“Don’t Bury the Lead! Understanding Who and What Shapes Organizational Media Content” by Dr. Scott GRAFFIN
MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
Speaker:
Dr. Scott GRAFFIN
Associate Professor of Management
Terry College of Business
The University of Georgia
Abstract:
Management scholars have found that the volume and tenor of organizational media content influences numerous organizational outcomes. This research stream, however, tends to focus on its consequences, while remaining largely silent on its antecedents. Given the media’s role in influencing observers’ perceptions of organizations, understanding the processes and factors that shape organizational media content is consequential. To advance theory and research on organizational media content, we investigate the simultaneous influence of: Who is covered, and How journalists’ routines shape their coverage of firms. To test our hypotheses, we examine the volume, tenor, and amount of overlap from firm press releases in the media content following a newsworthy organizational occurrence—annual earnings announcements. Overall, our findings suggest that the volume, tenor, and overlap of organizational media content are simultaneously, yet differentially, shaped by an organization’s reputation, earnings relative to analyst expectations, and annual earnings press release.
