Abstract
A comparison of the 1976 and 1984 debates revealed that shot pacing was substantially quicker in 1984, that the panel of reporters received more visual attention in 1984, and that shot patterns depicting the candidates in the 1984 debates changed after the “critical incident”; of each debate. These changes potentially interfere with the comprehension of verbal content of the debates, undermine the political purpose of the encounters, and promote unequal visual treatment of candidates.