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 Elections Canada

n Liberal Party

n Conservative Party

n NDP

n Green Party

n CTV

n CBC

n Global / CanWest

n Globe and Mail

n Toronto Star

NewsInfluence Index - Sept. 11-12/08

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.

© Lifeline Communications Group Inc. 2005 - 2008

Sept. 12/08

Conservatives Knocked Off Message, Off Track by Party War Room

Conservative -37.5
NewsInfluence Index

· Extensive television and print coverage delivered a message that the Conservative campaign was knocked off message and off course for the second time in the campaign’s opening week by a serious gaffe in the party’s war room.

· Several negative news reports pointed out Prime Minister Stephen Harper was forced to apologize for an inappropriate e-mail about the father of a Canadian soldier who died in Afghanistan.

· Negative election coverage was partly offset by balanced news reports about Harper’s attacks against the Liberal Party’s green shift plan.

Liberal +27.5
NewsInfluence Index

· Leader Stephane Dion received positive coverage for defending against attacks from Prime Minister Harper, and strongly declaring his  support for national unity.

· The Liberal campaign was featured prominently in television and print news reports, including front page articles in the Globe and Mail and National Post.

NDP +19
NewsInfluence Index

· News reports highlighted a campaign message from Leader Jack Layton  promoting a ‘cap and trade’ carbon exchange in Montreal to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Bloc Quebecois +7
NewsInfluence Index

· A light volume of coverage highlighted a message from Leader Gilles Duceppe that the Conservative government is ignoring economic hardships in manufacturing communities across Quebec.

Green +3
NewsInfluence Index

· News reports did not provide prominent attention for the Green Party, after several days of very heavy coverage  for controversy about the participation of Leader Elizabeth May in televised leaders’ debates.

In negative tones, a very heavy volume of election coverage featured controversy over an inappropriate e-mail from the Conservative war room about the father of a Canadian solider who died in Afghanistan. News reports said the controversy knocked the Conservative campaign off message.