Local Newspaper Coverage and Endorsement of a U.S. Military Buildup in the Pacific

Abstract

A recently announced shift in the global military strategy of the United States involves an increase in the presence of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Pacific. Drawing from propositions of the system-maintenance role of local media, this study examines how the Pacific Daily News (PDN), a newspaper on the Western Pacific island of Guam, covers a U.S. military buildup, and the extent to which such coverage influences residents’ opinions. A content analysis revealed the PDN reported more frequently on the military buildup’s economic benefits, and less on its potential risks. A representative survey showed that reading the PDN influenced residents’ support for the buildup and endorsement of the buildup’s economic benefits, but not its risks. Implications are discussed.