Media Coverage of Presidential Primaries

Abstract

The presidential nomination process in the United States permits to particular states predominant influence in determining party nominees. Other states are forced to accept lesser, even unimportant roles. An important factor in the disparity is media coverage. This research examines the impact of five variables on the coverage of state delegate selection events: the number of national convention delegates at stake, method of delegate selection, sequence of events, number of same-day events, and the closeness of the race. Linear regression analysis is used to estimate the effect of these variables on the percentage of newspaper stories about each state's primary or caucus. Three recent presidential nominations are studied: the Democratic party's in 1984 and 1988 and the Republican process in 1988. The findings demonstrate that state parties act strategically to enhance their importance in presidential nominations by manipulating the sequence and structure of delegate selection events.

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