Power, Politics and the Media: Core Concepts Brian M Conley 1

The Permanent Campaign Power, Politics, and the Media: Core Concepts 1. Faces of Power a. Pluralism: Grievance: Action b. Agenda Setting: Grievance: No Action c. Hegemony: No Grievance: no Action 2. Shaping of Perception: a. Propaganda: Manufacturing/Engineering of consent b. Advertising/PR: Construction of desires c. Political marketing: constructing political/ideological brand/party loyalty. 2

A Propaganda Model Chomsky and Herman: A Propaganda Model Filters 1) Concentrated Ownership 2) Advertising 3) Sourcing 4) Flak 5) Anti-Communism (War on Terror?)

Public Relations Ewen: Public Relations Theory Ewen identifies several Protocols of Persuasion 1) Creating Circumstances 2) Calculated Simulation of Enthusiasm 3) Creation of Mood 4) Creating Impressions

Political Marketing and Branding Shaping of Perception: Political Marketing: “Branded Conservatism” Constructing political/ideological brand/party loyalty. a. Rise of the modern Republican Party b. Development of a coherent conservative brand c. Re-shaping of the public/political discourse in the United States d. Applied to electoral politics e. Applied to public policy making (state and federal level) 5

Advertising? Product Orientation 6 Business Product Market/Consumers Design No Promotion

Advertising? Sales Orientation 7 Business Product Market/Consumers Design Promote/Sell

Advertising? Market Orientation 8 Business Market/Consumers Product Design Product Sells Itself

Advertising? Sales Orientation 9 Business Product Market/Consumers New Coke/New Taste Design Promote/Sell

Advertising? Market Orientation 10 Business Market/Consumers Product Desires Car/ Feelings: JOY BMW Desires MP 3/ Friendship 4 Runner Design Sells Itself

Party Brands Product Approach: 11 Party Public (Market) ? Policy No clear connection between what a party does or thinks in terms of policy and what the public needs or wants

Party Brands Sales Approach: 12 Party Public Policy: One Way The Party attempts to “sell” or convince the public that it should want (and thus support) a party’s policies, without consulting the public.

Party Brands Market Approach: 13 Party Public Policy: Two Way (Research Driven) A party has the potential to provide the public what it needs, because it has researched what the public wants. Implications: Market Approach empowers a party to respond to the public at the level of wants rather than needs.

Party Brands Market Approach: 14 Party Public Targeting Segments Frames

Party Brands Market Approach: 15 Party Public Policy and Promises Segments Frames: Concerns, Values, Aspirations, Needs Political Branding Developing an idea, message, image, party narrative based on keen understanding of what certain market segments wants, and then building loyalty with that segment

Party Brands Market Approach: 16 Party Public Policy and Promises Segments Positioning If policy/brand fails it can be repositioned, or modified to reconnect or reaffirm concerns (frames) of the targeted segments.

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party: Health Care 17 Republican Party Public Health Care: Repeal Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Political Branding Developing an idea, message, image, party narrative based on keen understanding of what certain market segments wants, and then building loyalty with that segment Differentiation: Not the DemoCRAT…Party; does not response to DemoCRAT voters (in the first instance)

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand: Public View 18 Republican Party Public Health Care: Repeal Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Party Branding How the public views or experiences the party. Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand: Party View 19 Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Party Branding The party brand story becomes the means through the party communicates, interactions and responses to its targeted segments. Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand 20 Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Institutionalization? A party brand story or narrative only works if in fact the party has a story, that is, it has agreed/decided as an institution to cohere around a particular political story. Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand 21 Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Republican Institutionalization: The Republican Party has a brand story or narrative: Small Government Lower Taxes Family Values Strong Defense Date? Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Family Values, St Def

Party Brands Market Approach: Obama Brand Obama Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Obama Brand: Obama had a brand story or narrative in 2008: Hope Change you Can believe in Change, Hope, Audacity, Post-Part/ lnclusion

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party? 23 Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Dem. Party Brand: The Democratic Party has talked about developing a brand: Ethical Politics (Rep Culture of Corruption) ??????????????

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand: 2010 Elections 24 Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Dem. Party Brand: The Democratic Party did try to adopt the Obama brand in 2010 (Economic Policy) Recovery Act 95% Tax Cuts Obama Middle-Class Tax Relief Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand? 25 Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Institutionalization? For the brand concept to work, it has be embraced (institutionalized) by the party. Question: Did the Dem. Party institutionalize the Obama brand? Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand: US Senate Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Institutionalization? Leadership (White House, DCCC, DSCC): Yes. Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand: US Senate Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Institutionalization? The 19 Democratic candidates running to retain party seats in the US Senate: NO! Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand: US Senate Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Republican Institutionalization: The Republican leadership (RNC, NRSC, NRCC) and 18 candidates running to retain party seats in US Senate: YES Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Family Values, St Def

Figure 1. Candidate Messaging by Issue: US Senate Election, 2010 Percent 47% 22% 52% 16% 94% 76% 88%

Public policy: Application Case Studies 1. Economic Policy 2. Healthcare Policy 3. US foreign Policy (Iraq) 30