Create your Benton.org account today. Registration is quick and easy. Creating an account allows you to rate content like our Headlines.
Elections and Media
Straight talk
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 15, 2008 - 4:38pmWith the two main contestants for the presidential general election all but decided, it’s time to start covering Sen John McCain (R-AZ) again — not by trotting out the usual war-hero-turned-blunt-maverick narrative, but by taking a hard look at the strengths and weaknesses he'd bring to the presidency.
First Spouse: Comparing Coverage of Bill, Michelle and Cindy
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 14, 2008 - 6:58pmSince January 1, the husband of candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY) appeared as a lead newsmaker in nearly four times as many stories (298) as the spouses of Sen Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen John McCain (R-AZ) combined (78).
Dumber demographic rules TV, DC
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 14, 2008 - 7:31amThe Presidential race's preoccupation with demographic-based voting has made the similarity between Hollywood and Washington (DC) even more striking. That's because the debate surrounding Barack Obama's campaign needing to dumb down the message and messenger to appease the masses has a longstanding precedent in television.
Who Will Tell Us?
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 13, 2008 - 7:15pmThe steady drip of buyouts and layoffs has consumed an estimated four thousand newsroom jobs in print alone since the turn of the century, according to the much-chewed-over annual State of the News Media report released in March by the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Limbaugh Wins As Election’s Biggest Manipulator
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 13, 2008 - 7:14pmWith Democratic enthusiasm waxing, Republican energy waning, and more than four out of five voters convinced the country is now on the wrong track, one would think hard-right wing talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh would be near-suicidal.
McAuliffe says media ‘in the tank’ for Obama
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 13, 2008 - 7:13pmTerry McAuliffe, campaign chairman for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), said Tuesday that the former first lady is hamstrung by a biased media. McAuliffe added that "every independent study has said that this is the most biased coverage they've ever seen in a presidential campaign." He also praised Fox News, which is often viewed as a conservative media outlet, as "one of the most responsible in this presidential campaign."
Is The Fat Lady Humming?
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 12, 2008 - 8:11pmIn a campaign with more twists than a Twilight Zone episode, the media all but officially pronounced Sen Barack Obama (IL) the Democratic nominee last week after he emerged with a big win in North Carolina and a near-tie in Indiana.
From Political Operative to TV Analyst
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 12, 2008 - 7:36amOne year ago, when he was still a deputy White House chief of staff in the Bush administration, Karl Rove was more likely than not ducking news organizations. Now, he has joined them, as an analyst for Fox News and a contributor to Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal.
Media Tackles Sensitive Race Issue in 2008 Election
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 9, 2008 - 7:01amA panel discussion on how well journalists handle discuss Race (and Gender) as an aspect of the 2008 election.
The Early Life of the Gas-Tax Story
Submitted by Benton Foundation on May 9, 2008 - 7:00amThe possible suspension of the federal gas tax has become a big issue in the presidential race, and the latest media frenzy surrounding the candidates. As we noted last week, the press aggressively (if belatedly) attacked the idea, which John McCain and Hillary Clinton support and Barack Obama opposes.
