| Abstract: | Considerable information about a presidential election campaigncomes to voters through such intermediaries as personal networksand the mass media. This article examines the operation of theseintermediaries in the 1988 Ohio presidential campaign by focusingon exposure to them and the perceived partisan content of theirmessages—and how these key features of intermediationrelate to various voter characteristics. People are most disposedto discuss politics with like-minded relatives and friends,but discussions with co-workers provide an opportunity for politicallydissonant messages to intrude. This political discussion ismodulated by political attentiveness rather than personal orpartisan characteristics. Media exposure is high and also isrelated most to political attentiveness, although age is animportant determinant as well. Surprisingly, the media werecommonly perceived as balanced and neutral in the presidentialrace or, where committed, as supporting the candidate the respondentopposed. Because of this, only a third of the respondents foundthemselves in an overall intermediation environment that wasconcordant with their own preferences. Considerably more werein environments containing some discordant views, which couldchallenge their partisan dispositions. |
