PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES THROUGH MEDIA EYES

Presidential debates traditionally attract millions of viewers and hea vy press coverage. There is much evidence that the media interpretatio n of these events is influential even for people who have viewed the d ebates themselves. This study examines the 1996 evening news coverage and postdebate specials of ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN, exploring the way t elevision journalists constructed the candidates' debate goals and exp ectations, their rhetorical strategies, and the effects of the debate.