Work

Changing the Subject: An Analysis of Candidates’ Issue Emphasis in Televised Election Debates, 1985-2019

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Election debates are key campaign events that allow citizens to compare politicians’ issue positions side-by-side. While debate moderators try to keep candidates on-topic to contrast issue positions, candidates can try to shift the debate to off-topic issues instead. Election debates thus provide a unique setting to study candidates’ issue emphasis. In this context, we study: who veers off-topic, on which issues, and when? Our theory-driven quantitative content analysis of 24 Belgian election debates (1985–2019) shows that different candidates are equally likely to veer off-topic, but when they do, they emphasize their party’s core issues and follow previous off-topic speaking turns.

Source: Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media

DOI: 10.1080/08838151.2023.2272856

Authors: Jonas Lefevere, Ine Goovaerts, Emma Turkenburg

Institutions: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, University of Antwerp, Brussels School of Governance, KU Leuven

Language: English

Topic: Electoral Systems and Political Participation

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funders: Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, KU Leuven