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8.1 Media coverage of elections

7 min readjuly 30, 2024

Media coverage shapes how we view elections. It's not just about reporting facts—the way stories are framed and which ones get attention can sway public opinion. From horse race coverage to issue deep dives, media choices impact voter perceptions.

Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

has changed the game, letting candidates speak directly to voters. But it also creates and spreads misinformation fast. Understanding these dynamics is key to being an informed voter in today's media landscape.

Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

Media Framing in Elections

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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

Impact of Framing on Public Perception

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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • influences how people interpret and react to information by selecting, emphasizing, excluding, and elaborating certain aspects of a story
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Frames shape public opinion by defining problems, diagnosing causes, making moral judgments, and suggesting remedies
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • The way journalists frame electoral issues and candidates significantly impacts voters' understanding and evaluation of them (portraying a candidate as experienced vs. out of touch)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

Types of Electoral Framing

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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • focuses on polling data, campaign strategies, and who is winning or losing rather than substantive policy issues, leading to a more superficial understanding of candidates and their positions
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • emphasizes specific policy positions, ideologies, or character traits of candidates, priming voters to prioritize certain considerations when evaluating candidates and making voting decisions (focusing on a candidate's stance on healthcare reform)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • focuses on specific events or instances (a candidate's gaffe at a rally), while places issues and events in a broader context (systemic problems in the healthcare system)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Episodic framing can lead to more individualistic attributions of responsibility, while thematic framing encourages more systemic thinking
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

Factors Influencing Framing Effects

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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • are often more pronounced among less informed or less engaged citizens who rely more heavily on media cues to form their opinions
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Well-informed voters with strong political knowledge and interest are less susceptible to framing effects
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • The impact of framing also depends on the credibility and trustworthiness of the media source, as well as the consistency of frames across different outlets
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

Media Bias and Electoral Narratives

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Forms of Media Bias

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  • is the real or perceived tendency of media outlets to favor one perspective, ideology, or candidate over others in their coverage
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • occurs when media outlets or journalists openly support a particular political party or ideology, more common in opinion journalism (Fox News' conservative lean, MSNBC's liberal lean)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • arises from the constraints and incentives of the media industry, such as the pressure to attract audiences, the influence of advertisers, and the reliance on official sources, leading to a bias towards sensationalism, conflict, and the status quo
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

Impact of Media Bias on Voters

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  • Media bias can influence voter opinions by priming them to focus on certain issues, framing candidates in particular ways, and providing differential levels of coverage to campaigns
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Biased coverage can affect perceptions of candidate viability, electability, and fitness for office (portraying a candidate as a strong leader vs. a weak flip-flopper)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • causes voters to seek out and interpret media content in ways that confirm their preexisting opinions, leading to a reinforcement of political polarization (liberals watching MSNBC, conservatives watching Fox News)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Media outlets may cater to these biases to attract and retain audiences, creating echo chambers where voters are primarily exposed to information that reinforces their existing beliefs
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections

Mitigating Factors and Media Literacy

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  • The effects of media bias are moderated by factors such as political sophistication, , and exposure to diverse viewpoints
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Voters who actively seek out multiple sources of information and critically evaluate media content are less likely to be swayed by bias
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Media literacy education can help citizens recognize and navigate biased content, encouraging a more informed and engaged electorate
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Social Media's Influence on Elections

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Candidate Use of Social Media

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  • Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) have become important channels for political communication, allowing candidates to bypass traditional media gatekeepers and directly engage with voters
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Candidates use social media to share their messages, mobilize supporters, and respond to opponents in real-time, leading to a more personalized and interactive form of campaigning (Trump's Twitter use in 2016)
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  • However, this also raises concerns about the spread of misinformation and the manipulation of public opinion through targeted messaging and micro-targeting
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Algorithmic Filtering and Echo Chambers

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  • Social media algorithms create filter bubbles and echo chambers where users are primarily exposed to content that aligns with their existing beliefs and interests
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • This can lead to increased political polarization and the amplification of extreme viewpoints, as users are less likely to encounter diverse perspectives or challenging information
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Echo chambers can reinforce confirmation bias and make it harder for voters to engage in constructive dialogue across political divides
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
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Viral Content and Disinformation

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  • User-generated content, such as memes, videos, and hashtags, can quickly go viral on social media, shaping the narratives and perceptions of candidates and issues
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • This content is often more emotionally resonant and less fact-based than traditional journalism, making it more likely to be shared and believed (the spread of conspiracy theories and false claims about candidates)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Social media platforms have been used by foreign actors to interfere in elections through the spread of , the amplification of divisive content, and the micro-targeting of voters with personalized messages (Russian interference in the 2016 US election)
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Impact on Political Participation and Discourse

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  • Social media can increase and voter turnout by making it easier for citizens to access information and engage with campaigns (online voter registration drives, "get out the vote" campaigns)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • However, it can also contribute to information overload, political cynicism, and a decline in the quality of public discourse, as users are exposed to a constant stream of partisan content and uncivil interactions
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  • The anonymity and distance of online communication can foster more extreme and polarized expression, making it harder to find common ground and engage in productive dialogue
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Media Ownership and Election Reporting

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Concentration of Media Ownership

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  • refers to the control of media outlets by individuals, corporations, or conglomerates
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Consolidation occurs when a small number of companies own a large proportion of media outlets, leading to decreased competition and diversity in the marketplace of ideas (Sinclair Broadcast Group's ownership of local TV stations)
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • Concentrated media ownership can lead to a homogenization of news content, as outlets owned by the same company may share resources, perspectives, and editorial priorities, reducing the range of viewpoints and depth of coverage available to voters
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Corporate Influence on Editorial Decisions

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  • Corporate ownership of media outlets can create conflicts of interest, as the business interests of parent companies may influence editorial decisions and the framing of political issues
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • This can lead to a bias towards policies and candidates that favor the economic interests of media owners (Rupert Murdoch's media empire and its support for conservative policies)
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  • Consolidation can also lead to cost-cutting measures, such as the reduction of local news coverage and the reliance on wire services or syndicated content, diminishing the ability of media outlets to provide in-depth, contextual reporting on local elections and issues
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Marginalization of Alternative Voices

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  • The can make it more difficult for alternative or dissenting voices to gain access to mainstream platforms, limiting the diversity of perspectives in election coverage
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • This can contribute to the marginalization of certain communities and viewpoints, as well as the amplification of dominant narratives that benefit those in power
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  • Deregulation of media ownership rules, such as the relaxation of cross-ownership restrictions and the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine, has contributed to increased consolidation and the erosion of public interest obligations in election coverage
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Rise of Digital Media and Citizen Journalism

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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • The rise of and has somewhat counteracted the effects of consolidation by providing alternative channels for information and opinion
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Top images from around the web for Media Framing in Elections
  • The internet has lowered barriers to entry and allowed for a more diverse range of voices in election coverage, enabling citizens to share their perspectives and hold media outlets accountable (bloggers and independent journalists covering underreported stories)
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  • However, the fragmentation of the media landscape and the proliferation of unverified information online can also contribute to confusion and polarization among voters, making it harder to establish a shared understanding of electoral issues and candidates
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.

© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.
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