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New York, March 20, 2008: Barrack Obama is fighting for the survival of his campaign. Up-to-data analysis of political coverage in US TV news shows a collapse of media support for Barrack Obama after the revelation of the divisive remarks from his long-term spiritual mentor, the Rvd. Jeremiah Wright. ?Although Obama fought back with his speech in Philadelphia,? explains Roland Schatz, President of Media Tenor International, ?the discussion has undermined his claim to transform race relations in the US.? At the same time, analysis of political coverage in ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox news, shows Hillary Clinton reclaiming lost ground after her win in Texas.

TV coverage of the Democratic nomination continues to focus on campaigning and leadership issues ? which more and more evolve into Obama?s Achilles? heel. Doubts about his lack of experience have haunted him since the beginning of the campaign, but they have been balanced by the momentum of his early wins. But after his failure to beat Clinton in Texas, criticism prevails. In March, more than 1 in 4 statements on Obama?s leadership qualities was negative. The latest setbacks at the polls have driven critical reporting about Obama, while Hillary Clinton profited from her comeback. ?As none of the two contenders is expected to win a majority of delegates, journalists anticipate advantages for Clinton,? Schatz points out.

Negative TV coverage of the economy reached a new peak in March. As the financial meltdown on Wall Street continues, politicians struggle to maintain an optimistic outlook, while more than 70% of Americans see their country already in a recession. However, the economic problems have had little impact on the Presidential campaign. But when TV reported about the economic policies of the candidates, critical comments prevailed. ?It seems unlikely that one of the contenders can turn the economic upheavals into an advantage,? concludes Schatz.

For the third time, International Media analysis company Media Tenor is offering a detailed analysis of the U.S. presidential campaign. TV news coverage of the leading Presidential contenders is scrutinized at a detailed level. ?The methodology was developed 15 years ago and has been successfully used not only to analyze the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Presidential campaigns, but also for International politics as well,? Schatz explains. Media Tenor?s Presidential Campaign Watch focuses not only on Candidate standings, but also on topics and sources, while adding on an international perspective. Results of Media Tenor studies will be regularly published on MediaChannel.org.

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