The 2000 New Hampshire Democratic Primary and Network News

Abstract

Content-coded network newscasts were used to examine the relationship between news coverage and the daily New Hampshire poll standings of Al Gore and Bill Bradley, the two major Democratic presidential candidates, in the weeks before the primary. The study found powerful network news effects, particularly with respect to “horse race” reports on which candidate gained and fell back but also with respect to televised evaluations of more substantive matters such as character and issue positions. The results cast doubt on claims by those who support New Hampshire’s status as the nation’s first primary because the state is thought to differ from the media-dominated electoral contests found elsewhere in American politics.