The Battle For The Airwaves
Digest
This podcast delves into the world of political advertising in the 2024 election, focusing on the presidential race and key Senate and House contests. It features Erica Franklin Fowler, director of the Wesleyan Media Project, who provides expert insights into ad spending, strategy, and effectiveness. The podcast explores the current state of the advertising battle, highlighting the increased spending by both the Harris and Trump campaigns. It analyzes campaign ads focusing on economic issues, particularly inflation and taxes, comparing the messaging strategies of the two campaigns. The podcast also examines other key issues addressed in campaign ads, including healthcare, prescription drugs, abortion, housing, and national security. It discusses the varying levels of attention given to these issues by both campaigns and explores the reasons behind the Trump campaign's silence on abortion messaging. The podcast analyzes the evolving Democratic strategy on immigration messaging, highlighting their increased focus on border security and the fentanyl crisis. It examines a Trump campaign ad on public safety and immigration, focusing on its tone and classification. The podcast explores the question of whether there is clear evidence of which political ads are most effective, discussing a study that found no clear trends in ad effectiveness. It examines the prevalence of negative ads in political campaigns and the reasons behind their use, discussing the potential benefits of negativity while acknowledging the public's dislike of mudslinging. The podcast provides a breakdown of the different types of ads used in the 2024 election cycle, including positive, negative, and contrast ads. It highlights the prevalence of negative ads in Senate races and the Trump campaign, while noting the Harris campaign's use of more positive spots. The podcast discusses the role of political action committees (PACs) in campaign advertising, distinguishing between party-sponsored ads and independent expenditures. It explores the potential for coordination between campaigns and PACs, despite legal restrictions. The podcast examines the shift in digital advertising spending, highlighting the Harris campaign's significant advantage over the Trump campaign. It explores the reasons behind this change, including the evolution of digital platforms and Trump's focus on television. The podcast analyzes a Harris campaign ad on Snapchat that expresses support for Palestine, highlighting the use of targeted digital advertising to reach specific demographics. It discusses the strategies campaigns use to tailor their messaging to different audiences. The podcast shifts focus to down ballot races, specifically the Senate contests in Montana and Ohio. It examines the ad spending patterns in these races, highlighting the correlation between spending and polling averages. The podcast explores the trend of down ballot Democrats running against their national party, emphasizing their focus on local issues and distancing themselves from the national political climate. It discusses the exception of Trump, who is running ahead of Republicans in Senate races. The podcast analyzes a Republican House ad from Ohio, highlighting the focus on border security and crime. It compares this messaging to the Democratic strategy of accusing Republicans of cutting Social Security and Medicare. The podcast discusses the increased importance of advertising in down ballot races, where voters have less access to information about candidates. It highlights the role of advertising in reminding voters about candidates and their positions on key issues. The podcast examines a Democratic House ad from Maine, highlighting the focus on protecting Social Security and Medicare benefits. It discusses the prevalence of this messaging in down ballot races, particularly among older voters. The podcast analyzes a Republican House ad from Colorado, highlighting the focus on the fentanyl crisis and border security. It discusses the use of voter testimonials in campaign ads to convey real-life impact. The podcast explores the use of voter testimonials in campaign ads, highlighting their effectiveness in conveying real-life impact and connecting with voters on an emotional level. It discusses the strategic use of messengers to deliver key messages. The podcast examines the spending trends in down ballot races, highlighting the continued advantage of Democrats in House races. It discusses the overall projected spending for the 2024 election cycle, which is expected to reach record levels. The podcast concludes by discussing the potential for cynicism surrounding the high levels of spending in political advertising. It acknowledges the manipulative nature of some ads but also highlights the role of advertising in informing voters and reminding them about elections.
Outlines
Political Advertising in the 2024 Election: An Overview
This podcast introduces the topic of political advertising in the 2024 election, focusing on the presidential race and key Senate and House races. It features Erica Franklin Fowler, director of the Wesleyan Media Project, who provides insights into ad spending, strategy, and effectiveness.
The State of the Advertising Battle
The podcast discusses the current state of political advertising in the presidential race, highlighting the increased spending by both the Harris and Trump campaigns. It explores the impact of ad spending on the election outcome and the role of earned media.
