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 - Oct. 5-6/08

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. 6/08

Negative Headlines for Conservatives Open Campaign’s Final Week

Conservative -78
NewsInfluence Index

· The Conservative Party opened the final week of the federal election campaign with a salvo of very negative front page headlines and television news items.

· Election coverage included:

- Warnings from a prominent British general that the Afghanistan war is lost;

- The lead item from CTV News featured a bank forecast that Canada will tip into recession;

- A Globe and Mail front page headline featured poll results showing a majority victory slipping away;

- A Montreal Gazette front page headline featured a coalition of Quebec forces rallying against the Conservatives;

- New developments from the Toronto Star about the government’s handling of the national listeria health crisis.

· Afghanistan was a sudden focus in election coverage, which included front page headlines in the National Post, Victoria Times Colonist, Calgary Herald, and Regina Leader-Post.

· Several news reports pointed out the latest round of poll results show a majority government may be out of reach for the Conservatives, as voter support erodes in Quebec.

NDP +31
NewsInfluence Index

· Leader Jack Layton received attention from television and print media for comments on the Afghanistan war, and a strident appeal for voters opposed to the Conservative government to turn to the NDP.

Liberal +29
NewsInfluence Index

· Leader Stephane Dion positioned Conservative Leader of Stephen Harper as out of touch with the economic troubles of real Canadians, as his campaign carefully avoids encounters with the general public.

BQ +10
NewsInfluence Index

· Leader Gilles Duceppe received national coverage for his comments on the economy and growing voter opposition in Quebec to a Conservative majority government.

Green Party +0
NewsInfluence Index

· The Green Party did not receive prominent campaign coverage in the latest news cycle.

Kicking off the final week of the federal election campaign, a salvo of negative headlines for the Conservative Party emphasized the war in Afghanistan, a recession in Canada, eroding support in Quebec and new criticism for the government’s handling of the national listeria health crisis. NDP Leader Jack Layton made a strident appeal for strategic voting against the Conservatives, and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion portrayed the government as out of touch with the economic troubles of real Canadians.