Narrative styles in network coverage of the 1984 nominating conventions

This essay reviews network telecasts of the 1984 nominating conventions from the perspective of the narrative paradigm. The narrative structure of the broadcasts are described with particular emphasis on the stories’ content and expression. Results indicate that ABC, CBS, and NBC each provided a distinct narrative. ABC's resembled “Laugh In,”; CBS offered a “Father Knows Best”; story line, and NBC's coverage resembled “Wide World of Sports.”; Though distinct in style, however, these stories share one central feature: they are all dialectical narratives that follow plots appropriate to that form of storytelling.