Running head: FROM TV TO TWITTER 1

Chart the Evolution of Media: From TV to Twitter

Erica M. Urtel
College for America
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How have changes in mass media influenced the way people experience presidential
campaigns?

To answer this question, let us take a trip through history to understand where the concept
came from and how it has changed to what it is to today. Prior to the 1960s, mass media
distribution existed in the form of radio or print text, which was available for users to either read
the same message or listen to the same message or event at the same time. In 1924, more than 20
million people heard President Calvin Coolidge’s pre-election speech on the radio. Advertisers
used radio to sell an American lifestyle, which drove consumers to make certain purchases in
order to achieve the American lifestyle. (Understanding Media and Culture, 2012)
With the invention of the television after World War II, by the beginning of 1955,
Broadcast television became the main medium that people received all of their information about
the world. There were 36 million televisions in the US and 4.8 million in all of Europe. At that
time, there were only three major networks that controlled over 90 percent of the shows and
news that aired. Again, people were hearing or viewing the same message or communication, as
the content aired on specific days and at specific times and the content was controlled by the
three networks. Radio and television were still the preferred method of receiving information,
but there was a drawback as you could not rewind or record the content. Newspapers or print
media allowed people to read the content when they wanted, instead of having to tune in at a
certain time or day. It was not until the 1980s and 1990s that all of that changed when cable
television was now available. This allowed viewers to have a wider range of choices in the
content they chose to view. The invention of RAM chips and microprocessors in the 1970s paved
the way for the Internet age. With so much content about a wide range of subjects available,
anytime online this has changed the role people play when it comes to media. Prior to the
internet, when it was newspaper, radio, and television the content or message was one message
to many. There was no way to participate, only consume the message. (Understanding Media and
Culture, 2012)
Now with the internet and all of the platforms that are available to interact with the
producer of the media message, consumers are now part of a two-way communication with the
producer of the message. They now become both the consumer and the producer of the media or
message. The internet has allowed people to have a voice or opinion and make it known by
responding or reacting to the content online. (Defining the Mass Media, 2011)
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1960: The Nixon/Kennedy Campaign

The 1960 Nixon/Kennedy debate that took place in Chicago on September 26th was the
very first publicized presidential debate. This would have a huge impact on the outcome of that
election as polls revealed that the Great Debates had influenced more than half of all voters as 90
percent of American homes had TV, and most voters watched rather than listened to the debates.
The individuals that did not watch the debate, but rather listened on the radio felt that Nixon did
as well or even better than Kennedy, so it seems that television was the deciding factor in the
Nixon/Kennedy Presidential election. (C. Sperry, & S. Sperry, 2007)
The number of viewers that tuned in to the debate was estimated around 74 million viewers and
were able to see both candidates, something that had never been done before and it seems that
their first impressions were the deciding factor when it came time to vote. They saw Kennedy as
calm and confident and Nixon as pale and underweight from a recent hospitalization. (Webley,
2010)
The Nixon/Kennedy campaign was a perfect example of mass media as the audience or the
viewers of the debate could only receive the message and could not interact with the television as
they were watching the debate. This was a one (the broadcast/television network) to-many, the
audience, or the viewer.

2012: The Obama/Romney Campaign

The 2012 Obama/Romney campaign relied heavily on social media during their
presidential campaign. During the televised debate that took place between Obama and Romney
in 2012, it started out as any other televised debate with one big exception, during the debate,
more than 10.3 million tweets over social media were exchanged containing comments, quips,
and jokes during the 90-minute debate as viewers took to social media to connect and interact
with others. (Carbone, 2012) The Obama campaign leveraged the use of digital technology
during the 2008 campaign. With the use of websites, social networking, email outreach, text
messages, and viral videos, he was able to reach target audiences and raise $500 million dollars
from 3 million people. (Understanding Media and Culture, 2012)
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How does social media differ from mass media?

The four essential characteristics that are used to determine if a message qualifies as
Mass Media are; Distance, Technology, Scale, and Commodity.
Distance: Communication between the sender and receivers are one-to-many, the
communication is one-way, and therefor an impersonal interaction between the sender and many
people (audience) and lacks immediacy.
Mass communication requires technology to deliver the message; such as a television that allows
the message to be delivered.
Scale: The same message is being delivered to many people at the same time.
Commodity: Mass media requires a user to spend money to receive the message being sent. If
you are watching a television show, it required the consumer/audience to purchase the television.
The difference between mass media and social media is the audience. When it comes to
mass media, the audience’s role is to hear or receive the message. They cannot respond or
interact with the sender of the message. Mass media is a one-way communication between the
producer and the audience, placing the audience in a passive position. When it comes to social
media, the audience is both the audience and the creator of content or additional messages. They
interact with others, switching back and forth from author to audience. Social media places the
audience at the center. It is an experience of social collaboration and social experience. (Defining
the Mass Media, 2011)

The 1960 and the 2012 presidential debates both utilized media to influence and send a
message from each of the candidates so that voters could make a choice on who they would
choose to be their next President. During the 1960 campaign, the use of mass media with the
broadcast of the debates on television was the main platform of the campaign. It was that image
of the two candidates and how the audience perceived based on that image who they would vote
for in that election. Although this was a more personal experience for the viewer, it was still an
impersonal experience, as the viewer could not interact in any way with the candidates. All
viewers received the same message, as there was no way to target or customize the message
based on the audience.

With the 2012, campaign the platform used was a different kind of media, social media.
Obama utilized websites, social media (Twitter, Facebook, email, text messages, and viral video)
to reach his potential voters. With the use of social networking, text messaging, and email
outreach potential voters could sign up to receive updates and follow the presidential candidate’s
progress. The use of modern technology allowed the Obama campaign to reach a targeted
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audience made and reach a larger group of young voters offering them a more personal
experience.

How changes in media have affected how individuals experience presidential campaigns.
The interaction between the presidential candidate and the voter has changed
substantially from 1960 to 2012; the voters feel more of a personal connection with the
candidates now than they had in 1960. In 1960 as a voter, the closest you could come to a
candidate was seeing them on television or being present at a rally with thousands of others but
the chances of actually interacting with them was almost nonexistent. In 2012 as a voter you
could have a discussion on social media with a candidate, receive a text message from them, they
may even respond to a tweet you sent. Social media has also allowed voters to come together
with other like-minded voters and discuss in real time the events and issues about the campaign.
With the advances in technology, voters can have a unique personal experience than they could
in 1960.
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References

Carbone, N. (2012, October 4). Obama and Romney Debate: The 9 Best Tweets from Last

Night. TIME, Retrieved from http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/10/04/obama-and-romney-

debate-the-9-best-tweets-from-last-night/

Defining the Mass Media. (2011). Retrieved from Sociology Central website:

https://web.archive.org/web/20150420210727/http://www.sociology.org.uk/media_define

d.pdf

Sperry, C., & Sperry, S. (2007). Media Construction of Presidential Campaigns. 366-371.

Retrieved from

https://www.projectlooksharp.org/Articles/Media_Construction_of_Presidential_Campai

gns.pdf
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Understanding Media and Culture. (2012). Retrieved from College for America website:

https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_understanding-media-and-culture-an-introduction-to-

mass-communication/s00-license.html

Webley, K. (2010, September 23). How the Nixon-Kennedy Debate Changed the World. TIME,

Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2021078,00.html