Mixed Signals? Gender and the Media's Coverage of the 2008 Vice Presidential Candidates

Abstract

The 2008 presidential election was one of the most watched campaigns in American history, and prominently featured the vice presidential candidates, Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joseph Biden. This election contest presents an exciting opportunity to expand and test our current understandings of the relationship between gender and media coverage. We examine this relationship using computer‐assisted content analysis of major newspapers, television news broadcasts, and political blogs. These three media are analyzed in terms of both quantity and substance of coverage received by Palin and Biden. Using a multiple medium perspective in our investigation of the contest between Palin and Biden, this article finds differences in volume of coverage (Governor Palin receives more), substance of coverage (roughly reflecting gender‐based stereotypes), and medium (with differences in volume and substance of coverage across newspapers, television, and blogs). Implications for future contests and for American politics in general are discussed. Related Articles:“Women Candidates and the Media: 1992‐2000 Elections.” (2006) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2006.00030.x/abstract “The Influence of Female Candidates' Campaign Issues on Political Proselytizing.” (2008) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2008.00093.x/abstract “Incumbent Responsiveness to Female Challengers.” (2010) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2010.00271.x/full Related Media: Blogs at http://themoderatevoice.com/,http://committedtoromney.com/, and http://www.barackoblogger.com/ La elección presidencial del 2008 fue una de las campañas más vistas en la historia de los Estados Unidos, dando un lugar destacado a los candidatos para la vicepresidencia, la gobernadora Sarah Palin y el Senador Joseph Biden. Esta contienda electoral presenta una gran oportunidad para ampliar y poner a prueba nuestra comprensión actual de la relación entre el género y la cobertura de los medios de comunicación. Este artículo examina esta relación usando un análisis de contenido de los principales periódicos, programas de televisión y blogs políticos. Estos tres medios son analizados en términos de cantidad y sustancia de la cobertura recibida por Palin y Biden. Usando una perspectiva de múltiples medios en nuestra investigación de la competencia entre Palin y Biden, este estudio encuentra diferencias en el volumen de cobertura (la gobernadora Palin recibió más), sustancia de la cobertura (más o menos reflejando estereotipos de género), y de medio (con diferencias de volumen y sustancia de cobertura entre periódicos, televisión, y blogs). Las implicaciones para futuras contiendas y la política estadounidense en general son discutidas.

Gender Bias in the Media? An Examination of Local Television News Coverage of Male and Female House Candidates

“…For example, Kahn () finds that while the media cover the candidacies of female U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidates differently than their male counterparts, in both race types women receive less issue attention than their male colleagues, while in senatorial races women are also disadvantaged in the quantity and viability of coverage. And studies of presidential and vice presidential candidates Dole and Palin document differences in the volume (Dole receiving less and Palin more than male peers) and substance of coverage, roughly reflecting gender stereotypes (Bode and Hennings ; Heldman, Carroll, and Olson ). Ironically, scholars neglect analyses of U.S House candidacies.…”

“…One might assume that the content of campaign coverage differs little by medium. But recent research suggests otherwise (Bode and Hennings ). We know that, in absolute terms, newspapers tend to include more stories on state‐level elections than local television news programs—as producers rise to meet the viewing demands of different and often broader constituencies, which often span a variety of Congressional districts (Goldenberg and Traugott ; Jalalzai ).…”

Migraines, Marriage, and Mascara

“…For example, a study of television, newspaper, and political blog coverage of the 2008 vice presidential candidates (Bode & Hennings, 2012) found that Palin received more than two times as much coverage as Biden and that the substance of her coverage was more likely to include discussions of her family (television and newspapers), her physical appearance (newspapers and blogs), her electability (blogs), and social issues (television, newspapers, and blogs). For example, a study of television, newspaper, and political blog coverage of the 2008 vice presidential candidates (Bode & Hennings, 2012) found that Palin received more than two times as much coverage as Biden and that the substance of her coverage was more likely to include discussions of her family (television and newspapers), her physical appearance (newspapers and blogs), her electability (blogs), and social issues (television, newspapers, and blogs).…”

Party identification: The covert influence on media's construction and portrayal of women's political identities

“…However, other studies show that these disparities in media coverage among men and women politicians may be equalizing , showing similar amounts of coverage between men and women in more contemporary races (Jalalzai, 2006). Other studies have shown that in some races, women may actually receive more coverage than men (Bode & Hennings, 2012;Bystrom, Robertson, & Banwart, 2001). This evidence suggests there may not be a distinctive pattern in the quantity of coverage between men and women and that this coverage depends more on the political and electoral context (Bystrom, 2010).…”

“…However, something that remains unclear is the differences that exist in the media's portrayal and construction of them. Previous research has documented the differences in media coverage between men and women in politics (Aday & Devitt, 2001;Bode & Hennings, 2012;Bystrom, 2010;Bystrom, Robertson, & Banwart, 2001;Carroll & Schreiber, 1997;Dolan, 2010;Falk, 2008;Kahn, 1994;Kahn & Goldenberg, 1991). Additionally, other research has begun to shed light on the differences between Republican and Democratic women in terms of their party's history (Baer, 2011;Baumgardner & Richards, 2000;Box-Steffensmeier, Chaney, Alvarez, & Nagler, 1998;Box-Steffensmeier, de Boef, & Lin, 2004;Kaufman & Petrocik, 1999;Klein, 1984a;Smeal, 1984;Mueller, 1988), personal policy stances (Shogan, 2001;Swers, 2002), and gender identification (Conover, 1988;Gurin, 1985;Schreiber, 2002).…”