An Analysis of the Type and Content of TV Ads in the 2002 Jamaican General Election

Abstract

This exploratory study deals with the type of television campaign ads aired by the PNP and the JLP in the 2002 General Election and the salient issues in the ads. The content of the ads were unpacked to understand some of the important issues for the political parties in their campaign. The parties differed significantly in the number of contrast, attack and positive ads they aired. The political parties used the type of ads that they believed would influence the voters and guarantee success at the polls. The negative ads of the PNP framed the JLP and its leaders as violent and the negative ads of the JLP framed the PNP and its leader as solid mismanagement. The positive ads of the PNP promoted the positive attributes of its new candidates and its solid achievements (information technology, highway 2000, opportunities for youth and improvements in public transportation and health care etc.). The positive JLP ads framed its policies (crime reduction, health, education, jobs and investments etc.) as positive change for Jamaica. The JLP promoted its new candidates in its contrast ads. The political parties in their contrast ads provided information short cuts to the voters which highlighted the differences in their policy programmes.