The archive is a cultural institution that creates a framework for the social and collective memory and as such is one of the collection of knowledge institutions that not only preserves and classifies "texts" but uses them to re-create collective memory and sometimes to invent cultural histories. Like all knowledge institutions, the…

An examination of the role of journalists in the political process suggests that although there has been some reflective analysis by journalists on the potentially distorting consequences of routine news procedures, most journalists seem reluctant to acknowledge any such distortion. An analysis of the media coverage of two political scenarios (the…

Examines the history of U.S. political primaries, discusses Democratic Party reforms in the presidential nomination process since 1968, and cites important generalizations about how the process works today. States that the system lessens party leader influence, giving the media power to set public expectations and declare winners and losers. (GEA)

The two articles in this document deal with the political influence of the press during political campaigns. The first article explores the findings of agenda-setting studies, especially those comparing the agenda-setting effects of television and newspapers, and concludes that, since newspapers are the most important source of public agendas,…

This paper reviews the Westley-MacLean communication model, suggests some important research questions generated by it, and discusses recent research in mass media. A brief review of recent research suggests that the concept of agenda setting may be usefully superimposed on the Westley-MacLean model to reveal partial answers to some of these…

Looks at the type of political television commercial (image or issue) and the length (five minutes or sixty seconds) and compares the effects of the type and length on candidate evaluation, recall of commercial content, and the likelihood of voting for the candidate. (MH)

Stating that U.S. national political conventions have become media events which lack real decision-making significance, Alpert examines how ratifying conventions strategically define themselves and communicate their messages. Discusses factors such as: timing, host cities, convention facilities, media services, convention officers, speakers,…

This paper discusses the equal time law: Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934. Section 315 is the major legislation governing the use of the broadcasting media in the area of politics. The underlying philosophy of the law is that people have a right to a full and complete disclosure of conflicting views of news of interest. The essence of…

The author describes the program which permitted six out of seven candidates for the May 1972 senatorial primary in North Carolina to appear free on educational television. Each candidate was given one hour for his program, with the first thirty minutes spent in a presentation of his own choosing and the last half hour devoted to questioning by a…

Discusses a study designed to determine if audience responses are in line with expectations developed from a rhetorical criticism of campaign messages. (MH)

Past research into the effects of "exposure" in political advertising indicates that massive "exposure" campaigns alone can show good, and sometimes dramatic, results in elections. This research is partially confirmed by a study of several mass media public relation efforts designed specifically to increase citizen recognition…

Reports on an investigation focusing on the interrelationships of certain media and nonmedia variables (including newspaper, television, and candidate image variables) that appeared to be operating in a way that influenced the outcome of 23 Texas mayoral races. (Author/GT)

A review of research on the roles played by the mass media and the political parties during the agenda-setting stage of political activity in the United States indicates that the mass media have assumed some of the informing and issue-initiating functions generally understood to be performed by political parties. It seems desirable to develop an…

Print journalism and journalism research have contributed many concepts, principles, and communication techniques to the field of political communication. An examination of the indexes of "Public Opinion Quarterly,""Journalism Quarterly," and the "Journal of Communication" through the mid-1960s indicates the evolution of the study of print media…

On 9 September 1976, the Aspen Institute Program on Communications and Society, the League of Women Voters, and the Post/Newsweek Broadcast Stations sponsored a public meeting in New York. The subject of the meeting was politics and television; the participants were leading political advertisers, journalists, and researchers. This monograph…