The project, associated with the Pew Research Center, studied Baltimore news over a period of a week last July and determined that 83 per cent of the Internet-related content was essentially repetitive and 95 per cent of the original information flowed from legacy media, mainly the newspaper's newsroom.
Clearly it is a small survey of one market, so it has its limitations on what can be concluded. In certain cities online sites are regularly breaking news and newspapers are carrying a large portion of agency material. But the report suggests the paper, despite its hardship, continues to lead the way journalistically in that market.