Cost of Air Time
Cost estimates were provided by the Campaign Medial Analysis Group (CMAG) and are based on the average coast of a media buy for the airing time and station. This calculation does not include either premium costs often associated with ad buys or the costs of production.
Themes
For the report, ad themes were coded as follows:
- Traditional Judicial: does not discuss issues or allegiances; discusses the personal and professional qualifications of the candidate (e.g., statements about the candidate’s education/training/experience/background, family/community involvement, fairness/impartiality, character/temperament)
- Civic Justice: protection/rights of injured, dangerous/defective products, accidents, personal injury lawyers/trial lawyers, HMOs, doctors, corporations/big business, drug/insurance companies, puts people first, right to trial by jury, lawsuit abuse
- Criminal Justice: death penalty, overturns convictions, tough/soft on crime/criminals, victims’ rights, technicalities/loopholes/appeals
- Special Interest Influence: for sale/sold, supporters are buying a seat on the court, in the pocket of/influenced by special interests, campaign financing
- Criticism for Decision(s): in a specific case or type of cases
- Family/Conservative Values: protects children/families/community/religion
- Role of Judges: how judges should act while on the bench and when presiding over cases
- Attack: criticism of a candidate not related to the judiciary
- Civil Rights: voting rights, minority rights