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2010 Elections

2010 ElectionsBlogReleasesYear-End Summaries

2010 Campaign Ad Studies Published

(MIDDLETOWN, CT) Jan. 11, 2011 -- Two comprehensive studies of the campaign ad trends from the 2010 election have been published by the researchers from The Wesleyan Media Project. “Advertising Trends in 2010” (click here for a local copy), by Erika Franklin Fowler of Wesleyan University and Travis Ridout of Washington State University, and “The Citizens United Election? Or Same as it Ever Was?” (click here for a local copy), by Michael Franz of Bowdoin College, appear in the most recent issue of The Forum, a Journal of Applied Research in Contemporary Politics.
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January 11, 2011
2010 ElectionsReleases

An Uptick in Negativity: Last Few Weeks Provide Confirmation – 2010 Campaign Most Negative in Recent History

Republicans Using Pure Attack Ads More Often; Dem Attack Ads Still More Personal (MIDDLETOWN, CT) Nov. 1, 2010 – In just the last few weeks a large uptick in negative ads has pushed this year from one that was no more negative than 2008 to the most negative campaign in recent history by both sides. In an analysis of year-to-date (through Oct. 20) and traditional general election advertising (9/1-10/20) of House and Senate races, the Wesleyan Media Project is now finding a marked increase in negativity as the general election season has heated up and drawn close to Election Day. ***To…
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November 1, 2010
2010 ElectionsReleases

Ad Spending in Federal and Gubernatorial Races in 2010 Eclipses $1 Billion; $250M in Last Two Weeks Alone

Spending by outside groups up to $120 million since September 1 (MIDDLETOWN, CT) Oct. 27, 2010 -- As of October 20, spending on advertising in U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial races has eclipsed $1 billion, a historic figure by any measure.  Almost $620 million of that spending has been since September 1, and $250 million was in the past two weeks alone.  As a point of comparison, the Wesleyan Media Project estimated roughly $220M was spent on advertising between January 1 and September 15.  That means in the last two weeks alone, spending overtook the first nine and a half months of…
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October 27, 2010
2010 ElectionsReleases

Negativity Update: 2010 Features Similar Rates of Negativity, But Dems More Likely to Attack Personally

Dems and Reps are Similar in Proportion of Negative Ads, but Dem Strategy Likely Driven by Desire to Draw Attention Away from the Policy Environment (MIDDLETOWN, CT) Oct. 26, 2010 -- As we reported last week, “claims that 2010 is the most negative election to date may be premature.  In an analysis of close to 900,000 airings from January 1 to October 5, 2010, the Wesleyan Media Project finds that the distribution of positive, negative and contrast ads is comparable to 2008 in proportion, if not in volume.”  In an update to that release, and with a focus on House and…
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October 26, 2010