A Tale of Two Countries: Media and Messages of the French and American Presidential Campaigns of 1988

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 312 711 CS 506 889 AUTHOR Heiman, Franklyn S. TITLE A Tale of Two Countries: Media and Messages of the French and American Presidential Campaigns of 1988. INSTITUTION Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL. Inst. for Modern Communications. PUB DATE 89 NOTE 47p.; Project also supported by the Law and Social Science Program, Northwestern University. PUB TYPE Reports - Research/Technical (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Communication Research; Comparative Analysis; Cultural Context; Foreign Countries; *Mass Media Role; Media Research; Persuasive Discourse; *Political Campaigns; *Presidential Campaigns (United States) IDENTIFIERS *France; *Political Communication ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the similarities and differences between the French and American presidential election campaigns of 1988, focusing in particular on the processes of political communication. After discussing the framework of law, tradition, and climate of opinion within which political campaigns take place in these two countries, the paper compares and contrasts the media use and messages of the two campaigns, analyzing in turn each of the following elements: (1) affiches (posters of various sizes and colors plastered on walls, the most omnipresent medium of communication in a French election campaign); (2) meetings and rallies; (3) print media; (4) mail; (5) radio;(6) television--direct access; (7) television--indirect access; (8) new media technologies; and (9) political satire. Having examined the similarities and difference's in the media of communication of the two presidential campaigns, the paper compares the messages communicated on the following topics: the Soviet Union and national defense; the economy; crime and punishment; images of leadership; and "playing both ends along with the middle." Lastly, the paper discusses the final results and draws conclusions. Fifty-six notes are included: (SR) ****************************************************************A****** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ************************************************************* ***** ***** ..1.11."Lm Northwestern University 1881 Sheridan Road Fivi-inston,1111n()is 60208 1340 A TALE OF TWOCOUNTRIES: MEDIA AND MESSAGESOF THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNSOF 1988 By Franklyn S. Haiman tr U.fs. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION and improvement "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS Office of EdualtIOnillRIMIWCh BY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED CEN.ER (ERIC) 0 This document hasWen reproduced as frankli hS1-tai man wised from the person ororganization originating it Minor changes have bunmuJ. lo imposts reproduction Moldy statod in this doctr Points of mew or opinions mint do not neassarilyrepresnl official TO THE EDUCATIONALRESOURCES OERI position or policy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" BEST COPYAVAILABLE A TALE OF TWO COUNTRIES: MEDIA AND MESSAGES OF THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS OF 1988 By Franklyn S. Haiman Franklyn S. Haiman is John Evans Professor of Communication Studies at Northwestern University. He is indebted to the Institute for Modern Communications and the Law and Social Science Program, both of Northwestern University, for their support of this project. 2 In 1987, Americans celebrated the Bicentennial of the adoption of A Constitution for the United States. In 1989, the people of France are celebrating the Bicentennial ofa revolution which started them on the road to democracy.During the year in between, both nations engaged in what my be the most visible exerciseof citizenship in a modern democrative society-- the election of a president. France.end the United States are no strangers to parallel historical events and bonds of mutual influence. Both were born in revolution and shared the politicalphilosophies that shaped structures'cf government. French military assistance was critical to the firm establishment of Americanindependence in the 18th century, and American military powerwas twice crucial to the rescue of French freedom in the 20th century. French intellectual and artistic influences have pervaded thedevelopment of American culture, and modern American cultural influences,for better or worse, now permeate French society. From the days of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson in Paristo those of Alexis de Tocqueville in theUnited States, our two societies have continually learned from one anotherabout the art and science of politics.It was the premise of this study thata careful analysis of the similarities and differences betweenthe French and American presidential election campaigns of1988 might also yield useful learning, on both sides of the Atlantic,about the processes of political communication. To accomplish this purpose itwas, of course, necessary to 4 3 observe both campaigns at first hand.I, therefore, went to France at the end of March, 1988, and remained for the six weeks that preceded the final round of presidential voting on May 8,as well as for the rest of May and June, when the fall-out from that election led to additional rounds of voting fora new parliament. I followed the story of the presidential campaignas it was told in the major daily Paris newspapers and in the leading French weekly news magazines;' listened regularly to daily televisionnews broadcasts;2 watched most ofthe televised interview programs with the candidates,; as well as all the official free-time campaign emissions,' visited the campaignheadquarters of the five major contenders and attended press conference at one of them;5 gathered the political literature handed out atour neighborhood street market;6 took pictures of the campaignsigns posted around Paris; went to a political meeting for Raymond Barreon a press bus; 8 and attended the last, massive Paris-area Mitterand rally.9 I returned to the United States in time to follow the American campaign from the Republican convention in August until the election on November 8. I read the story of that campaign as it was reported daily in the news columns and opinion pages of the Mk York Timesand Chicago Tribune; watchedexcerpts fromthe candidates' day-to-day stump speeches carried with regularityon public television's MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour; viewed the presidential candidates' convention acceptance speeches19 and the presidential and vice-presidential debates;" monitoreda broad range of televisedcampaignnewsandcommentary, political 5 4 advertisements, and interviews with the candidates;12and attended a Chlzago-area Dukakis rally.13 In order to compare and contrast, ina meaningful way, the communication processes of the French andAmerican political campaigns, one must first understandthe most relevant aspects of the framework of law and custom within which theytake place. First and foremost, instead of the Americansystem of a long season of primaries, followed by party conventions anda three- month general election campaign, the French fieldof candidates (nine of them in 1988), each put forwardby a political party, is narrowed by two rounds of voting just two weeksapart, with the two top vote-getters in the first round competingfor a majority in the second round." Furthermore, the "official" campaign period is l'mited by law to the three weeks precedingthe first round of voting plus the two weeks betweenrounds. Nevertheless, much unofficial campaigning takes placemany weeks before that time period, albeit of a different naturefrom that which is legally permittedduring the official campaign. For example, the "affiches" (wall posters and billboards)which are a staple of French political campaigns, are unregulated andappear in profusion prior to official campaign periods,but are restricted in size and limited to official bulletin boardsthereafter. Paid political advertising is permitted in the print mediaprior to the official campaign period and prohibitedthereafter, but is not allowed at any time on radio and television."Publication of public opinion polls about voter intentions,even more ubiquitous (if that is 6 5 possible) in France than in the U.S., is prohibitedfor one week prior to each round of voting.16 Attempts to reform and regulate campaign financing inthe interest of greater equality of opportunity for candidatesand greater public awareness of theirsources of support have been undertaken in somewhat similar ways in the two countries, withthe major piece of French legislationon the matter adopted only a few weeks before the 1988 campaign.17 The laws of both nations now require disclosure of contributions to candidates,provide some public financing for presidential campaigns,and place limits on total campaign expenditures.18 But in theU.S., because cf a First Amendment decision of the Supreme Court,"the spending limits apply only to the campaign committees of the candidatesthemselves, and only if they have accepted public funding, leavinga loophole for the increasingly enormous separate expendituresby the political parties or by anybody else who "independently"campaigns for a candidate. Although total expenditures above the, prescribed ceiling are presumably not permitted bythe French law, it appears that at least one of the candidates in the1988 campaign vastly exceeded those limits.20 The most significant differencesbetween the French and American rules governing political campaigncommunication are those having to do with candidateaccess to radio and television. Televised political"commercials" are the most extensive and expensive form of campaign communicationin the United States;

Load more