Diversity and My Study by Darcy Delaney

Diversity and My Study
By Darcy Delaney


Photo provided by MSNBC

The topic of my thesis is the portrayal of female political candidates by weekly news magazines. I will conduct a content analysis that analyzes three news magazines (Time, Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report) during the 2007 Democratic primaries, ending with the Iowa Caucus. Current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden (then competitors for the Democratic presidential candidacy) will be the two candidates analyzed in this study. It will be a content analysis that analyzes photographs containing one or both of the candidates, and the headlines and cutlines that accompany these photographs.

Political diversity can be defined as encouraging acceptance of political candidates with different backgrounds. The 2008 U.S. Presidential race saw a multitude of diversity, not just with females being in the race, but also with an African American male running for president. It is evident by the results of this race (with President Barack Obama and Clinton being the final competitors for the Democratic seat and with Obama winning the overall election) that Americans are more accepting of diversity than ever before. However, are the media still creating biases?

Diversity plays a crucial role in my thesis. While there were positive outcomes from this election, it is possible the media still created biases that could have created negative portrayals of female candidates, which numerous researchers have suggested could result in the loss of an election. This study would not exist without diversity as its backbone. If diversity were not part of this study, it would have a huge impact on the subjects being analyzed and would determine the sources in every possible way.

If diversity were not a part of this study, Clinton would not be able to be analyzed. This would also not allow me to study Gov. Sarah Palin or Obama. The 2008 presidential election was filled with diversity, which is the primary reason it is worth studying. Without diversity, the election would differ in no way from previous presidential elections held in the United States.

A study of the portrayal of female candidates by weekly news magazines that did not contain diversity would not exist. If different candidates were chosen, it would mean no diversity existed. The results would differ because it would no longer be measuring portrayals of female candidates by the mass media.

Click here to view a video showing media bias against female political candidates and some of the candidates’ wives.