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For the Record: InfoTrac Reader© on Politics and the Media
 
Media Coverage of Political Campaigns

The media provide extensive coverage of campaigns, especially those for president. How well do they perform this function? What do they typically focus on? Where is there room for improvement? Is their coverage fair? The television media has also been severely criticized for the mistakes it made during the coverage of the 2000 presidential campaign, especially the problems during election night coverage. What has been the nature of that criticism?

Here are some articles to get you started. Find them through Keyword searches. For information on effective Keyword searches, see "Easy Search Help" on the main InfoTrac College Edition page.

For more articles on this subject, enter:

"elections" in the Subject Guide, and then go to subdivision "media coverage."

Keep coverage relevant. (Continuous Reporting). Buzz Conover. The Quill July 2003 v91 i5 p20(1) (452 words)

Topic of presidential campaign discourse and election outcome. William L. Benoit. Western Journal of Communication Wntr 2003 v67 i1 p97(16)

The invisible primary: now is the time for all-out coverage. (article discusses problems in presidential campaign journalism: too many primaries in campaign's early weeks) Christopher Hanson. Columbia Journalism Review March-April 2003 v41 i6 p58(2)

Voter news service: RIP: but it's not clear that the networks have learned their lesson. (Voices). (networks still contract with firms to tally votes in primaries, caucuses and elections) Lawrence K. Grossman. Columbia Journalism Review March-April 2003 v41 i6 p62(2)

Blinded by history: how political journalists relied too heavily on past patterns and conventional wisdom, missing what was really going on in the 2002 midterm election. (Election 2002). Rachel Smolkin. American Journalism Review Jan-Feb 2003 v25 i1 p34(6)

Cameras in polling places, free media for candidates. (Campaign Doctor). Craig Varoga. Campaigns & Elections Dec 2002 v24 i1 p92(1)

Questions over election coverage: journalists often need to remind the public of their role. (Weighing the Impacts). Fred Brown. The Quill Dec 2002 v90 i9 p32(2)

Election error time for VNS: failure of the networks' polling service leaves pundits working without a net. (Top of the Week). (Voter News Service) Dan Trigoboff. Broadcasting & Cable Nov 11, 2002 v132 i46 p10(2)

Damned if you don't. (Editorials). (election coverage)(Editorial) Broadcasting & Cable Nov 11, 2002 v132 i46 p38(1)

Television: Votes of Confidence. (TV coverage of 2002 election results)(Brief Article) Tamara Lipper. Newsweek Nov 11, 2002 p10

Polls reported poorly. (Media/Politics). Terry Jones. St. Louis Journalism Review Nov 2002 v32 i251 p12(1)

Important state races underreported. (Brief Article) Daniel Hellinger. St. Louis Journalism Review Nov 2002 v32 i251 p25(1)

Restoring lost credibility: election 2002 will give polling consortium VNS a chance to prove that it's up to the challenge. (Special Report: Election 2002). (Voter News Service)(Brief Article) Dan Trigoboff. Broadcasting & Cable August 26, 2002 v132 i35 p38(2)

The election night that never ended: first the bad vote projection, then a virtual tie sends a presidential campaign into overtime. (2000). (Brief Article) Columbia Journalism Review Nov-Dec 2001 v40 i4 p128(2)

Waxman still critical of Welch's actions. (NBC News coverage of presidential election)(Government Activity)(Brief Article) Doug Halonen. Electronic Media Sept 17, 2001 v20 p22

Free-time pressure renewed. (National Commission on Federal Election Reform pressures television networks for free airtime)(Brief Article) Paige Albiniak. Broadcasting & Cable August 6, 2001 v131 i33 p7 Bus.Coll.: 134W0008.

Waxman Presses NBC on Election-Night Videos. (Henry Waxman)(Brief Article) TED HEARN. Multichannel News August 6, 2001 v22 i32 p3

On the Right - Goldwater & the Press. (Brief Article)(Column)(Review) William F. Buckley Jr.. National Review June 11, 2001 v53 i11 pNA Mag.Coll.: 107M0673.

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS. ALICIA C. SHEPARD. American Journalism Review May 2001 v23 i4 p50

How well did we perform? (Brief Article)(Editorial) The Masthead Spring 2001 v53 i1 p3

Television was center stage throughout. (Brief Article) NEIL HEINEN. The Masthead Spring 2001 v53 i1 p5

When Incumbents Run in House Races, The Press Stays Home. (the case of Constance A. Morella and Terry Lierman) Steve Nordlinger. Nieman Reports Spring 2001 v55 i1 p60

'Bush Wins' falls off front page. (readers criticize election coverage)(Brief Article) Wayne Robins. Editor & Publisher March 12, 2001 p12 Bus.Coll.: 131V0314.

