Presenter: Professors Dan Drew and David H. Weaver, School of Journalism, IU-Bloomington
Voter Learning in the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election:  Did the Media Matter?
(Wednesday, April 12, 2006)
Abstract

This study examines the relationships between exposure and attention to various news
media, including the Internet, with information learned about the issue positions of
candidates George Bush and John Kerry, interest in the 2004 election campaign, and
intention to vote among a random sample of 531 adult residents of Indiana who were
interviewed by telephone in October 2004. The results are compared with our previous
studies of the 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 U.S. presidential elections.  In general, our
studies suggest that attention to television news, televised debates, and now Internet
news are important predictors, or at least correlates, of voter learning of candidate
issue positions and voter interest in the election campaigns.   These findings contradict
the hypothesis that increased news media use leads to increased voter apathy and
alienation from the political process.