1. By:Heather Gubser
Objective 26i
Analyze the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising and public opinion polls on election results.

2. Before television, in order to reach voters candidates had to depend on party organizations.
Candidates can manipulate media coverage to their advantage, they understand that most people learn almost everything they know about a candidate from televison.

3. One limit the media has is people are selective on what the see or read about a candidatex
People will only read or listen to something that they agree with, so a democrat wont read about the campaign efforts of a republican.
Only about 15% of those who vote actually take in and understand what the media is saying about public affairs.

4. Public opinion polls- devices that attempt to collect information by asking people questions.
This is the best way to measure the publics opinion on an issue or subject.
There are two different types of polling techniques: Straw Votes and Scientific Polling

5. Straw votes were polls that sought to read the public’s mind simply by asking the same question of a large number of people.
Used by many radio talk show hosts and television personalities.

6. Problem with straw votes is the process doesn’t ensure that those who respond will represent a reasonably accurate cross section of the total population.
Emphasizes quantity rather then quality of the sample in which its question is posed.

7. Most famous straw vote mishap was in 1936 when a periodical called Literary Digest sent out 10 million postcard ballots and received more then 2,376,000 back. Based on this they concluded that Alfred Landon would easily beat Franklin Roosevelt, when instead Roosevelt actually won by a landslide. They had sent the polls to people in automobile registration list and telephone directories, and failed to realize that a big part of the population at that time could not afford a private telephone or a car.

8. Scientific Polling is the most accurate of the two.
Serious efforts to get the public’s opinion on a scientific basis started in the mid-1930’s
They tap the public’s preferences on everything from toothpastes and headache remedies to television shows.

9. 200 of the polling organizations also poll people on their political preferences.
The most well known of the national pollsters today are the Gallup Organization (the Gallup Poll) and Louis Harris and Associates (the Harris Survey)