Larry D. Lauer

When television became the dominant medium during the 1950’s it pretty much set the criteria for who could be successful in politics. Today, the digital Internet revolution has added still more criteria.

Performing well on television is important to winning elections and maintaining a leadership persona in the legislature. But it is more than being physically attractive.  This is why film directors do screen tests. Some people actually look better on television. But looking good is only part of being comfortable talking to a camera. Even effective speakers can become awkward when there is no audience there to respond.

Once elected, standing out in the legislative crowd requires knowing the issues currently in the news, having the ability to address them simply and confidently, and knowing the right audiences to please. In other words, strategic communication expertise becomes essential.  It is no longer only about having political convictions. Now, it is also about knowing how and when to perform. And all of this has been shaped by television.

Television has also become a major cost factor. The success of political advertising in various media, especially television, has made it even more so. Consultants discovered sometime ago that finding out something negative about the opponent, making a fast-paced and emotional TV ad, and then repeating it over and over, can be a very effective political tool. And so the ever escalating use of these ads inflates overall costs enormously. 

In addition to television, the digital revolution has added new complexity to the campaign horserace.  Websites are used as portals to more information about the candidate. Position papers appear on them to address the issues. And they also become on-line interactive vehicles for raising money.  Twitter keeps followers informed about the candidates’ minute-to-minute activities, and urges attendance at staged political events.  Facebook is a way the campaign can request individuals to influence the behavior of their “friends.” And electronic zip code analysis provides campaigns with consumer preference information that allows them to match buying behavior with political interests. Analysts also help determine the most popular retail and other locations for events and promotions.

As in other situations, what works best on television and digital technology influences the nature and complexity of the messages.  For the most part that means messaging is simple and focused on broad emotional themes, such as jobs and the economy. Polls are used to determine those themes and preferences, and often result in making extreme statements, each one customized for each zip code.

Political reporting is effected too. Characterizing candidates in this kind of environment usually will lead to reinforcing polarization and extreme rhetoric. This makes great news copy, and  24/7 cable channels, talk radio hosts, and bloggers with a political bias, thrive on it.  All of  this, however, is creating an ongoing, ever polarizing, political dynamic with few clues about how to do better.

And so proficiency with media in many ways determines who can be successful in politics today, and there are both good and alarming consequences.