U.S. Media and Elections in Flux: Dynamics and Strategies by David A. Jones

Author:David A. Jones [Jones, David A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Campaigns & Elections, Political Science, Political Process, General
ISBN: 9781317679288
Google: Md2jCwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 29374463
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2016-02-26T00:00:00+00:00

Similarly, contrast is more compelling to the media than areas of agreement. Conflict between two or more sides is a good story by journalistic standards. According to Democratic communications strategist Anita Dunn, “A policy speech is unlikely to receive much coverage unless it contains an attack on the opponent, and the more strident or negative the attack, the more likely it is to be covered” (Dunn 1994: 120). Thus, part of an earned media strategy is writing speeches and making remarks that magnify—rather than minimize—contrasts with opponents.

It is also important to save big stories for optimal times. Politician and campaign expert Catherine Shaw tells a story about a state legislator who was being interviewed about the retirement of a veteran politician who had served in the state senate for 30 years. During the interview, the legislator announced his plans to run for his colleague’s seat in the upper chamber. This candidacy launch should have been big news, but instead it was buried in a story about his senior colleague’s retirement. “If the candidate had waited even one day, his announcement would have received front-page coverage” (Shaw 2014: 207).

Demonstrating Viability

Except for presidential elections, non-competitive races get very little news coverage. Incumbent candidates usually benefit because they can make news simply doing their jobs as elected officials. This is a tough situation for challengers who are perceived as hopeless. According to communications expert Anita Dunn, “[t]he decision is made (based on prior election results, money in bank, general perception), that there is no story, therefore there is no coverage, and the initial decision becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy” (Dunn 1994: 116). She tells challengers that they can count on only four stories in the local media: “their announcement, their primary victory, a general profile at some point during the campaign, and their loss” (Dunn 1994: 115–116).

Challengers in this situation must convince reporters they can pull off an upset win. Whereas a hopeless candidate is a non-story, few reporters can resist an underdog who is surging in polls against an establishment candidate. Strategists thus advise challengers to help journalists with their horse race reporting by supplying them with favorable internal polling data and impressive fundraising figures. Recognizing that news outlets like stories about campaign strategy, they can fill reporters in on how they plan to come from behind through their innovative ground game, microtargeted advertising, or high-profile endorsements. News outlets will cover longshot candidates as long as they have a good story to tell and a viable plan for winning.

Care and Feeding

One of the press secretary’s responsibilities is to help reporters get the information they need in a timely manner. Press conferences, photo-ops and media events should be scheduled early enough to accommodate print deadlines and evening news broadcast schedules. Even though press releases almost never run as is, it is important to circulate them early enough for news outlets to use the information being provided.

On the campaign trail, media operations for presidential campaigns literally “care and feed” the reporters and camera crews assigned to cover them.

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