Question: How does the media report campaigns?

Today, the news never stops on a campaign. In presidential elections, debates are televised to all markets (viewing areas) and each candidate is given equal time to speak. However, often the media downplays the issues and looks at the more entertaining polls and standings of the candidate’s debate wins and losses. This is called horse-race journalism. In Presidential Campaigns, the media spends so much time on the candidate’s life story, image, and gaffe sound-bites (mess-ups); they often overlook what’s at stake.

Today, much mud-slinging takes place on commercials. These “attack-ads” look to destroy the integrity of the other candidate. Frequently, the talk-shows will feature negativity as often as they will positive investigations.

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