CANADA ELECTION ANALYSIS 2008

Canada Votes 2008

Lifeline Communications will provide ongoing analysis of campaign media coverage during Election 2008.

Our media analysis will feature our NewsInfluence Index, which offers an indicator of the tone, volume and prominence of campaign coverage in major national news media.

Resources

Media Links

n NDP

n CTV

n CBC

n Global / Canwest

n Globe and Mail

n Toronto Star

NewsInfluence Index - Sept. 30-Oct. 1/08

NewsInfluence Index

Lifeline Communications calculates our NewsInfluence index, based on the number, prominence and tone of media items. The formula offsets negative, neutral, and positive media coverage, and assigns greater weight to prominent media items such as front page articles and higher ranking in television newscasts. The NewsInfluence index provides an indicator of the volume and tone of campaign coverage received by political parties in national news media.

The NewsInfluence Index covers major campaign items published in the Victoria Times Colonist, Vancouver Sun, Edmonton Journal, Calgary Herald, Regina Leader-Post, Saskatchewan StarPhoenix, Winnipeg Free Press, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Ottawa Citizen, and Montreal Gazette. The index also covers major campaign news items in television newscasts by CBC, CTV and Global National.

Oct. 1/08

Conservatives Hit by Plagiarism, Bernier Affair, More Candidate Controversy

Liberal +21
NewsInfluence Index

· Liberal MP Bob Rae received extensive television coverage for attacking Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper over a 2003 speech plagiarized from Australia’s prime minister.

· News reports delivered a message that the incident demonstrates a close political link between the Conservative government and conservatives who supported the U.S. invasion in Iraq.

· Election coverage observed that the tactical strike knocked the Conservative campaign badly off balance one day before televised leaders’ debates begin.

Green +12
NewsInfluence Index

· A widely published Canwest News article positioned Leader Elizabeth May as the wild card in televised leaders’ debate, who has the potential to shake up the campaign as it heads into the last stretch to voting day.

Bloc Quebecois +10
NewsInfluence Index

· National media coverage emphasized recent gains in voter support in Quebec at the expense of the Conservatives, and highlighted comments by Leader Gilles Duceppe on the economy.

NDP 0
NewsInfluence Index

· After several days of positive election coverage, the NDP did not receive prominent media attention on the day before leaders’ debates.

Conservative -64
NewsInfluence Index

· Negative media coverage for the Conservative Party intensified sharply, hit by a plagiarized speech given in Parliament by Leader Stephen Harper in 2003.

· News reports emphasized the speech, supporting military invasion in Iraq, was taken from then Australian prime minister John Howard, a conservative closely linked with both Harper and U.S. President George W. Bush.

· The Conservatives also suffered negative media coverage over a new book about the Bernier Affair, and comments by controversial Calgary MP Rob Anders.

· A positive Ottawa Citizen front page article highlighted a poll showing Environment Minister John Baird with a wide lead in his riding over former Liberal defence minister David Pratt.

The Conservative campaign was knocked off balance the day before televised leaders’ debates by a powerful Liberal attack over an important 2003 speech on Iraq by Leader Stephen Harper, that was clearly plagiarized from then Australian prime minister John Howard, a strong supporter of both Harper and U.S. President George W. Bush.