Economic Issues in Campaign Ads
The podcast analyzes campaign ads focusing on economic issues, particularly inflation and taxes. It compares the messaging strategies of the Harris and Trump campaigns, highlighting their use of contrast and negative ads.
Other Key Issues in Campaign Ads
The podcast expands on the issues addressed in campaign ads beyond the economy, including healthcare, prescription drugs, abortion, housing, and national security. It discusses the varying levels of attention given to these issues by both campaigns.
Abortion Messaging and the Lack of Republican Response
The podcast examines the Harris campaign's messaging on abortion and the lack of a direct response from the Trump campaign. It explores the reasons behind this silence, including the difficulty for Republicans to effectively message on this issue.
Immigration Messaging and the Shift in Democratic Strategy
The podcast analyzes the evolving Democratic strategy on immigration messaging, highlighting their increased focus on border security and the fentanyl crisis. It compares this approach to the more hawkish Republican messaging on the issue.
Public Safety and Immigration Ads: Tone and Classification
The podcast examines a Trump campaign ad on public safety and immigration, focusing on its tone and classification. It discusses the distinction between how ads are classified in political science and how they are perceived by the public.
The Effectiveness of Political Ads: A Lack of Clear Evidence
The podcast explores the question of whether there is clear evidence of which political ads are most effective. It discusses a study that found no clear trends in ad effectiveness, highlighting the challenges of measuring impact.
The Role of Negativity in Campaign Ads
The podcast examines the prevalence of negative ads in political campaigns and the reasons behind their use. It discusses the potential benefits of negativity, such as increased memorability and policy information, while acknowledging the public's dislike of mudslinging.
Breakdown of Ad Types: Positive, Negative, and Contrast
The podcast provides a breakdown of the different types of ads used in the 2024 election cycle, including positive, negative, and contrast ads. It highlights the prevalence of negative ads in Senate races and the Trump campaign, while noting the Harris campaign's use of more positive spots.
The Role of Political Action Committees (PACs) in Ad Spending
The podcast discusses the role of political action committees (PACs) in campaign advertising, distinguishing between party-sponsored ads and independent expenditures. It explores the potential for coordination between campaigns and PACs, despite legal restrictions.
Digital Advertising: Harris's Spending Advantage and Trump's Shift
The podcast examines the shift in digital advertising spending, highlighting the Harris campaign's significant advantage over the Trump campaign. It explores the reasons behind this change, including the evolution of digital platforms and Trump's focus on television.
Targeted Digital Ads: The Harris Campaign's Pro-Palestine Message
The podcast analyzes a Harris campaign ad on Snapchat that expresses support for Palestine, highlighting the use of targeted digital advertising to reach specific demographics. It discusses the strategies campaigns use to tailor their messaging to different audiences.
Down Ballot Races: Montana and Ohio Senate Contests
The podcast shifts focus to down ballot races, specifically the Senate contests in Montana and Ohio. It examines the ad spending patterns in these races, highlighting the correlation between spending and polling averages.
Down Ballot Democrats Running Against Their Party
The podcast explores the trend of down ballot Democrats running against their national party, emphasizing their focus on local issues and distancing themselves from the national political climate. It discusses the exception of Trump, who is running ahead of Republicans in Senate races.
Republican House Ads: Focus on Border Security and Crime
The podcast analyzes a Republican House ad from Ohio, highlighting the focus on border security and crime. It compares this messaging to the Democratic strategy of accusing Republicans of cutting Social Security and Medicare.
The Impact of Advertising on Down Ballot Races
The podcast discusses the increased importance of advertising in down ballot races, where voters have less access to information about candidates. It highlights the role of advertising in reminding voters about candidates and their positions on key issues.
Down Ballot Democrats: Focus on Social Security and Medicare
The podcast examines a Democratic House ad from Maine, highlighting the focus on protecting Social Security and Medicare benefits. It discusses the prevalence of this messaging in down ballot races, particularly among older voters.
