THIS MAY BE WORTH READING

I've wondered how to measure the strictly visual effect of the media on how politicians are perceived by the public and now 2 IU professors have written a book based on actual research into this variable.

'Liberal bias?' IU professors find network TV election coverage favors Republicans
Last modified: Tuesday, February 24, 2009

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A visual analysis of television presidential campaign coverage from 1992 to 2004 suggests that the three television broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- favored Republicans in each election, according to two Indiana University professors in a new book.


Maria Elizabeth Grabe and Erik Bucy, both associate professors in the Department of Telecommunications of IU's College of Arts and Sciences, report their findings in their book, Image Bite Politics: News and the Visual Framing of Elections (Oxford University Press).

"Visuals are underappreciated in news coverage," Bucy added. "You can have a negative report. You can have the journalist being opinionated against the candidate. But if you're showing favorable visuals, that out-weighs the net effect on the viewer almost every single time."