Articles on Mass Communications in American Magazines

Abstract

Presidential political campaigning inevitably made itself felt in the literature of journalism during the third quarter both in the field of pure technique and in the traditional controversy over the balance of newspaper support given to the major parties.

The impact of national television coverage of the political conventions inspired many estimates of the effect of this innovation on both the public and on the political parties themselves, the diversity of theories being the outstanding noticeable result. In addition the pure mechanics of television coverage at press conferences and other small gatherings produced a clash with representatives of older news media. This fight gives every evidence of becoming a long-standing problem.

As the campaign moved into the final major stage Democratic candidate Stevenson opened an old debate by asserting that the United States “has a one-party press in a two-party country.” The inevitable rejoinders followed with the September Editor & Publisher poll indicating that 75% of the daily press which had taken its stand had endorsed Eisenhower. With national attention focused forward toward the final month of campaigning there were few other developments of major importance on the newspaper horizon.