Republican House Ads: Focus on Fentanyl Crisis and Border Security
The podcast analyzes a Republican House ad from Colorado, highlighting the focus on the fentanyl crisis and border security. It discusses the use of voter testimonials in campaign ads to convey real-life impact.
The Use of Voter Testimonials in Campaign Ads
The podcast explores the use of voter testimonials in campaign ads, highlighting their effectiveness in conveying real-life impact and connecting with voters on an emotional level. It discusses the strategic use of messengers to deliver key messages.
Down Ballot Spending Trends: Democrats Maintaining Advantage
The podcast examines the spending trends in down ballot races, highlighting the continued advantage of Democrats in House races. It discusses the overall projected spending for the 2024 election cycle, which is expected to reach record levels.
Cynicism and the Role of Advertising in Democracy
The podcast concludes by discussing the potential for cynicism surrounding the high levels of spending in political advertising. It acknowledges the manipulative nature of some ads but also highlights the role of advertising in informing voters and reminding them about elections.
Keywords
Political Advertising
The use of paid media, such as television and digital ads, to promote candidates and their positions on issues during election campaigns.
Contrast Ad
A type of political ad that compares the candidate's positions and actions to those of their opponent, often highlighting the candidate's positive attributes and the opponent's negative ones.
Negative Ad
A type of political ad that focuses solely on attacking the opponent, often using harsh language and negative imagery to discredit them.
Earned Media
Media coverage that is not paid for by the campaign, such as news reports, social media discussions, and public opinion polls.
Fentanyl Crisis
A public health emergency caused by the widespread availability and use of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, leading to a surge in overdose deaths.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
An organization that raises and spends money to support or oppose candidates for political office. PACs are subject to regulations that limit their ability to coordinate with campaigns.
Targeted Advertising
The use of data and technology to deliver ads to specific audiences based on their demographics, interests, and online behavior.
Down Ballot Races
Elections for offices below the presidential level, such as Senate, House, and state-level positions.
Q&A
What are the key issues being addressed in campaign ads in the 2024 election cycle?
The most common issues addressed in campaign ads are the economy, inflation, taxes, healthcare, prescription drugs, abortion, housing, and national security.
How do the Harris and Trump campaigns differ in their use of contrast and negative ads?
The Harris campaign tends to use more contrast ads, highlighting her positive attributes and contrasting them with Trump's perceived weaknesses. The Trump campaign, on the other hand, relies heavily on negative ads, attacking Harris and her policies.
Why is there a lack of direct response from the Trump campaign to the Harris campaign's messaging on abortion?
Republicans have struggled to effectively message on abortion in a way that is helpful to their campaigns. They often avoid direct engagement on the issue, instead focusing on other topics.
How has the Democratic strategy on immigration messaging evolved in recent years?
Democrats have shifted their focus on immigration to include border security and the fentanyl crisis, mirroring some of the Republican messaging on the issue.
What is the distinction between how ads are classified in political science and how they are perceived by the public?
Political science uses objective criteria to classify ads, such as the presence or absence of mentions of the opponent. The public, however, often perceives ads based on their subjective experience of tone and emotion.
Is there clear evidence of which political ads are most effective?
Studies have found no clear trends in ad effectiveness, suggesting that the impact of ads is complex and difficult to measure.
What is the role of negativity in campaign ads?
Negative ads are often used to increase memorability and provide policy information, but they can also be perceived as mudslinging and alienate voters.
How do the spending trends in down ballot races differ from those in the presidential race?
Advertising is more important in down ballot races, where voters have less access to information about candidates. Democrats tend to have a spending advantage in House races.
What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of the high levels of spending in political advertising?
While the high levels of spending can be seen as cynical and manipulative, they also play a role in informing voters and reminding them about elections.
Show Notes
For those in swing states, political ads are an inescapable part of life. But if you haven’t experienced the blitz firsthand, this episode of the 538 Politics podcast offers a glimpse into the barrage of campaign messages flooding our screens. Erika Franklin Fowler, director of the Wesleyan Media Project and professor of government at Wesleyan University, joins the podcast to break down the wave of ads hitting TVs, phones and browsers this election season. We explore whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris has the upper hand and the topics dominating both national and downballot races.
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