Philly 2014 Political Ad Trends Viewer


Trends Viewer: Philly Political Media Watch Project

Welcome to the interactive Trends Viewer tool designed to allow you to explore the data underlying the Philly Political Media Watch Project of the Internet Archive's TV News Archive! From September 1, 2014 through the election of November 4, 2014, 7 television stations in the Philadelphia market were monitored to identify all politically-related advertisements. In all, 74 distinct political advertisements were identified which collectively aired 13,675 times during the 65 day monitoring period. Each advertisement was assessed for time devoted to functional content, using the approach elaborated by William Benoit, Ph.D., most recently in his 2014 book, A Functional Analysis of Political Television Advertisements. Archive staff scored each ad along the dimensions of "Acclaim" (positive comments about candidate), "Attack" (negative comments about opposing candidate), and "Defend" (defending candidate against attacks by opposing candidate), along with typing up a transcript of its spoken content. A similar approach was taken by a team at the University of Delaware's Center for Community Research and Service lead by Associate Professor Danilo Yanich, in their study, Political Ads & Local TV News - Philly 2014.

Note that you will find some oddities in the data due to the way in which the human coding cataloged the advertisements. Each ad was categorized with the name of the primary candidate discussed, meaning that an attack ad run by one candidate against another will be cataloged under the second one's name, even if the other half of the advertisement lauds the candidate running the ad. This will yield nuanced results, such as comparing the ads focusing on Aimee Belgard vs those sponsored on her behalf.

This tool allows you to interactively explore and visualize the resulting trends (the raw datasets are also available for download). Using the form below, you can select any pair of candidates, parties, races, status, win/lost, sponsor, sponsor type, television channel, or even keywords found in the transcripts, or any combination therein, to compare their respective trends during the 2014 election cycle. If you specify multiple options they will be combined together. For example, you can compare ads focusing on Tom Corbett that were paid by Tom Corbett for Governor vs those paid for by Tom Wolf for Governor. Or, compare all ads mentioning the two candidates from any sponsor. Or ads focusing on candidates that ultimately won vs lost. Or, compare the ads run by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers vs those run by the House Majority PAC. Or, those mentioning "school" vs "job" in the transcript of the ad. Or, simply, view the overall trends for all 13,675 advertisement airings.

Search #1

Use the dropdowns below to select your first query.
You can select multiple options and they will be combined together.

Focal Candidate:
Focal Candidate Party:
Focal Candidate Status:
Focal Race:
Focal Candidate Outcome:
Ad Sponsor:
Ad Sponsor Type:
Television Channel:
Transcript Keyword:


Search #2

Use the dropdowns below to select your second query.
You can select multiple options and they will be combined together.

Focal Candidate:
Focal Candidate Party:
Focal Candidate Status:
Focal Race:
Focal Candidate Outcome:
Ad Sponsor:
Ad Sponsor Type:
Television Channel:
Transcript Keyword:

Select All Advertisements:





Summary Statistics

The four charts below offer a summary of overall trends. See the description under each graph for more detail on what it shows.



Total number of airings of all ads matching your queries

Total airtime of advertisements in minutes, broken down by the functional type expressed: Acclaim (praising the candidate), Attack (attacking the other candidate), or Defend (countering attacks made by the other candidate)



Total airtime (in minutes) of advertisements, broken down by television channel, making it possible to see where advertising time was focused and any differences in the kinds of ads run on each channel. Airtime is further broken down by the functional type expressed: Acclaim (praising the candidate), Attack (attacking the other candidate), or Defend (countering attacks made by the other candidate).



Total airtime (in minutes) of advertisements, broken down by the primary candidate focused on by the ad. An ad may mention multiple candidates, but it is cataloged under the focal candidate that was mentioned the most. Airtime is further broken down by the functional type expressed: Acclaim (praising the candidate), Attack (attacking the other candidate), or Defend (countering attacks made by the other candidate).



Total airtime (in minutes) of advertisements, broken down by the organization paying for the ad, making it possible to see who is paying for ads for/against a given candidate, etc. Airtime is further broken down by the functional type expressed: Acclaim (praising the candidate), Attack (attacking the other candidate), or Defend (countering attacks made by the other candidate).



