Comments on: Compare Media Coverage of Presidential Candiates with Everymoment Now http://flowingdata.com/2008/09/15/compare-media-coverage-of-presidential-candiates-with-everymoment-now/ Strength in Numbers Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:48:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nathan Yau http://flowingdata.com/2008/09/15/compare-media-coverage-of-presidential-candiates-with-everymoment-now/#comment-14457 Nathan Yau Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:31:21 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1007#comment-14457 @Tim - definitely. that's what statistics is all about. it's about looking at the data, and then digging deeper trying to answer the <em>why</em> and trying to find as much context as possible. Do you have any recommendations on those software packages that evaluate "tone?" I'd be interested to see those. @Tim – definitely. that’s what statistics is all about. it’s about looking at the data, and then digging deeper trying to answer the why and trying to find as much context as possible.

Do you have any recommendations on those software packages that evaluate “tone?” I’d be interested to see those.

]]> By: Tim http://flowingdata.com/2008/09/15/compare-media-coverage-of-presidential-candiates-with-everymoment-now/#comment-14455 Tim Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:55:40 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1007#comment-14455 These are interesting websites, however, I believe the debate centers around the fairness of coverage and not the volume. The issues surrounding the psychology of media "influence" are not simple. While volume can be important if coverage is lopsided, which these sites show is not the case, the "tone" of the coverage is also a significant statistic. If one candidate is routinely presented in a positive light and the other in a negative light then media coverage does not inform the debate but instead it influences. Intentional media influence is a dangerous game -- whether it is done by state-controlled media like Russia and China or otherwise. There are a handful of text handling software packages that can evaluate "tone" of documents which, I think, would be a far more meaningful summary of the media coverage of the candidates. Of course, that evaluation may also show equal coverage which would put the debate to bed once and for all. These are interesting websites, however, I believe the debate centers around the fairness of coverage and not the volume. The issues surrounding the psychology of media “influence” are not simple. While volume can be important if coverage is lopsided, which these sites show is not the case, the “tone” of the coverage is also a significant statistic. If one candidate is routinely presented in a positive light and the other in a negative light then media coverage does not inform the debate but instead it influences. Intentional media influence is a dangerous game — whether it is done by state-controlled media like Russia and China or otherwise. There are a handful of text handling software packages that can evaluate “tone” of documents which, I think, would be a far more meaningful summary of the media coverage of the candidates. Of course, that evaluation may also show equal coverage which would put the debate to bed once and for all.

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