The Effects of Editorials on Audience Reaction to Television Newscasters

Abstract

Except in major markets, few radio or television stations still editorialize. This study asks: does audience reaction to an editorial affect evaluations of adjacent newscasters? This study experimentally tests effects of strong to weak television editorials on audience members and finds that strongly-worded negative editorials (editorials against a national 55 mph speed limit) did cause a lowering of the judgment of competence of the adjacent newscaster if the audience members disagreed with the editorial position. Those agreeing with the editorial were less judgmental, and weakly-worded editorials had less effect than did strongly-worded ones.