ABSTRACT
The impact of poll-based media coverage is significant throughout the campaign, although the effects vary at different stages of the campaign. Given the millions of dollars that the news media spend on election polling and other social science techniques like focus groups to gather information to supplement traditional "shoe-leather" journalism, it is somewhat of a wonder that they do so little in making use of the information they gather. Euality election surveys should be used throughout the campaign, from before the primaries through the weeks following the election. A proactive approach for guiding coverage by using election survey findings would make it more likely that reporters, editors, and producers have a major say in setting the agenda for the issues that the candidates address. Finally, news organizations must get beyond merely increasing the types of sources they use to gather information about an election campaign.
