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Communication students show high interest in Presidential campaigns

Candidates' media savvy also addressed in survey; Obama rates high marks

Charleston, S.C. (February 20, 2007)-A recent e-mail survey of communication students at the College of Charleston shows Sen. Barack Obama as the most media-savvy presidential candidate at this early stage of the presidential campaign.

A February 2007 e-mail survey about political communication asked communication students at the College of Charleston to name the most "media-savvy" presidential candidate. Among those students answering the question, over half named Obama. Other Democrats listed by multiple students were Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. John Edwards.

Republican candidates described as media-savvy by Department of Communication students were former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain.

Half of those responding to the survey did not express any opinion about the media skills of the candidates, however.

Other survey results indicate College of Charleston communication students are engaged in the presidential campaign, with 48% "very likely" to vote in one of the South Carolina primary elections and 85% "very likely" to vote in the general election. Some College of Charleston students come from outside South Carolina and might be voting in their home state primaries.

Even if these survey results overstate the actual likelihood these students will vote, the results are consistent with the generally high turnout among college students in the 2004 presidential election and suggest the possibility of another strong turnout in 2008.

When seeking information about the presidential candidates, communication students plan to turn to both traditional sources and new media. Students were asked to identify all their expected sources of information about the presidential campaigns. As in past election campaigns, most students claim they will rely on television news (85%) and newspapers (69%) as sources for some information. Friends (45%) and family (54%) also will provide information about the presidential candidates.

Newer media forms will play a role in providing campaign information, with Internet news (76%) and TV comedy news (31%). Internet news was one of the most commonly mentioned sources of information for communication students, second only to television news.

"As in the national surveys of college students following the 2004 presidential election, College of Charleston communication students are interested in learning about the candidates from both traditional and new media," said Brian McGee, chairman of the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston. "Presidential candidates who fail to pay attention to college students and their expectations for effective communication do so at their own peril."

"That so many communication students failed to express an opinion about the media skills of the presidential candidates suggests those candidates have a great opportunity to demonstrate those skills during the current campaign," said McGee.

This survey of communication students at the College of Charleston was conducted via e-mail. Of the 700 students who were sent e-mail messages about the survey, 22% provided responses.

The College of Charleston and its Department of Communication have announced that the College will invite presidential candidates from the two major political parties to the College of Charleston campus to discuss the importance of presidential communication with the press and public. Allstate Insurance Company is the title sponsor for the series.

With the largest undergraduate major at the College of Charleston, the Department of Communication enrolls over 800 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. Students in the department study such topics as political communication, interpersonal communication, journalism, and public relations.

The College of Charleston is a nationally preeminent, public liberal arts and sciences university located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina. With a student population of approximately 9800 undergraduates and 1400 graduate students, the College is known for its small-college feel blended with the advantages and diversity of an urban, mid-sized university. Founded in 1770, the College of Charleston is among the nation's top universities for quality education, student life and affordability.

Additional Contacts:

Brian McGee
Department of Communication
(843) 475-5129

Ashley Cross
Allstate Media Relations
(847) 402-5600

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Department of Communication (contact information)
Voice (843) 953-7017 / Fax (843) 953-7037.
The Department of Communication is housed in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
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