1998/03/01 by Russell J. Dalton, Paul Allen Beck, Robert Huckfeldt · 7 citations
Social Sciences · Psychology · #Social Media and Politics #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Media Influence and Politics #Newspaper #Presidential system #Political science #Presidential election #Politics #Interpretation (philosophy) #Public opinion #Public relations #Perception #Mass media #Information flow #Content analysis #Advertising #Sociology #Psychology #Social science #Law #Computer science #Business
paper · doi:10.2307/2585932
openalex publication_date 1998/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
Electoral research acknowledges the growing significance of the mass media in contemporary campaigns, but scholars are divided on the nature of this influence. Using a unique database that includes both media content and public opinion, we examine the flow of partisan information from newspapers to the voters and assess the press's role in electoral politics and citizen learning. We find that the American press does not present clear and singular messages about presidential elections but, rather, multiple messages about the candidates and the campaign. In addition, perception of the information is shaped as much by an individual's political views as by the objective content. Despite the mixed messages, we find that a newspaper's editorial content is significantly related to candidate preferences in 1992. These results challenge the minimal effects interpretation of the media, because local newspapers can play a significant role in providing cues that influence voters' electoral calculus.