Total airtime (in minutes) of advertising each candidate ran in shows starting during each hour, making it easy to see what times of day they targeted most heavily



Daily Timeline

The timeline below summarizes the total airtime of advertisements by day over the entire 65 day period, with results for "Tom Corbett + Tom Corbett for Governor" shown to the left of the center line and results for "Tom Corbett + Tom Wolf for Governor" shown to the right. Airtime is further broken down by the functional type expressed: Acclaim (praising the candidate), Attack (attacking the other candidate), or Defend (countering attacks made by the other candidate).




Ad Listing

The thumbnails below show all of the distinct advertisements matching your queries, ordered by how many times each was aired (see the number below each thumbnail). Click on any thumbnail to view a sample airing of that advertisement.

Advertisements Featuring "Tom Corbett + Tom Corbett for Governor"

Times Aired: 382
Times Aired: 95

Advertisements Featuring "Tom Corbett + Tom Wolf for Governor"

Times Aired: 293
Times Aired: 290
Times Aired: 178
Times Aired: 159
Times Aired: 135
Times Aired: 51



Show Listing

The specific television shows that a candidate runs their ads during offers powerful insights into the target demographics being sought by each candidate. The tables below summarize the total number of airings of ads matching your criteria that were run during each television show over the 65 day period. For selected news programming, a preview link is provided to view a sample airing of one of the advertisements that ran during that show.

All Shows Featuring "Tom Corbett + Tom Corbett for Governor"

RankShowAiringsPreview
1Action News38View
2Today21View
3Eyewitness News at 614View
4NBC 10 News Today at 600a13View
5Good Morning America12View
6Good Day Philadelphia12View
7NBC 10 News at 6pm11View
8FOX 29 News at Five11View
9Family Feud11
10College Football10
11NBC 10 News at 5pm9View
12Late Show With David Letterman9
13NBC 10 News at 11p9View
14Access Hollywood8
15CBS This Morning8View
16Good Day Philadelphia at 98View
17NBC 10 News Today at 11a8View
18Jimmy Kimmel Live8
19Eyewitness News at 118View
20Fox 29 News at 108View
21The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon8
22Lets Make a Deal7
23NBC 10 News at 4pm7View
24Fox 29 News at 6PM7View
25Action News at 4pm6View
26Live With Kelly and Michael6
27Action News 530 PM6View
28Two and a Half Men6
29Modern Family6
30The Doctors6
31Eyewitness News at 56View
32Jeopardy6
33Extra6
34Steve Harvey6
35Judge Judy6
36NFL Football5
37Action News 600 PM5View
38Action News at Ten on PHL175View
39NBC 10 News Today at 500a5View
40The Big Bang Theory5
41NBC Nightly News4View
42The Bold and the Beautiful4
43The Price Is Right4
44Fox 29 Morning News at 6a4View
45The Ellen DeGeneres Show4
46The Insider4
47How I Met Your Mother4
48Wheel of Fortune4
49Dr. Phil4
50Talk Philly4
51Americas Got Talent3
52Daytime Jeopardy3
53Judge Mathis3
54Eyewitness News at 5303View
55Inside Edition3
56Entertainment Tonight3
57NBC 10 News at 9am2View
58Who Wants to Be a Millionaire2
59The Queen Latifah Show2
60The Young and the Restless2
61The Simpsons2
62Days of our Lives2
63Last Call With Carson Daly2
64La Mission2
65Football Night in America2
66CBS News Sunday Morning2View
67Eyewitness News at 7am2View
68Shark Tank2
69The Meredith Vieira Show1
70The Biggest Loser1
71Fox29 Sports Show1
72FOX MLB Pregame Show1
73Dateline NBC1View
74Nightline1View
75Countdown to the CMA Awards 15 Songs That Changed Country Music1
76Reckless1
77NBC 10 News Today at 530a1View
78Bones1
79American Dad1
80The Secret Lives of Pets With Hoda Kotb1
81Seinfeld1
82CBS This Morning Saturday1View
83Action News Weekend 7AM1View
84Sports Zone1
85TMZ Live1
86Big Brother1
87Blue Bloods1
88Early Today1View
89On the Money1
90NBC 10 News at 10am1View
91NFL Thursday Night Kickoff1
92CSI Crime Scene Investigation1
93American Ninja Warrior1
94Extant1
95The Middle1
9620/201
97The Millers1
98The Voice1
99Action News 500 PM1View
100Eagles Post Game Show1
1011st Look1
102Chicago PD1
103Under the Lights1
104NBC 10 News at 6am1View
105Scorpion1
106NBC 10 News at 7am1View
107Action News at 1130 P1View

