Reason, M. and Garcia, B. ‘Approaches to the Newspaper Archive: Content Analysis and Press Coverage of Glasgow’s Year of Culture’, in: Media, Culture and Society (2007)
Glasgow’s year as European City of Culture in 1990 is perceived as an event marking a renaissance in perceptions of the city. This paper examines how the contemporary press coverage can be used as a resource to trace the narratives and mythologies surrounding the event. To facilitate this research, a pre-existing archive of press cuttings, totalling over 5,000 clippings, was employed. This paper describes how the interests of the project, and the nature of the large press archive being examined, lead to the utilisation of a distinct methodology of media analysis. The paper describes the attempt to unite both quantitative, statistical analysis with qualitative, pre-informed examination. By tracing aspects of the practical examination of the Glasgow 1990 press coverage, the paper explores the successes and failures of the approach taken and assesses its potential for development and employment in other contexts.
Key words: City Marketing; Urban Regeneration; Media Analysis; SPSS; Cultural Policy