SEX OFFENDER UPDATE! Or what poses as news on Georgia’s partisan news sites
SEX OFFENDER UPDATE! Or what poses as news on Georgia’s partisan news sites
Karin Assmann and Speakman, B. (2026). “SEX OFFENDER UPDATE! Or what poses as news on Georgia’s partisan news sites,” Communication and Democracy, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/27671127.2026.2686188
Abstract: Partisan news sites, launched and maintained by conservative funders have spread across the U.S. media landscape. In this study we examine how Metric Media, one of the most prolific producers of partisan news aims to fill real or perceived gaps in the Georgia news ecosystem. We ask what type of news and information Metric Media sites in Georgia publish and categorize the rhetorical styles found on these sites and how these styles may contribute to setting the agenda of political discourse. While Metric Media claims its mission is to address the decline in local reporting, our analysis reveals a different reality. We find that these outlets, rather than providing substantive local news, publish aggregated, context-free data and employ rhetorical styles to promote a partisan worldview.
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