Leveling the Playing Field:

An Examination of Compensatory Journalism in the 2008 Republican Primary

If the government ever gets around to putting a warning on TV campaign commercials the way they do on cigarettes, maybe it out to read something like this: If in the heat of a presidential campaign you’re tempted to buy something one guy says about the other guy in his TV ads, caveat emptor – buyer beware.

-ABC’s Richard Threlkeld on the October 19, 1988 World News Tonight

The Forbes campaign spurns the vision of Iowa as the last bastion of grassroots, flesh-pressing politics. Instead, [he] treats Iowa as just another piece of political property that’s up for sale.

-CBS’s Eric Engberg on the February 2, 1996 Evening News

Negative Coverage

Positive Coverage

Coverage of TV Ads

Coverage of TV Ads

Coverage of Romney’s Self-financing

Coverage of Romney’s Campaign Spending

Horse Race Coverage

Survey Says…

Compensatory Journalism was

present in the 2008 RepublicanPrimary