Buses and Ballots: The Role of Media Images in a Local Election

Abstract

This study examines the role of media in a local election using media use andpublicperceptionsof mediaand their interactionsas key independent variables. Some support is found for the notion that media do not exert direct ejfects on behavioral outcomes, but rather this process depends on how people perceive the media t h q use in terms of their ties to special interests in the community and the interaction of this perception with media use.Although the role of mass media in national and state elections has been detailed extensively over the years, the picture is less clear in the case of local elections. Yet, local elections occur more frequently, are closer to people's everyday lives, and may have more direct and immediate consequences for life in a given community than more remote political choices.

Cognitive strategies for media use during a presidential campaign

“…These images refer largely to political news, though not specifiDownloaded by [New York University] at 01:49 02 November 2014 cally to campaigns. Studies have also shown that images of the news media can mediate between media use and a range of outcomes, including attitude change, evaluations, and knowledge of issues (McLeod et al, 1986;Graber, 1988;Fredin & Kosicki, 1989;Kosicki et al, 1994). We see media images as including material about campaigns in general, and presidential campaigns in particular, because campaigns form such a distinct and recurring aspect of news.…”

The Relation Between Media Content Evaluations and Political Disaffection

“…Questionnaire items measuring media use, cynicism, involvement, and negativism were generated based on their use in similar surveys measuring the same or related constructs and behaviors (e.g., Austin & Dong, 1995;Austin & Pinkleton, 1995;Craig, Niemi, & Silver, 1990;Kosicki et al, 1994;Kosicki & McLeod, 1990;Luskin, 1990). Items used in indexes, as shown in Table 1, were pretested to improve their measurement of constructs and to ensure accurate respondent understanding.…”

“…Although media critics and scholars frequently criticize the media for increasing cynicism and negativism among the electorate, many political communication studies suggest instead that news media use enhances political knowledge, efficacy, and activity. Scholars criticizing the media tend to focus on problematic media content and reporting practices (e.g., Cappella & Jamieson, 1997;Crotty & Jacobson, 1980;Hart, 1994), whereas scholars taking a more optimistic view of the media's role in political decision making have tended to focus on news media use variables (e.g., Chaffee & Schleuder, 1986;Kosicki, Becker, & Fredin, 1994;McLeod & McDonald, 1985;Perloff, 1997;Pinkleton et al, 1998). In these cases, some interesting distinctions have arisen regarding the effects that using various types of media may have on political attitudes.…”

“…Involvement could mediate the relation between perceptions of media content and political participation (Kosicki, Becker, & Fredin, 1994). For example, the assertion that healthy skepticism can be motivating implies that skepticism increases involvement in the political process by increasing the individual's desire to test the truth of messages received, thus spumng more information seeking and ultimately, higher levels of political participation.…”

The Power of the Press: The Effects of Press Frames in Political Campaign News on Media Perceptions

“…Thus, to observe accessibility effects, we used each item separately in the data analysis, a common practice in work on media perceptions (e.g., Austin & Pinkleton, 1999;Kosicki et al, 1994).…”