The Power of Mediaa multimedia presentation on presidential

debates

Matakuliah : Sosiologi Komunikasi MassaTahun : 2009/2010

• The average number of viewers for presidential debates in the US is about sixty million people.

• The media not only broadcast the debate, but they also offer post-debate commentary and analysis.

• Commentators feel it is up to them to tell viewers who won the debate.

Bigelow, N.S. (2005) How The Media Cover Debates. In P.S. Hernson, Guide to Political Campaigns in America.

The Media

Effects On Voters

• Solidify existing support among partisans.• Captures swing votes.• Generates public interest in politics.• Inform the public about the policies of the

candidates.• Convey the personality and style of a

candidate.

Bigelow, N. S. (2005). The Effects of Debates, Guide to political campaigns in America.

Flaws of Debates

•Candidates are often instructed by their campaign advisers to avoid specific answers.

•It promotes a shallow discussion of issues.

•Biased media often has commentators tell the public who had won the debate.

Bigelow, N. S. (2005). The Effects of Debates, Guide to political campaigns in America.

1960 – Nixon vs Kennedy

• John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon addressed the public about the issue

of global communism in the first televised presidential debate.

• The debates are remembered for how the candidates appeared.

Nixon was sick on the day of the debates, therefore the viewers

believed that Kennedy looked more presentable. However, radio

listeners thought that Richard Nixon had sounded better than John F.

Kennedy.

• During the first debate on September 26, 66.4 million people

viewed these debates. Richard Nixon (left) and John F. Kennedy (right)

1960

The first Nixon-Kennedy debate. (1991). In M. Nelson (Ed.), Historic documents on presidential elections 1787-1988.

• Kennedy looked better than Nixon

• Journalist Russell Baker said, “That night, image replaced the printed word as the national language of politics”

• TV had become so central to people’s lives that many observers blamed Nixon’s loss to Kennedy on his poor appearance

• JFK looked cool, collected, presidential

• One observer said Nixon resembled a “sinister chipmunk”

click here to see the NIXON – JFK DEBATE

Ronald Reagan won against Jimmy Carter because of his warm image through the use of folksy anecdotes and

his easy-to-understand answers.

80.6 million people viewed the debate on October 28th.

1980

The Decision To Debate, Guide to Political Campaigns in America.