All Shows Featuring "Tom Corbett + Tom Wolf for Governor"

RankShowAiringsPreview
1Action News69View
2Today59View
3Good Morning America54View
4Good Day Philadelphia50View
5Fox 29 Morning News at 6a41View
6NBC 10 News at 11p33View
7NBC 10 News at 6pm33View
8Fox 29 News at 1032View
9Family Feud31
10Eyewitness News at 1131View
11CBS This Morning30View
12The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon27
13Eyewitness News at 627View
14Modern Family27
15Eyewitness News at 526View
16Wheel of Fortune25
17Action News 600 PM25View
18Extra24
19Jeopardy23
20Judge Judy22
21Action News at Ten on PHL1722View
22Late Show With David Letterman21
23Dr. Phil20
24The Insider19
25Good Day Philadelphia at 917View
26Access Hollywood16
27NBC 10 News at 5pm16View
28The Ellen DeGeneres Show14
29NBC 10 News Today at 500a12View
30Action News at 4pm11View
31Entertainment Tonight8
32Law Order Special Victims Unit8
33NBC 10 News at 4pm8View
34The Voice8
35Eyewitness News at 7am7View
36Eyewitness News on the CW Philly7View
37Jimmy Kimmel Live7
38CBS This Morning Saturday7View
39Judge Mathis7
40Anger Management6
4160 Minutes5View
42Dancing With the Stars5
43Action News 530 PM5View
44NBC 10 News Today at 430a5View
45In Depth With Graham Bensinger5
46NBC 10 News Today at 530a5View
47The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson4
48Eyewitness News at 8am4View
49Eyewitness News at 5304View
50The Good Wife4
51Early Today4View
52TMZ Live4
53The Blacklist4
54NBC 10 News Today at 600a4View
55NBC 10 News at 9am4View
56The Price Is Right4
57Fox 29 Morning News at 4a4View
58Football Night in America3
59Person of Interest3
60Animation Domination High-Def3
61Sports Zone3
62Seinfeld3
63Fox Sports Sunday3
64The Simpsons3
65The Office3
66NBC Nightly News3View
67Inside the Eagles3
68NBC 10 High School Blitz3
69Fox29 Weekend2
70NCIS New Orleans2
71The Peoples Court2
72CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley2View
73NBC 10 News2View
74CBS News Sunday Morning2View
75White Collar2
76Steve Harvey2
77Paid Programming2
78Shark Tank2
79The Doctors2
80Inside Edition2
81Dish Nation2
82The Queen Latifah Show2
83Madam Secretary2
84Lets Make a Deal2
85CSI Crime Scene Investigation2
86The Biggest Loser2
87The Meredith Vieira Show2
88Fox29 Sports Show2
89Chicago PD1
90Football Night in Philly1
91Action News at 1130 P1View
92Castle1
93Breakfast with the Candidates1
94Eyewitness News at 6am1View
95ABC World News Tonight With David Muir1View
96PHL17s In Focus1
97NBC 10 News Today at 11a1View
98Family Guy1
99Gracepoint1
100Fox 29 Game Day Live1
101Chasing1
102The Wendy Williams Show1
103Blue Bloods1
104Late Night With Seth Meyers1
105Open House1
106NBC 10 News at 530a1View
107NFL Football1
108NBC 10 News at 10am1View
109Eyewitness News Sunday1View
110Action News Weekend1View
111Fox 29 Morning News at 5a1View
112The Better Show1
113Scandal1
114Dateline NBC1View
115Eagles Game Plan1
116Americas Got Talent1
117Hot Bench1




The Philly Political Media Watch Project

See more information about this project.