 Shoshana Brackett/SDN Dr. Susan MacManus, right, chats with Ron Cossman, left, assistant research professor in the Social Science Research Center, following her presentation for the First Annual Pi Sigma Alpha Lecture at Mississippi State University. By SHOSHANA BRACKETT
Starkville Daily News
A political analyst said the 2008 presidential race is similar to reality television shows during a lecture at Mississippi State Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Susan MacManus, a political analyst for WFLA-TV, an NBC affiliate station in Florida, noted the similarities between popular reality television shows such as Survivor and American Idol and the premature election campaigning for 2008 and resulting media coverage. MacManus also serves as a professor of public administration and political science at the University of South Florida.
The basic themes of reality television are evident in the 2008 race, MacManus said. The themes of strategic decision making, one-upmanship, visuals of people in embarrassing situations, cynicism, jealousy, lust, vindictiveness and backstabbing appear in popular television but also are evident in the 2008 campaign, she said.
Professionals in politics watch reality television to find ways to make political candidates interesting to voters, specifically to find ways to reach casual voters, MacManus said. The demographics of viewers are closely studied for a candidate’s campaign, she said.
Media habits vary by age, education, gender, race/ethnicity and political party, MacManus said.
“Candidates must pay attention to changes in media habits,” MacManus said.
For example, media now includes much more than television and newspapers. Media also covers blogs and the Internet.
“We no longer have a single media that reaches all of America,” MacManus said.
MacManus said a recent poll showed that 55 percent of Americans rely on their local television stations for most of their news and 44 percent rely on their local newspapers. Only 22 percent rely on the Internet and 35 percent follow network newscasts.
“Smart candidates have adjusted and recognized the power of the local news outlet,” she said.
Young voters are one of the least likely groups to watch network news and read newspapers. Young people are traditionally the hardest voting population to reach and the most critical, she said.
“Sadly, your group doesn’t read newspapers,” MacManus said.
However, she pointed out that more people are turning to online versions of newspapers for news coverage. “The Internet and some of these new news sources are seen as the only way to reach you,” she said.
“To reach your (young adults) demographic in ‘08, they’re going to have to do some creative campaigning,” MacManus said.
As part of that move to Internet news, people are writing and reading blogs, she said.
“The blog is the real new liberal equivalent of talk radio,” MacManus said. Bloggers also have a lot of power over their audiences and are critical to political campaigning, she said.
“These blogs are the ideological engines of both parties,” she continued.
Just as blogs are typically geared toward a certain ideology, so are many other media outlets.MacManus said there is a trend toward people selecting a media format and station based on their ideology.
“This is very interesting where we’re facing a campaign in ‘08 where candidates are choosing not to go on shows (based on ideology),” she said.
The shift in people’s preferred media outlets has resulted in a huge increase in advertisement dollars spent for campaigns, especially television spots, MacManus said.
In 2007, the ‘08 campaign has already seen a record amount of money raised.
“It’s clearly going to be the nation’s most expensive election,” MacManus said. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the Democratic Party front-runners have already raised more than $25 million each.
“One thing is for sure, 2008 is simply going to be an amazing, amazing race,” MacManus said.
MacManus has appeared on major broadcast and cable networks and has co-authored several books.
She also served as chair of the Florida Elections Commission from 1999-2003.
The First Annual Pi Sigma Alpha Lecture was sponsored by MSU’s Department of Political Science and Public Administration.
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