Reinventing the wheel to appease nets. (television reporting of elections)(Brief Article)(Editorial) Electronic Media Feb 26, 2001 v20 p9

The Ruminator: Fools on the Hill at election hearing. (television network news presidents testify)(Brief Article)(Editorial) Electronic Media Feb 19, 2001 v20 p30

Show but don't let 'em tell. (coverage of politics )(Brief Article) Dan Trigoboff.
Broadcasting & Cable Feb 12, 2001 v131 i7 p6 Bus.Coll.: 130N0323.

Stop the Madness. (Brief Article) REM RIEDER. American Journalism Review Jan 2001 v23 i1 p6

How They Blew It. Alicia C. Shepard. American Journalism Review Jan 2001 v23 i1 p20

Polled Enough for Ya? Lori Robertson. American Journalism Review Jan 2001 v23 i1 p29

Playing Favorites? Sharyn Wizda. American Journalism Review Jan 2001 v23 i1 p34

Palm Beach Follies. Kathryn Quigley. American Journalism Review Jan 2001 v23 i1 p40

Failing Grade. (Brief Article) DEBORAH POTTER. American Journalism Review Jan 2001 v23 i1 p64

A WILD RIDE INTO HISTORY. (media coverage of 2000 presidential elections) (Brief Article) Columbia Journalism Review Jan 2001 v39 i5 p20

John Harris: Newspaper Reporter `A cascade of surreal moments'. (coverage of 2000 presidential election)(Brief Article) JOHN HARRIS. Columbia Journalism Review Jan 2001 v39 i5 p39

All the News That Fits the Myth. (coverage of 2000 presidential elections and post-election events) CHRISTOPHER HANSON. Columbia Journalism Review Jan 2001 v39 i5 p50

Character vs. Policy. (press coverage of 2000 presidential elections) EVAN CORNOG. Columbia Journalism Review Jan 2001 v39 i5 p54

SPJ Ethics Committee says hasty election coverage violated Ethics Code. (Society of Professional Journalists)(U.S. presidential election)(Brief Article) The Quill Jan 2001 v89 i1 p5

How did we get it so wrong? (television news coverage of the United States presidential election, 2000) Meredith O'Brien. The Quill Jan 2001 v89 i1 p14

Election coverage: A major media mistake. (media coverage of presidential election, 2000)(Brief Article) GARY HILL. The Quill Jan 2001 v89 i1 p19

Ce N'est Pas un President. (media coverage of election)(Brief Article) ERIC ALTERMAN. The Nation Dec 25, 2000 v271 i21 p12 Mag.Coll.: 106F0373.

Echo Chamber of Horrors. SCOTT STOSSEL. The American Prospect Dec 18, 2000 v11 i26 p18

'Stop the presses!' tops historic news coverage. (newspapers report presidential winner based on TV projections)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included) Joe Strupp, Mark Fitzgerald. Editor & Publisher Nov 13, 2000 p7

Master Debaters. (media coverage of the presidential debates)(Brief Article) LEWIS GROSSBERGER. MEDIAWEEK Oct 2, 2000 v10 i38 p52 Bus.Coll.: 133P2527.

Election coverage offers lessons. (journalistic ethics and election coverage)(Brief Article)(Critical Essay) JEFFREY D. MOHL. The Quill Oct 2000 v88 i9 p3

Does negative campaigning energize the press? (Brief Article) Terry Jones. St. Louis Journalism Review Sept 2000 v30 i229 p13

Primary received mediocre coverage. Daniel Hellinger. St. Louis Journalism Review Sept 2000 v30 i229 p20

An analysis: New Hampshire primary coverage. Alan R. Freitag. Newspaper Research Journal Summer 2000 v21 i3 p94

Cracking down. (new Voter News Service rules ban members from early reporting of exit poll results)(Brief Article) Paul Bedard, Kevin Whitelaw, Warren P. Strobel, Richard J. Newman, David E. Kaplan. U.S. News & World Report April 24, 2000 v128 i16 p9 Mag.Coll.: 102M3070. Bus.Coll.: 123Z0398.

Network Differences in Public Opinion Coverage During the 1996 Presidential Campaign. (Polling Data)(Statistical Data Included) Stephanie Greco Larson. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media Wntr 2000 v44 i1 p16

Bob Dole's age and health in the 1996 election: did the media let us down? Herbert L. Abrams, Richard Brody. Political Science Quarterly Fall 1998 v113 n3 p471(21)

Civic journalism: an experiment that didn't work. (attempt by the Pew Charitable Trusts to sponsor civic journalism) Edwin Diamond. Columbia Journalism Review July-August 1997 v36 n2 p11(2)

Election coverage down. (television coverage of political elections) Staci D. Kramer. St. Louis Journalism Review Nov 1996 v27 n191 p6(2)

Covering elections like a horse race. (journalists have always covered elections by focusing on the race instead of the issues involved)(Brief Article) USA Today (Magazine) August 1996 v125 n2615 p10(2) Mag.Coll.: 85E0027.