Political Ads And News

By Author: allan
Total Articles: 365
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Many of the questions found at the ends of the chapters on news and advertising can also be asked about the political use of ads and news. Here we include some additional questions that pertain specifically to advertising and news in political campaigns.
Determining Who Is Newsworthy Replica Rolex Watches
What criteria are governing which candidates are receiving news coverage? Are some candidates receiving more coverage than others? Are some candidates receiving more coverage in one medium than in others? If so, why? How are the candidates using the conventions and routines of news coverage to secure news coverage? Are some candidates doing this with greater skill than others? Are reporters reporting these efforts at manipulation?
Determining What Is Covered
Are the candidates' ads a subject of news reporting? If so, what is the focus of such stories? (Cost? claims? evidence? fairness? image? media consultants?) Is one candidate more clearly setting the agenda for the media than others? What agenda is being set for voters by the media? ...
... Are they focusing on issues that favor one candidate over the others? Are the media focusing on some primaries and not others? If so, why? Which candidates are benefiting from this focus? Has the nature of coverage changed during the campaign? Has the quantity of the coverage increased, decreased, or remained the same as the campaign has progressed? What interpretation has been placed on each announcement of candidacy and each statement of withdrawal? Are journalists acting to determine the truth or falsity of charges in the campaign? If so, to what effect? Has any candidate invoked libel laws, equal opportunity, or right to access? If so, to what effect? If this is a statewide campaign, a congressional or senatorial campaign, has it received coverage in the national media? If so, what of significance or interest to a national audience is being credited to this campaign?
Relationship of Candidates and Reporters
Compare the treatment of reporters by each campaign. Are they better fed and housed, more courteously treated, in one campaign than others? If so, what effect, if any, is this having on media coverage? Are some journalists being given preferential treatment? If so, to what effect? Are some reporters being punished by the campaign for unfavorable coverage? If so, what form of action is the punishment taking? (Restricted access? undesirable accommodations?) What are the ongoing themes in the coverage of this campaign? (Horse race? appearance versus reality? consistency?)
The Image of the Candidate
Is the image projected by the candidate consistent? If not, what are the discrepancies, and what accounts for them? Is the image projected in person consistent with the image in ads? In news? Are some of the candidates more visually appropriate for televising than others? If so, what impact is that having on the campaign? On reports about the campaign? Has the image of the candidate altered over time? If so, why and to what effect? Is the presence of a media consultant an issue in this campaign? If so, what is the consultant saying about his or her role in the campaign? Is the media consultant helping or hurting the candidate? What are the adjectives used most often by the media to describe this candidate? Is an independent political action committee running ads to create a positive or negative image about one of the candidates? If so, to what effect? How are the candidates reacting to the PAC?