A Theory of Political Campaign Media Connectedness

Abstract

The study of political mass communication information outlet effects has been dominated by two types of studies, those which focus on a single outlet and those which look at the comparative influence of multiple outlets. The current study seeks to advance a third study type by offering a theory of political campaign media connectedness. Three axioms are offered in this work. In addition, a series of hypotheses involving five political communication campaign information outlets (conservative political talk radio, FOX cable TV news, daily newspapers, national network TV news, debate viewing) are posited. This work emphasizes the need to understand how various information outlets function in coordination with one another to produce a potentially diverse set of direct and indirect political campaign media effects. Future lines of theoretical inquiry and empirical research are outlined.

Keywords:

• Political Elections
• Media Relationships
• Campaign Effects
• Debate Viewing
• Theory Building

Additional information

Notes on contributors

R. Lance Holbert

R. Lance Holbert (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2000) is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication, The Ohio State University

William L. Benoit

William L. Benoit (PhD, Wayne State University, 1979) is a Professor in the School of Communication Studies, Ohio University