Harvard Study Says Media Coverage Built Up Trump, Tore Down Clinton

[MrWendel]

http://www.mediaite.com/online/harvard-study-says-media-coverage-built-up-trump-tore-down-hillary/

by Ken Meyer



The Harvard Kennedy School released an extensive new analysis today, and it’s shedding some interesting light on how media coverage drove the 2016 election.

The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy was interested in determining how “good” and “bad” press reflected the rise of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to their respective nominations. Though Trump has criticized the media on a more frequent basis than Clinton due to his penchant for controversy, the study concluded that his media coverage has been much more positive for him than it’s been for the former Secretary of State.

Drawing on multiple sources, the study measured the extent to which Trump benefited from the “free media” journalists repeatedly gave his campaign and general antics. Though Trump didn’t raise much money for his campaign and had no real political leg to stand on when he started off, the analysis was that journalistic interest lifted him to the top of the polls fast enough to survive what would have been “political suicide” for other conventional figures:

Although journalists play a political brokering role in presidential primaries, their decisions are driven by news values rather than political values. Journalists are attracted to the new, the unusual, the sensational—the type of story material that will catch and hold an audience’s attention. Trump fit that need as no other candidate in recent memory. Trump is arguably the first bona fide media-created presidential nominee. Although he subsequently tapped a political nerve, journalists fueled his launch.

The study went on to argue that coverage by and large had a positive effect on Trump. This was calculated to give him a media edge of approximately $19 million over his closest competitor in media interest, Jeb Bush.

The study concluded that the Democratic race received much less coverage compared to the GOP. This started to change, however, after Bernie Sanders established himself as Clinton’s viable primary competitor. Indeed, the two candidates both drew attention from several dust-ups as they fought it out for the past few months.

Despite most of Sanders’ coverage seemingly being positive, the analysis concluded that he still was hurt by receiving less coverage than his competition. By contrast, Clinton’s issue-oriented media interest eclipsed both sides of the aisle, but 84% percent of it was negative, as she still observes a tepid relationship with the media.

[Thinkingabout]

1. Hillary has been disparaged by the news media and RW manufactured talking points

And she continued holding her head high, it rolls off of her back like water off of a ducks back. On the other side there are childish temper tantrums, refusing to debate, and those faces, lies after lies and the inability to remain focused. Hillary is presidential and should be recognized by the media.

[Walk away]

2. Many in the Media are desperately trying turn and aim at Trump...

I have no idea if it's because they understand that they created this dangerous monster or if it just makes for good ratings. Maybe both.

[BobbyDrake]

3. And our candidate is STILL standing! This just solidifies my support for Clinton.

So many forces aligned openly against her, and she's still a winner. November can't get here soon enough for me.

[Surya Gayatri]

4. ^^^This!^^^

So many forces aligned openly against her, and she's still a winner.

[Her Sister]

5. yes! HRC endured the right, the left and the Media and still prevailed ! Woo hoo!!!

Our candidate attacked by all sides!

So proud of HER! and so proud of US!!!

[William769]

6. And through it all, Hillary is still standing.

[BlueMTexpat]

7. Hillary is also the one who

has made the least fuss about her media coverage.

She is still standing, poised and classy.

[comradebillyboy]

8. The New York Times spent the entire spring and summer

of 2015 trying to torpedo Hillary's campaign. It got so bad the Times' Public Editor finally had to apologize for their shoddy journalism.

[question everything]

9. Interesting. I did not know that

I think Trump was like the people of France who were fascinated by the guillotine beheading their royals. People were watching, waiting for something major and the networks charged a lot for ads.

[Gothmog]

10. This is a very interesting study

[eastwestdem]

11. This is so true! nt

[Cha]

12. We knew that.. Confirmed!

And, as has been posted.. Hillary beat them all.. m$m, BS, trump, gop.. every last one of them.

Thank you, MrWendel~