Digital Commons Network^™

The Rules Of Engagement : What Formats, Moderators, And News Values Tell Us About The Content Of Electoral Debates, Jason Marc Turcotte

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

U.S. democracy is one of the most inclusive in the world, yet levels of political knowledge and engagement remain markedly low. Moreover, the news media’s coverage of elections inadequately informs and engages the public. These shortcomings underscore the importance of campaign events like electoral debates – events that are designed not only to educate the public but also to provide the public a more active role in the electoral process. Journalistic news norms and values wield tremendous power over campaign news agendas – including post-debate coverage – but the extent to which they influence debate agendas remains unclear. Given what …