TOP OF THE HOUR RADIO NEWSCASTS AND THE PUBLIC-INTEREST

Top of the hour radio newscasts are an important source of political i nformation for many Americans. While there is an extensive research li terature on the political role of television news programs, few studie s have examined this electronic medium of political communication. Usi ng both quantitative and qualitative approaches, this paper assesses t he performance of radio newscasts in serving the public interest by pr esenting diverse viewpoints that engage citizens in the political sphe re and by making available the specific information they need to hold the government accountable. It concludes that the public interest is o nly modestly served by these newscasts.