Intertwining of Campaign News and Advertising: The Content and Electoral Effects of Newspaper Ad Watches

Abstract

By integrating content analysis and experimental analysis of newspaper ad watches, this study examines the interactive qualities of news and candidate ads as well as the effects of those interactions. First, the content analysis shows that negative issue advertising is the most frequent focus of ad watch journalism. The tone of journalistic assessments of political ads is not invariably critical; while the press tends to deflate the accuracy of the ad messages, it more often than not reinforces the effectiveness of the messages. Second, an experimental analysis demonstrates that the tone of the news analysis of a campaign ad significantly influences the audiences' preferences toward the sponsoring candidate. However, it provides little support for the demobilizing effects of negativity in the ad watch coverage.