Doing the Traditional Media Sidestep: Comparing the Effects of the Internet and Other Nontraditional Media with Traditional Media in the 1996 Presidential Campaign

TLDR

In 1996, the Internet was emerging as a new campaign medium. The study compared heavy users of Internet and other nontraditional media with heavy users of traditional media to assess differences in political knowledge and candidate images, and suggested that the 2000 election should be examined to understand evolving Internet influence. Nontraditional media had little effect on political knowledge, and while it slightly improved candidate images, most effects were not significant after controlling for other factors.

Abstract

This study examined the extent to which heavy users of the Internet and other nontraditional media differ from heavy users of traditional media in their knowledge of the issue stances of Bill Clinton and Bob Dole as well as their images of the two candidates. Nontraditional media had little influence on political knowledge. Although nontraditional media had a greater impact on images of the two candidates than traditional media, few relationships remained significant after controlling for other factors. In 1996, the Internet was getting a “test drive” as a new campaign medium. The election of 2000 should be studied to determine how Internet use has changed and how Internet content might affect future political campaigns.