This study examined the media coverage of California higher education in the popular press in four of the state's major dailies. In particular the study examined the roles that the San Francisco Chronicle, the Sacramento Bee, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Jose Mercury News play in fostering the public debate about higher education. All the higher education coverage of these papers during the period July 1, 1991, through June 30, 1992, was examined using a computer search that captured all articles that, directly or indirectly, addressed some aspect of state higher education. Some 420 usable articles were examined. At least one higher education reporter at each of the four papers received copies of the first draft, followed by on-site interviews. Their opinions are reflected in the concluding section of this report. The report concludes that, while the quality of the coverage compared well with coverage of leading dailies in other states, coverage was not ideal in terms of arousing public interest in an assessment of where the state should be going with its higher education system. Policy implications of events and stories were seldom pursued to any serious degree. (Includes methodology notes, information on the author, and 27 reference notes.) (JB)