Partisan Cues and the Media: Information Flows in the 1992 Presidential Election

TLDR

Electoral research acknowledges the growing significance of mass media in contemporary campaigns, yet scholars disagree on its influence. The study examines how partisan information flows from newspapers to voters and evaluates the press’s role in electoral politics and citizen learning. This analysis uses a unique database combining media content and public opinion data. The results show that the press delivers multiple, non‑unified messages about candidates, that voters’ perceptions are shaped by both content and personal views, yet newspaper editorial content significantly predicts candidate preferences, thereby challenging the minimal‑effects interpretation of media influence.

Abstract

Electoral research acknowledges the growing significance of the mass media in contemporary campaigns, but scholars are divided on the nature of this influence. Using a unique database that includes both media content and public opinion, we examine the flow of partisan information from newspapers to the voters and assess the press's role in electoral politics and citizen learning. We find that the American press does not present clear and singular messages about presidential elections but, rather, multiple messages about the candidates and the campaign. In addition, perception of the information is shaped as much by an individual's political views as by the objective content. Despite the mixed messages, we find that a newspaper's editorial content is significantly related to candidate preferences in 1992. These results challenge the minimal effects interpretation of the media, because local newspapers can play a significant role in providing cues that influence voters' electoral calculus.