The Media and the 2012 Presidential Election

This article analyses and evaluates key aspects of media coverage of the 2012 presidential election in a framework that allows for selective comparison with the first direct election of the president of the Fifth Republic in 1965. The article covers: the huge expansion in media supply accompanied by notable changes in consumption patterns by audiences; the enormous growth and increased influence of opinion polling; the professionalisation of election campaigning, particularly by the so-called serious' candidates; the institution of electoral primaries; the rule-bound nature of the campaign, including specific regulations governing coverage by the broadcasting media; and the head-to-head television debate between the two leading candidates prior to the decisive second round. While much has changed in the political communication landscape between 1965 and 2012, the impact of the media on the campaign and on voters continues to raise searching questions.