Political Scientists as Color Commentators

Abstract

The prevalence of the “game frame” in media coverage of politics is well known. We seek to broaden our understanding of the media’s use of this frame by examining expert commentary on political campaigns quoted in stories in major U.S. newspapers. Content analysis of quotations from the experts in question, political scientists, establishes that the game frame pervades their statements. Thus, political science commentary reinforces the dominant frame within media campaign coverage, rather than providing alternative perspectives on campaigns. The predominance of the game frame in political scientists’ quoted comments in newspaper stories appears to be a result of two sets of forces: selection biases and a preoccupation with the game among scholars themselves.