Presentation by Jennifer A. YoderFriday, 28 March 2014Moscow State University
“POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS, MEDIA CULTURES, AND NATIONAL
ELECTION CAMPAIGNS IN GERMANY AND THE UNITED STATES”
GREETINGS FROM COLBY COLLEGE IN WATERVILLE, MAINE USA
interaction between politics and the media communication relationships between political actors and
journalists
norms of actors in political communications: journalists and consumers of media
structures and rules of political communication market-based systems (minimal regulation of the media) public ownership (significant regulation of broadcast media
Mediatization of politics – importance of visual media
Expansion of new types of media and content possibilities
FAMILIAR THEMES FROM MEDIA STUDIES
Themes from comparative politics
Impact of particular political institutions on political culture on political
communications culture
Why compare the USA and Germany?
Democratic experience, history
Constitutional/legal norms Political institutional
landscape US pluralism,
libertarianism; winner-take-all majoritarian elections; presidentialism
German consensus-oriented democratic system; party-centered, parliamentarism
Structural conditions of the political and media systems matter
Shape media roles, behavior of producers and consumers of media
Political communication systems in Germany and USA represent “party-political” and “media-oriented” types
origins and development of the media systems
key political institutional features of each case
Implications for political communications cultures
election campaigns in recent years
STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION
Media Context
First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”
Traditional Big Three broadcast companies
Public Broadcasting Corporation since 1967
Media a political institution
UNITED STATES
Political Institutional Context Presidential system Weak party system Campaign finance system
UNITED STATES
Political Communications CultureRole of media as link between candidate and the public
Increasing editorializing Shift away from issue-based media coverage to Horse-race Strategy and tactics of campaign Coverage of a “war” or a story with plots,
performers Emphasis on opinion polls, candidates’ standing
in them
UNITED STATES
Impact on US election campaigns No limitations on political speech
Candidate-centeredProfessionalized campaignsCommercialized – money and media drive
UNITED STATES
Impact on US election campaignsNo provision for free access to media for political parties – voluntary program in 1996 to offer free airtime
News coverage of “events” like Presidential Debate
Paid access in form of “spots”Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate
Political Communications Lab, Stanford University
UNITED STATES
2004 Bush campaign spent $367 million, while Kerry campaign spent $328
2008 Obama campaign spent $730 million, McCain campaign spent $333 million
2012 Obama and Romney each over $1 billionCongressional spending in 2012
Average winner in House of Representatives $1.5 million; average loser $496,000
Average winner in Senate $11.4 million; average loser $7.4 million Source: Center for Responsive Politics,
www.opensecrets.org
SPENDING STATISTICS
SPENDING IN THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Presidential Election Expenditures on Media
Unspecified media buys $594,690,686
Web ads $94,291,103
Media consulting $30,095,195
Media production $17,885,512
Miscellaneous media $15,438,098
Broadcast ads $8,548,406
Print ads $2,398,810
Source: Center for Responsive Politics, www.opensecrets.org
Media coverage of political advertising: the “adwatch”
Competition to be fi rst: the 2000 presidential election debacle
2012 and digital outreach
ROLE OF JOURNALISTS
Media Context Post-totalitarian democracy British public service model Accountability
federalism proporz principle
GERMANY
Strong position of political partiesMulti-party systemCampaign finance system
GERMANY’S POLITICAL INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
Implications for German pol it ical communications system
Impact on election campaigns
Brief campaign period
Campaign spending far less, so politicians spend little time fund-raising
GERMANY
Each party creates one 90-second advertisement for broadcast
Number of times aired based on proportionality principle (share votes in last election)
Rarely do other groups create ads – Metalworkers’ Union (IG)
BROADCASTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk06yfbXQYg
Featuring Chancellor Angela Merkel:
“I have to be sure that we do the right thing. The right thing isn’t always what is demanded most loudly. The right thing is what in the end will help people. Germany is in a good position: a strong economy, more people in employment than ever before – this is not self-evident, this is something we have achieved together. This should not be put at risk with higher taxes and more social security payments.”
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION/CDU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_VBj__W5-Q
Featuring chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrück
“That is why I want to be federal chancellor. Because Germany has been thrown off course and things must become more just in our country. So I’m asking for your vote.”
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (SPD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRpJF84byXo#t=32
Featuring a (fake) naturalist discussing the common snail (the CDU/FDP government)
“As they linger in their natural resting place we can see that, due to their lack of spines, they do not orient themselves with an inner compass but just point their feelers whichever way the wind is blowing.”
THE GREENS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZvhIyIK8OQ#t=38
THE LEFT PARTY
CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE “DUELS” ON TELEVISION
PLACARDS STILL IMPORTANT
THE LIBERALS (FDP)
THE GREENS
THE LEFT PARTY
NEW PARTIES
FAR RIGHT PARTIES
CONCLUSIONS
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