JAMES B. LEMERT is Profesor and Journalism Graduate Studies Director at the University of Oregon. He is the author of two previous books, Does Mass Communication Change Public Opinion After All? (1981) and Criticizing the Media: Empirical Approaches (1989), and dozens of research articles. Dr. Lemert teaches courses in public opinion, journalists' craft attitudes, and mass communication theory.WILLIAM R. ELLIOTT is Associate Professor and Head of Graduate Studies in Journalism at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is the author of numerous journal articles and papers on media influences on the political process. Dr. Elliott teaches courses in mass communications theory, research methods, and theory construction.JAMES M. BERNSTEIN is Assistant Professor of Journalism at Indiana University. He currently teaches courses in broadcast journalism, public opinion, and the media as social institutions. Dr. Bernstein's research interests include public opinion, political communication, and television and politics.WILLIAM L. ROSENBERG is Associate Professor and Director of the Drexel University Survey Research Center. He has presented many papers and has authored numerous articles on politics and communication. In addition to serving as a media analyst during election campaigns, as well as a research consultant for local, state and national agencies, Dr. Rosenberg teaches courses in political communication, public opinion and propaganda, and research methods.KARL J. NESTVOLD, Professor and Associate Dean, is Head of the Broadcast News Sequence, School of Journalism, University of Oregon. Dr. Nestvold's research interests include the FCC theory of diversity, television news and public affairs, broadcasting in Great Britain, and the Soviet Union's external information programs.

• Preface Introduction Study Design and Rationale Network Television News Coverage of the Debates, 1976 to 1988 Candidate Verdicts in Post-Debate Analysis Programs Journalists and the Idea of Presidential Debates The First Bush-Dukakis Debate: Face-To-Face Contact The Quayle-Bentsen Debate: A Verdict Effect? The Final Presidential Debate: October 13, 1988 Debates in the Eyes of the Audience The Audience Responds to "Attack" Ads Debates in the Context of the Rest of the Campaign Appendix Bibliography Index

JAMES B. LEMERT is Profesor and Journalism Graduate Studies Director at the University of Oregon. He is the author of two previous books, Does Mass Communication Change Public Opinion After All? (1981) and Criticizing the Media: Empirical Approaches (1989), and dozens of research articles. Dr. Lemert teaches courses in public opinion, journalists' craft attitudes, and mass communication theory.WILLIAM R. ELLIOTT is Associate Professor and Head of Graduate Studies in Journalism at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is the author of numerous journal articles and papers on media influences on the political process. Dr. Elliott teaches courses in mass communications theory, research methods, and theory construction.JAMES M. BERNSTEIN is Assistant Professor of Journalism at Indiana University. He currently teaches courses in broadcast journalism, public opinion, and the media as social institutions. Dr. Bernstein's research interests include public opinion, political communication, and television and politics.WILLIAM L. ROSENBERG is Associate Professor and Director of the Drexel University Survey Research Center. He has presented many papers and has authored numerous articles on politics and communication. In addition to serving as a media analyst during election campaigns, as well as a research consultant for local, state and national agencies, Dr. Rosenberg teaches courses in political communication, public opinion and propaganda, and research methods.KARL J. NESTVOLD, Professor and Associate Dean, is Head of the Broadcast News Sequence, School of Journalism, University of Oregon. Dr. Nestvold's research interests include the FCC theory of diversity, television news and public affairs, broadcasting in Great Britain, and the Soviet Union's external information programs.

• Preface Introduction Study Design and Rationale Network Television News Coverage of the Debates, 1976 to 1988 Candidate Verdicts in Post-Debate Analysis Programs Journalists and the Idea of Presidential Debates The First Bush-Dukakis Debate: Face-To-Face Contact The Quayle-Bentsen Debate: A Verdict Effect? The Final Presidential Debate: October 13, 1988 Debates in the Eyes of the Audience The Audience Responds to "Attack" Ads Debates in the Context of the Rest of the Campaign Appendix Bibliography Index

JAMES B. LEMERT is Profesor and Journalism Graduate Studies Director at the University of Oregon. He is the author of two previous books, Does Mass Communication Change Public Opinion After All? (1981) and Criticizing the Media: Empirical Approaches (1989), and dozens of research articles. Dr. Lemert teaches courses in public opinion, journalists' craft attitudes, and mass communication theory.WILLIAM R. ELLIOTT is Associate Professor and Head of Graduate Studies in Journalism at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is the author of numerous journal articles and papers on media influences on the political process. Dr. Elliott teaches courses in mass communications theory, research methods, and theory construction.JAMES M. BERNSTEIN is Assistant Professor of Journalism at Indiana University. He currently teaches courses in broadcast journalism, public opinion, and the media as social institutions. Dr. Bernstein's research interests include public opinion, political communication, and television and politics.WILLIAM L. ROSENBERG is Associate Professor and Director of the Drexel University Survey Research Center. He has presented many papers and has authored numerous articles on politics and communication. In addition to serving as a media analyst during election campaigns, as well as a research consultant for local, state and national agencies, Dr. Rosenberg teaches courses in political communication, public opinion and propaganda, and research methods.KARL J. NESTVOLD, Professor and Associate Dean, is Head of the Broadcast News Sequence, School of Journalism, University of Oregon. Dr. Nestvold's research interests include the FCC theory of diversity, television news and public affairs, broadcasting in Great Britain, and the Soviet Union's external information programs.

• Preface Introduction Study Design and Rationale Network Television News Coverage of the Debates, 1976 to 1988 Candidate Verdicts in Post-Debate Analysis Programs Journalists and the Idea of Presidential Debates The First Bush-Dukakis Debate: Face-To-Face Contact The Quayle-Bentsen Debate: A Verdict Effect? The Final Presidential Debate: October 13, 1988 Debates in the Eyes of the Audience The Audience Responds to "Attack" Ads Debates in the Context of the Rest of the Campaign Appendix Bibliography Index