Rothwell also mentions the Willie Horton advertisement run against Michael Dukakis in 1988 and the increase in soft money for advertisements in 1996 as instances in which television played a role in the outcome of the presidential election.
The author then talks about television as a political medium. Television, she wrote, "prefers images to words, icons to understandings... And arguably, emotion to reason." Rothwell then says that television exaggerates those preferences in political ads.
Rothwell writes that television has blurred the lines between politics, journalism, and entertainment. She uses examples such as presidential candidates appearing on late-night television programs.
This, in turn, has led to a simplification of the issues. She cited a 1996 study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs that found that the amount of time spent on political issues and the depth of the stories about political issues were both declining. For example, she said the study found that the average sound bite had gone from 42 seconds in 1968 to seven seconds in 1996; she wrote that the study also found that the amount of "horse-race" news had tripled from 1993 to 1996.
Rothwell goes on to talk about the role of money in politics, since it's needed to buy so much
In other words, it can have a great effect up to a certain point, but after that point, each dollar (or ad) begins to lose its effectiveness. She is correct, though, in pointing out that the cost of television advertising prevents candidates who are not well-financed from running for President.
Rothwell then talks about possible reforms that might curb the influence of television on political races, such as giving a certain amount of free airtime to candidates and campaign finance reform, which would limit the amount of money a candidate would have to buy television ads. She writes neither in favor nor in opposition to the mentioned reforms, but addresses them both throroughly.
Rothwell concludes the article by talking about an informed citizenry, and by stating, "The vital link between government and citizens is provided by the media." She says teachers should ask students how well television is performing the role and what the public should expect from the media. She also adds some other tools for teachers to use in discussing the subject in the classroom.
I had no idea when I read the article that it would be aimed at teachers; I picked the article because of the title. Regardless, the article not only showed television affects presidential elections, but it also talked about ways in which television's influence could be regulated or limited.
Bibliography
Rothwell, Jennifer Truran. "Presidential Elections in the Age of Television." Social Education. September 1, 2000. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67412067.html (accessed 03/11/07).
