Communication Commons^™

Negative Political Advertising, Negative News Coverage: A Connection?, Karrie Cook

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Although negative advertising and negative news coverage of candidates is not a new phenomenon there is a perception among the news media that the number of negative ads has increased in the past decade (1984-1992), especially in the past five years. This perception has led reporters to increase their coverage and scrutiny of such ads, while at the same time showing them repeatedly on news casts. There are many reasons given as to why the number of negative ads and negative election reports may have increased, including more consulting companies, changes in election process in the 1960s, independent political groups …