Broadcast Media

Political Campaign How Campaigns are Conducted The Broadcast Media

Introduction to Broadcast Media

As in any well-formulated advertising campaign, political candidates use the media to increase their exposure to the public. In the modern campaign, extensive use of radio and television has supplanted direct appearances on the campaign trail. The most commonly used broadcast technique is the television spot advertisement. Spot ads, which may last from 15 to 60 seconds, emphasize issues and personal qualities that appear important in the poll data. These ads attempt to establish candidate name identification, create a favorable image of the candidate and a negative image of the opponent, link the candidate with desirable groups in the community, and communicate the candidate’s stands on selected issues. Spot ads often make use of “sound bites,” short, punchy statements from the candidate designed for voters to remember. Spot ads also may have a negative slant, seeking mainly to criticize the opponent. Well-known examples of successful negative ads include the 1988 “Willie Horton” ad of George H. W. Bush, accusing Bush’s opponent, Michael Dukakis, of coddling criminals, and the 1964 ad of Lyndon Johnson that suggested his opponent, Barry Goldwater, would lead the United States into nuclear war.

Presidential campaigns in the 1990s introduced four new media venues for candidates: the talk show interview, the “electronic town hall meeting,” the “infomercial,” and World Wide Web sites. Television and radio talk shows enable candidates to address a vast audience without the presence of journalists or commentators who might criticize or question their assertions. Maverick presidential candidates Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan favored this setting in their campaigns. In 1992, for example, Perot announced his candidacy for the presidency to the nation on the cable television talk show “Larry King Live.” Similarly, the televised town meeting format allows candidates to appear in a hall and interact directly with ordinary citizens, thus underscoring their concern for the views and needs of voters, while simultaneously reaching viewers across the nation. In the 1992 presidential campaign, the ability of Bill Clinton to connect empathetically with citizens enabled him to make effective use of the nationally televised town meeting.

The infomercial is a lengthy televised broadcast, often lasting 30 minutes. Although designed to have the appearance of a news program, it is actually a presentation of the candidate’s views. Ross Perot and Steve Forbes, both wealthy businessmen, purchased airtime for infomercials in their election campaigns.

Perhaps the most dramatic use of the broadcast media in contemporary politics remains the televised debate. Televised presidential debates began with the 1960 clash between Democratic Senator John F. Kennedy and Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon. Kennedy’s strong performance in the debate contributed directly to his victory over Nixon, who had been a clear favorite to win the election. In a similar vein, critical comments by pundits, coupled with a widespread public perception that Democratic Vice President Al Gore was rude to his opponent during the 2000 presidential debates, contributed to Gore’s defeat by Republican presidential candidate, George W. Bush. Today, presidential and vice-presidential candidates hold debates, as do candidates for statewide and even local office. Televised debates, which sometimes command the attention of millions of viewers, can increase the visibility of lesser-known candidates and allow candidates to reach voters who have not fully made up their minds about the election.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Broadcast Media in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Broadcast Media

About Voting and Elections

Election, Voter Registration, Electoral Systems, Election Types, How Voters Decide, Electoral Realignments, Electorate (including Electorate Historical, Electorate Gender, Electorate Race and Social Position, Electorate Property and Poll Tax and Residence) and Electronic Voting (including Electronic Voting Origins and Electronic Voting Problems).