THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605240694
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 48 lines
When the Republican presidential candidates came to Airport High School in Columbia, S.C., this spring, the students got a lesson in modern politics and television.
The TV networks were on hand as Bob Dole and Lamar Alexander entered the high school gym. Cheerleaders had been trained to cue the crowd to applaud. Teenagers had high hopes the candidates were paying them attention.
Instead, the candidates gave stump speeches clearly aimed at the networks. Dole told war stories. Alexander talked about transferring federal power to the states. None of them gave any indication they had thought about what young people might want to discuss.
``It was like, `Here we are. We're talking to you. Isn't this great,' '' said student Melissa Schupp. ``It was all for TV.''
Television, one of the most powerful tools for communication, is under attack today from many quarters. Among other things, it is blamed for: keeping people from becoming involved in their communities; luring children away from homework and books; and bombarding families with values and messages they might not otherwise choose.
In politics, the accusation is that television has made politics more superficial.
It has led to an emphasis on good looks and smooth talking - imagine the close-mouthed Calvin Coolidge or the paralyzed Franklin Roosevelt being elected today.
Discussion of the issues has faded from politics on television, replaced by discussion of campaign tactics or the opponent's ``character,'' broadly defined.
These problems are epitomized in television news coverage of politics.
The Center for Media and Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., found that television news correspondents' coverage of the campaigns was highly negative.
About 74 percent of the correspondents' comments were negative or critical. Correspondents described Steve Forbes' flat tax proposal as ``wacky'' and often said candidates had failed to inspire voters or discuss the issues.
Of course, it was hard for candidates to reach voters: Television news reduced candidates' comments to an average of seven-second ``sound bites'' and correspondents were on the air five times more than the candidates.
Fund raising has become more critical and time-consuming in national campaigns because of the expense of television advertising. This, in turn, raises the potential for corruption because of the sums of money involved. MEMO: community conversation public journalism
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