Does Media Coverage Influence Corporate Community Disclosures?

Abstract

This study uses the lenses of the stakeholder and the media agenda-setting theories to investigate the impact of community expectations on Corporate Community Involvement disclosures (CCID) in the annual reports of UK listed companies. Using content analysis and a panel study approach, we find no significant support for CCID/community expectation relationship even after controlling for the effect of firm-specific characteristics and CG variables. These findings may imply that CCID is rather encouraged because it enhances corporate reputations to the advantage of both managers and all stakeholders other than the community alone. Consequently, all parties are encouraged to support CCID initiatives.