on news sources, the complexion of the newsroom may have no impact on the underlying social functions of the newspaper.
