Washington Press Corps Becoming More Digital And Specialized

NPC member Shannon Fisher interviews the Pew Research Center's Associate Research Director Jesse Holcomb about Pew's just-released report detailing the changing composition of the Washington Press Corps and the source of D.C.-based information that ultimately reaches local newspapers. The report, titled "Today’s Washington Press Corps More Digital, Specialized," describes the changing landscape of journalists in Washington, with niche publications now outnumbering both daily newspapers and wire services. Pew compared stories from D.C.-based correspondents with those of local reporters covering Washington. The results of the study raise questions about the relative cost-effectiveness of using D.C.-based correspondents, as well as the relevance to local readers, when compared to acquiring information from wire services. Update-1 explores the findings of the report and how they might affect the future of the Washington press corps.