Purpose of this website:
This website is devoted primarily to the 30-second campaign "spot" so common in American elections. The site is designed to provide teachers with the tools they need to introduce political campaign advertising to their students. Another goal is to assist teachers who want to help their students become aware of the unique techniques of persuasion used in these ads. To start, click the Background/Introduction/Standards link in the left hand column.

NEW: Obama, Romney Campaign Staffers Break Down Strategies On Ads
         Men Dominate Media Coverage of 2012 Election
         A Review Of 2012 Confirms A 'Pulverizing' Level Of Political Ads
         Local Stations Took in 80% of Political Spending on TV Ads (TVB)
         Poll: Americans generally skeptical of political ads
         Romney & Republicans Outspent Obama, But Couldn't Out-Advertise Him
         A look at online ads in the 2012 election
         Obama photo-ops draw criticism
         Social media a star during presidential election
         Visual Journalism & election night images
         How To Read A Political Campaign Photo (CJR)
         The Art of Crafting A Presidential Campaign Commercial
         Streaming Videos for Teaching Media & The Campaign 2012
         Make your own political campaign ad
         Read: Explaining political ads to kids (slideshow)
         How Not To Be Fooled by Campaign Ads
         Download:  Toss Up State Map With News Headlines
         Teachable Moment: Watching The Debates With Students;
         Lights, Camera Debate (includes Debate Watcher Worksheet);
         What Students Should Know About Campaigns & The Media;
         Frank is interviewed by School Library Journal;
         The 30 Second Campaign (essay from UPFRONT);
         Identifying Patterns of Deception in Campaign 2012 Ads
        

TIME Magazine October 15,2012 Political Truths Are Not Black and White	Adweek October 1, 2012 Election 2012 Cash Streams In	Could we run out of airtime? "consultants and station managers warn. Airtime scarcity will be more of an issue in 2012 than ever before."	The February 2, 2012 issue of THE WEEK magazine examines the proliferation of Super PAC ads during the current season in The Dirtiest Campaign

Recommended:  (see more IN THE NEWS current news articles)
Internet a growing source for campaign news, study finds

Can Broadcasters Refuse To Air SuperPAC Ads?

Social Media & American Politics (Pew Study)

Analyst: Political Ads on TV Stations Top $1 Billion

The Internet As Political Lie Detector

TV Remains Dominant Source of Debate Viewing: Pew

Campaigns Use Social Media to Lure Younger Voters

The rapidly changing media landscape and what it means for politics

Creators of negative campaign ads use neuroscience, skip the facts, go for your emotions

TV Viewers 'Left in the Dark' About Flood of Political Ads

How you and your smartphone are changing politics

MTV Attempts to Draft Young Voters

The Art of Political Stagecraft (TIME)

Voters still tuned in to traditional news media, poll finds

What Your Favorite TV Show Says About Your Politics (Ad Targeting)

Presidential Ad Spending Focused on Nine States

Five Myths of Campaign Ads

USA TODAY GRAPHICS:  Battleground ad spending; voter ad poll

Social media power youth political participation

Presidential campaign ad spending tops $87 million

Silenced: Gender Gap in the 2012 Election Coverage

Twitter's Emerging Role in Campaign 2012

SCOTUS Agrees to Reconsider Citizens United

VIDEO: music video explanation of Super PACs

Negative political ads:  both more numerous and nastier

Local TV stations benefit from Super Pac Ad Spending

Ad Experts Select Their All-Time Favorite Political Commercials (stream)

Cable News Main Source For 2012 Presidential Campaign Viewers

Outside political ad spending up 1600% (study)

POLIOPTICS: Political Influence Through Imagery, From Washington to Obama   (10 part series)

Campaigning in the era of YouTube, other video sharing sites

Study: In Political Coverage, Fox More ‘Balanced’ Than Broadcasters

Election 101: Five basics about 'super PACs' and 2012 campaign money

Pres Candidates Use Promoted Tweets to Sway Voters in Real Time

Campaigns Take A Liking to Social Media

Free media helping to define US presidential race

Presidential race coverage raises conflict issues

Warning: Political Ads Make You Stupid

The story behind the ad that changed American politics

Campaign ads: Do voters pay attention and do they matter?

Television and the Presidency How the News Affects Our  Perceptions

            
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