May 2008

If campaigns for president are in part a battle for control of the master narrative about character, Sen Barack Obama (D-IL) has not enjoyed a better ride in the press than rival Sen Hillary Clinton (D-NY), according to a new study of primary coverage by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism and the Joan Shorenstein Center on Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University. From January 1, just before the Iowa caucuses, through March 9, following the Texas and Ohio contests, the height of the primary season, the dominant personal narratives in the media about Sens Obama and Clinton were almost identical in tone, and were both twice as positive as negative, according to the study, which examined the coverage of the candidates’ character, history, leadership and appeal—apart from the electoral results and the tactics of their campaigns. The trajectory of the coverage, however, began to turn against Obama, and did so well before questions surfaced about his pastor Jeremiah Wright. Shortly after Clinton criticized the media for being soft on Obama during a debate, the narrative about him began to turn more skeptical—and indeed became more negative than the coverage of Clinton herself. What’s more, an additional analysis of more general campaign topics suggests the Obama narrative became even more negative later in March, April and May. On the Republican side, John McCain, the candidate who quickly clinched his party’s nomination, has had a harder time controlling his message in the press. Fully 57% of the narratives studied about him were critical in nature, though a look back through 2007 reveals the storyline about the Republican nominee has steadily improved with time.
http://www.journalism.org/node/11266

The Democratic race for president may be nearly over, but there are signs its conclusion will kick off a new flurry of political advertising, pushing this year’s record spending even higher. That’s good news for television stations, which are struggling with revenue declines, and it breaks the customary pattern of a political spending lull that normally occurs prior to party conventions. The candidates have strong motivations to step up spending. Republican nominee Sen. John McCain may need to separate himself from the current Republican office holder in the face of Democratic attacks that portray him as a clone of President George W. Bush. And Sen. Barack Obama, who leads in the Democratic race, needs to introduce himself and his policies nationally. Those factors and others are likely to combine to bring an unprecedented airing of presidential advertising throughout the summer, according to Democratic and GOP consultants. Political spending on the 2008 presidential race could top $800 million, up from $650 million in 2004, according to research firm TNS Media Intelligence.
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/05/stations_political_ad_bounty_i.php
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The Federal Communications Commission said Thursday that its order revising digital-TV-transition information requirements for consumer-electronics manufacturers and telecommunications carriers was published in the Federal Register, meaning it is official. The agency reminded the affected parties that the new rules take effect May 30. Under the order, manufacturers have to include DTV-transition information along with TV sets, digital-video recorders and set-top boxes, including cable set-tops that do not contain or rely on a TV receiver. That last item, the FCC said, was included "to counter consumer confusion about the functioning of such boxes in light of the over-the-air digital transition." Telecommunications companies also now must include DTV-transition information in monthly communications to their low-income customers.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6565219.html?rssid=193

The Columbus Dispatch reports that current battery-powered TVs will likely not be able to display new digital signals when the nation switches to Digital TV on February 17, 2009. Like other analog sets, your portable TV would need a digital converter box to convert the digital signals to analog so you could continue to watch television. However, it appears that no one is making a portable converter box that would operate with current portable TVs.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/portabletv052908.htm