Is Anyone Watching? The Death Of Conventions

End Of Conventions?
A Web Essay

By Michael Duffy / TIME

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Transcript Of The Web Essay

By Craig Staats / AllPolitics

CHICAGO (AllPolitics, Aug. 29) -- Political leaders and TV executives have a big problem. What do you do when a made-for-TV event just doesn't pull viewers like it used to?

Dwindling audiences for this month's Republican and Democratic conventions, coupled with news media grumbling over their ever-more-scripted nature, could spell some big changes for coverage in 2000.

The Democrats pulled more TV viewers on their first night than the GOP did on Aug. 12, but no one is jumping with joy. The fact is, the ratings have generally been abysmal, which has forced a wholesale reconsideration of convention coverage.

What the numbers mean is, despite all the celebrities, the music, the flash and the inclusion of "real people" talking about real problems, the conventions don't have the same cachet they once did.

One problem this year, of course, is that voters knew five months ago, after the spring primaries, that it would be Democrat Bill Clinton versus Republican Bob Dole. The only shred of suspense at either convention was whether Dole's last rival, Pat Buchanan, and his supporters would make waves. Oh, and who Dole would pick as his running mate.

The more basic dilemma, though, is that the conventions have evolved into slick, professionally produced stage shows where hard news is scarce.

The broadcast networks already have scaled back their coverge, focusing only on top-line speakers. Neither NBC, ABC or CBS went live with the passionate speeches of the Rev. Jesse Jackson or former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo Tuesday night, despite the prospect of conflict -- in this case, their disagreement with Clinton on new welfare restrictions.

For 2000, networks could wind up treating the conventions more as a four-day stop campaign stop -- picking and choosing even more selectively what they report -- than covering them as real news events.

Is Anyone Watching? The Death Of Conventions

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