Presidential Pseudo-Events and the Media Coverage They Receive

Abstract

American presidents routinely use pseudo-events in their attempts to generate positive news coverage and build a favorable image in the press. Despite their prevalence, we know little about how pseudo-events are covered by the American press. We content analyze front-page coverage of seven White House events during 2006 and early 2007 in 96 U.S. newspapers. We compare the amount and tone of coverage given each event, as well as the framing provided by headlines and lead paragraphs. Moreover, comparisons across newspapers suggest that newspapers slant to their coverage of presidential pseudo-events, which correlates with endorsement behavior and the political leanings of its potential market. Our results suggest that the coverage of presidential pseudo-events is shaped by the national political and policy context as well as the local context of the newspaper, thus limiting the ability of the White House to positively influence media coverage. However, effective staging and symbolism can result in positive coverage, even when the president faces difficult political circumstances.