Do newspaper endorsements matter?

Do newspaper endorsements of political candidates matter? I would like to think that they do but more and more research is showing that endorsements have little (or no) impact on the outcome of elections. Interesting.

Seems like the biggest use of newspaper endorsements these days is for fodder in a candidate's advertisement. You know, Candidate X, endorsed by the Anytown Newspaper, etc.

Yes, newspapers need to take an active role in the community and do what they can to foster community discussion of issues. Endorsement of candidates is one way to do just that. So, in that sense, I suppose endorsements are good but do they matter?

A research article in the American Journalism Review supports the growing belief that endorsements do NOT matter to voters.

Here is a bit of what that article has to say:

Research on the electoral influence of newspaper endorsements is scarcer than a liberal at a Wall Street Journal editorial board meeting. Most of the data was compiled before the burgeoning Internet and the cacophony of cable TV further dulled whatever edge a newspaper endorsement gave one candidate over another. ...

"The direct effect of editorials does not appear to be significant enough to find ... The effect of newspaper endorsements is largely created through advertising about them that is sponsored by the candidate."

... the impact of endorsements on national or even regional elections – contests in which candidates are well-known among voters – is negligible.

What do you think?

Do endorsements matter ... part 2

The consensus answer about journalists appears to be yes. Two area bloggers have weighed in on this topic with their own blog enteries. If you are interested in this topic it is worth your time to read these.

First up, Tony Messenger at the Springfield News-Leader. His Sunday column on this topic was well reasoned.

Tony had several comments that should be repeated here. First:

Well, I can speak only for myself, but I believe the process is important. I don't make editorial endorsements because I have any intention of predicting the winners. I don't make editorial endorsements because I expect to have a serious effect on voting patterns. I make them because I believe it's an important part of the political process.

And then this conclusion:

Finally, the editorial endorsement, I believe, is important in what it says about the newspaper's philosophy.

Who we endorse, and why we endorse them, says a lot about what we believe as an editorial staff. It helps us decide among ourselves what values are important, and it helps define for our readers who we believe we are.

In effect, the end result is of less importance than the process.

We don't have a vested interest in who wins and which party gains power. For us, it's not a horse race and it's not a basketball pool.

Second, Randy Turner of the Turner Report gives an example from his own experience.

Randy's comments on the subject are best summed up in his conclusion when he writes:

I would say they are still important, but nowhere near as important as they were in the past. They are not going to have any effect on those who made up their minds before the race got underway. Those who are going to vote for Democratic candidates no matter what are not going to change, and the same applies for those who are only going to vote for Republican candidates. For those whose minds are not made up, a well-reasoned endorsement could make a difference, especially if the editorial board that makes that endorsement goes about the process in an evenhanded fashion.

Would you still like to weigh in? Your comments here are welcome.

Flashback - Do Editorial Endorsements Matter?

In this political season, with major elections coming up in April, August and November, many editors are again musing about the tradition of newspaper editorials "endorsing" candidates.

So, in this flashback posting, let's revist the issue of political endorsements posting on this blog, in three parts, about one year ago. You can read the collection posts on the subject HERE.

Let me know what you think.

Do endorsements matter? Yes & No -- Part III

Four very good articles related to this topic appear in the fall 2006 issue of "The Grassroots Editor," the quarterly journal of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors.

Here are a few of the highlights.

In the article entitled, "A contrary view of endorsing candidates," Dan Hammes, publisher of the St. Maries Gazette Record in Idaho writes:

In brief, I believe that a community served by only one newspaper is not well-served when that newspaper endorses one candidate over another. Assuming, of course, the newspaper’s editorial page is any good.
Those of us who write opinion pieces on a regular basis build credibility with our readers. That credibility, built over years of what we hope is reasoned, well-crafted opinion writing, serves to influence readers. If it doesn’t, we should find another line of work.
I think there is a more important role newspapers must serve.
Fairness.

In the article, "Many voters need a bit of help," John Bill Meyer, president of Hoch Publishing Co., Inc. in Marion, Kansas, writes:

Newspaper editors are in a better position to evaluate candidates than the average person who bases opinion on television commercials or coffee shop rumors.
Most editors are trained in political science, study sociology and logic. They also have experience.

In the article entitled, "Newspapers have a moral obligation to recommend political candidates," Jim Painter, a member of the ISWNE board of directors and managing editor of the West Valley View in Litchfield Park, Ariz., writes:

Newspaper reporters and editors, because they frequently come in contact with elected officials and political candidates, are often in a better position to judge the character, the knowledge and the experience of the candidates than the average citizen. That’s why we’re in a position — and have a moral obligation — to make recommendations for voters who haven’t yet decided who to vote for.

And finally, in the article, "Endorsements help promote meaningful community dialogue," Lori Evans, editor and publisher of the Homer (Alaska) News, writes:

Bottom line? Endorsements and other editorials are important because they constantly remind our readers that we all have the ability and responsibility to express our opinions and those opinions can help shape a community for the good.

What do you think?