Characterization of a politician's personal behavior: narrative analysis of three Los Angeles publications and their depiction of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

This study examines how Los Angeles publications portray the city’s mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, from January 2006 to December 2009. This time frame is relevant because it contains articles prior to the summer of 2007 when there was a revelation that the mayor had an affair with a television news anchor. The time frame also contains articles that pertain to the aftermath and his re-election. Three publications were analyzed using narrative analysis. This study shows that the Los Angeles Times depicts Villaraigosa’s personal behavior as casting a shadow over his mayoral duties. The Daily News of Los Angeles depicts him as a determined politician. LA Weekly depicts him as primarily lackluster in political performance and spotlight seeking. These findings led to the conclusion that coverage relating to local politics in Los Angeles is personalized because there is a focus on the private decisions, behavior, and characters associated with the mayor, thus overshadowing his political responsibilities.