8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

1/14

Why Political AdsWhy Political Ads

on Television willon Television will

Always be UnfairAlways be UnfairAnd how we can finallyAnd how we can finallybe free of thembe free of them

Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

2/14

2Copyright 2011

An Introduction

Candidates have a right to Free Speech just the same

as anyone else in this country. However there issomething inherently dysfunctional about political

advertising on television.

Its not new its always been dysfunctional. It keeps

getting worse and worse yet remarkably politicians still

think they need it and voters still pay attention. We predict

this may be coming to end very soon. It will end for two

reasons; 1 because it is beyond annoying and we now

have many more choices in how we view television choices that allow us to bypass annoying ads, 2

because TV advertising for politics has always been

unfair and is getting worse. Lets examine why.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

3/14

3Copyright 2011

The Daisy Ad told us that Senator Goldwater would nuke

the planet if elected. Peace-loving Lyndon Johnson then

proceeded to plunge us headlong into the Vietnam war.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

4/14

4Copyright 2011

Reason 1

Political Advertising on Television is unfair because noteveryone can afford to have ads.

Despite several attempts over the years to help with this

obvious inequality the few safeguards we have (campaign

finance laws and matching funding) are fast eroding as a

result of the Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court

last year.

The Court has ruled that any laws restricting unlimitedspending somehow bar the free speech of billionaires and

multi-nationals. The free speech of folks like us was

conveniently overlooked in that decision.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

5/14

5Copyright 2011

Reason 2

Political Advertising on Television is unfair because 30

seconds will never be enough time to present ameaningful amount of information.

Taking complex issues and crafting messages directed

towards some sort of collective 5th

grade cognitive leveland then shoving that simplified thought into 30 seconds

does everyone a great disservice the candidate, the

public, the nation all of us.

Contrary to popular mythology, the American public is notstupid and we should be treated as such. The issues

deserve more discussion and candidates should be

vetted and tested

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

6/14

6Copyright 2011

The typical 30 second political television advertisement isfilled with terms designed to provoke extreme

psychological reactions. Why because who has time to

sort out an issue in 30 seconds?

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

7/14

7Copyright 2011

Reason 3

Political Advertising on Television is unfair because 30seconds is not enough time to establish any sort of policy

message but it is just enough time to craft a simplified

negative accusation.

The attack ad is the backbone of all political advertising in

America today. At some point in the near future it is

reasonable to expect that nearly all political TV ads will

become negative.

Thats not fair to us, to the issues, to our political system.

It is a quirky outcome related to the cost and nature of the

television medium but it should not drive our process

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

8/14

Copyright 2011

Reason 4

Political Advertising on Television is unfair because itturns many off from participating in politics altogether.

Anything that is partially or totally designed to dishearten

or disgust people into not voting is inherently unfair both

to those people and the system as a whole.

There are many people now in the political business who

count on voter disgust to help reduce voter turnout in

areas where that might help their causes or candidates.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

9/14

9Copyright 2011

No one said Negative political ads on TV were intelligent

in fact the contrary is almost universally the case.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

10/14

10Copyright 2011

Reason 5

Political Advertising on Television is unfair because TVads will never advance the national dialog or debate.

History has shown this to be true. Ads often become

excuses for dialog or debate instead of the issues or

positions themselves. This only further distracts the public

from a real debate and allows candidates to evade ever

having to fully explain themselves.

This is getting worse with the 2010 being one of theworst elections on record in terms of understanding just

what it was candidates were saying theyd do if elected.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

11/14

11Copyright 2011

Reason 6

Political Advertising on Television is unfair because it islowering our collective IQ.

Political Advertising has directly or indirectly lowered our

collective expectations for how our political system should

operate and how intelligent our candidates should be.

It has lowered the standards for discourse and behavior

as well. This is unfair to us and to future generations and

it is downright embarrassing.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

12/14

12Copyright 2011

We have a choice we can help end political ads on

television by not watching them and by demanding there

be an intelligent, adult discussion of the issues.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

13/14

13Copyright 2011

Reason 7

Political Advertising on Television is unfair because it

seldom if ever tells us what politicians will actually do ifthey are elected.

If we were to take a survey of any 100 political ads

chosen at random, what chance if any would we have of

predicting the actions of a candidate based upon the

inane messages broadcast in their TV ads ? Answer

almost none.

There is a term called Truth in Advertising it is meant toassess companies making claims about products. It has

never been applied to politicians but in an effort to make

sure that never happens, political ads are generally

devoid of any claims.

8/6/2019 Why Political Ads on Television will always be Unfair

14/14

14Copyright 2011

Conclusion

No one likes political ads besides the consultants who

produce them and the networks that run them. While theydo represent a fiscal stimulus for one industry every few

years they do far more harm than go.

So how can we end this dysfunctional practice ? Thereare several choices or approaches:

1 We can stop watching them.

2 We can demand candidates stop running them.

3 We can ask all politicians to agree to a standardcanon of ethics on political communication and behavior.

Other professions provide such guidelines why cant

this one?