The impact of political ads paid for by candidates is amplified because of the free media coverage they receive. Yet how frequently does that occur? And are certain types of ads more likely to be covered? To answer these questions, we performed a content analysis of news coverage in ten U.S. Senate campaigns in 2004. We find that ad amplification is quite common and that negative and comparative ads are much more likely to receive media attention than positive ads. This has implications for how scholars measure ad exposure and for understanding why Americans dislike negative advertising.
Description
Free Advertising: How the Media Amplify Campaign Messages -- Ridout and Smith 61 (4): 598 -- Political Research Quarterly
%0 Journal Article
%1 TravisN._Ridout12012008
%A Ridout, Travis N.
%A Smith, Glen R.
%D 2008
%J Political Research Quarterly
%K advertising campaigning crossmedia media_economics political_science politics
%N 4
%P 598-608
%R 10.1177/1065912908314202
%T Free Advertising: How the Media Amplify Campaign Messages
%U http://prq.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/61/4/598
%V 61
%X The impact of political ads paid for by candidates is amplified because of the free media coverage they receive. Yet how frequently does that occur? And are certain types of ads more likely to be covered? To answer these questions, we performed a content analysis of news coverage in ten U.S. Senate campaigns in 2004. We find that ad amplification is quite common and that negative and comparative ads are much more likely to receive media attention than positive ads. This has implications for how scholars measure ad exposure and for understanding why Americans dislike negative advertising.
@article{TravisN._Ridout12012008,
abstract = {The impact of political ads paid for by candidates is amplified because of the free media coverage they receive. Yet how frequently does that occur? And are certain types of ads more likely to be covered? To answer these questions, we performed a content analysis of news coverage in ten U.S. Senate campaigns in 2004. We find that ad amplification is quite common and that negative and comparative ads are much more likely to receive media attention than positive ads. This has implications for how scholars measure ad exposure and for understanding why Americans dislike negative advertising.
},
added-at = {2009-02-20T01:28:48.000+0100},
author = {Ridout, Travis N. and Smith, Glen R.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2894fd96658a536d31ef84ba51557ec59/taspel},
description = {Free Advertising: How the Media Amplify Campaign Messages -- Ridout and Smith 61 (4): 598 -- Political Research Quarterly},
doi = {10.1177/1065912908314202},
eprint = {http://prq.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/61/4/598.pdf},
interhash = {ec819cfc0fe8fb76cdc22931faaaf59e},
intrahash = {894fd96658a536d31ef84ba51557ec59},
journal = {Political Research Quarterly},
keywords = {advertising campaigning crossmedia media_economics political_science politics},
number = 4,
pages = {598-608},
timestamp = {2009-02-20T02:12:18.000+0100},
title = {{Free Advertising: How the Media Amplify Campaign Messages}},
url = {http://prq.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/61/4/598},
volume = 61,
year = 2008
}