Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: In the 1990s, the "new media" emerged as a major political factor in the United States. As the decade wore on, more and more Americans made use of new news sources, such as cable news, political talk programs, and Internet news. While several studies have discussed how new media coverage of politics differs from traditional news, very little systematic analysis has been conducted. Furthermore, very little has been done to empirically examine the effect of the new media on public opinion. I argue that new political news differs from traditional news by dramatizing American politics and the political process. I contend that the new media's coverage of conflict, scandal, sensationalism, and other aspects of political drama is more extensive than today's traditional media. The content analysis findings indicate such a difference does exist, and the experimental analysis illustrates that dramatically framed news adversely influences public support for political leaders and erodes public trust in the news media.