To compare broadcast coverage of the 1984 and 1988 GOP Conventions, a study asked three research questions: (1) Did live interviews represent the same number of sources interviewed during broadcasts of the 1988 GOP convention by the four networks as during the 1984 convention? (2) Did 1988 live interview sources have the same distribution with respect to race, sex, and status, as 1984 GOP interview sources? and (3) How much success did floor reporters at the convention have in getting the sources they selected for their live interviews on the air? Broadcasts of the convention were recorded on videotape from on-air signals from New Orleans' three network-affiliated stations (ABC, CBS, and NBC) and from a cable system for CNN. The interviews analyzed were the population of live interviews broadcast during the GOP convention by all four networks. Results indicated that, overall, the networks did not act significantly differently in selection of sources for live interviews based on the race or sex of the news source (sources were overwhelmingly white males), but that they did act differently as to selection of sources based on status, with congresspersons and senators the largest percentage of sources, and with a trend toward more interviews of professional campaign staff members. Results also indicated that CNN floor reporters felt they had good success in getting sources they deemed to be newsworthy on the air. (Ten tables of data are included.) (SR)