Transatlantic Media

While both European and American media continue to devote heavy coverage to the Democratic presidential primary race, there has been hardly reporting on the campaigns’ activities in Puerto Rico, the semi-autonomous American territory - partly because Obama is now seen as the almost inevitable Democratic candidate and Puerto Ricans cannot vote in the actual presidential election. Puerto Rico does, however, send delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.

Nonetheless, a surprising and lonely effort has been made by none other than France’s most intellectually prestigious daily newspaper, Le Monde. The main headline of the paper’s online version at 11:00am on Friday May 30th read ‘Distancée, Hillary Clinton tente d’entretenir la flamme avec la primaire de Porto Rico.’* The article was written from the capital, San Juan, by special correspondent Jean-Michel Caroit.

*Translated: ‘Outdistanced, Hillary Clinton tries to keep the flame alive in the Puerto Rican Primary.’ May 30, 2008 Le Monde

At a meeting in Aberdeen, Scotland, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged oil industry leaders to find ways of increasing output as Britain’s North Sea oil reserves decline. With the government struggling to combat rising fuel costs, Business Secretary John Hutton announced two new licenses for North Sea production, together with plans for further exploitation of existing oilfields.

The moves came after British truckers converged on London to protest rising taxes on diesel and public opposition mounted to proposals for a retroactive “green tax” on gas-guzzling cars that could double vehicle taxes on some models to more than £430 (over $800) a year.

In a commentary in the Guardian, however, Brown argued that the oil crisis was “a global shock” that required a comprehensive international strategy. He called on G8 leaders to tackle the issue at their July 7 - 9 summit meeting in Japan.
The story was reported in a variety of ways, depending on the outlet. The British press linked Brown’s moves to the British truck drivers’ protests, as well as similar actions in France and Spain, and to his call for “global solutions” to the crisis.

The American press only sparsely covered these developments. In the oil state of Texas, the Houston Chronicle recorded Brown’s meeting with the oil producers, and briefly mentioned the truckers’ protest, but did not report Brown’s comments on the “global shock.” The New York Times, on the other hand, concentrated on Brown’s remarks.

None of the articles referred to similar demonstrations by truck drivers, calling for increased oil drilling in the United States, which took place recently in Washington, DC.

‘British PM wants firms to produce more oil’ May 28, 2008, The Houston Chronicle

‘British Leader Warns of Global Oil Price Shock’ May 29, 2008, The New York Times

‘Gordon Brown: We must all act together’ May 28, 2008, The Guardian

The British and some other European media reported a pledge by Barack Obama to strengthen U.S. links with Britain in a telephone address to a group of influential American expatriates gathered at the London home of Elisabeth Murdoch (daughter of Rupert Murdoch) for a supposedly private fundraising event. Guests and other co-hosts included Kay Saatchi, art collector, Josh Berger, head of Warner Bros in the UK and Ireland, and David Schwimmer, former Friends sitcom star. The Democratic presidential candidate told the group,

‘We have a chance to recalibrate the relationship and for the United Kingdom to work with America as a full partner.’

UK-U.S. relations have hardly been mentioned in the U.S. election campaign, despite their relevance to key campaign issues such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran. The broader transatlantic alliance has not been the subject of much comment either. Obama’s remarks on the U.S.-UK “special relationship” were reported in British media including the daily newspapers the Telegraph, the Guardian, the Daily Mail and Metro, and the weekly New Statesman as well as by Germany’s international broadcasting station Deutsche Welle. Obama’s pledge was seen as especially important, given the widespread criticism of former Prime Minster Tony Blair for failing to secure any quid pro quo from Washington for British support on the Iraq War. But apart from a reprint on the American website, Buzzle.com, the comments received no coverage in the United States.

‘UK’s special relationship with US needs to be recalibrated, Obama Tells Expats in Britain’, The Guardian Online, May 27, 2008

On May 8, the EU Observer published an article about EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson’s (UK) remarks during a BBC interview describing the ‘protectionist’ trade policies of U.S. Democratic Presidential candidates as ‘mirages.’

His exact quote ‘It is irresponsible to be pretending to people you can erect new protection, new tariff barriers around your economy in this 21st century global age and still succeed in sustaining people’s living standards and jobs’…’It is a mirage and they know it.’

Commissioner attacks protectionist ‘mirage of Obama, Clinton‘ May 8, 2008 EU Observer

The article focuses almost completely on his criticism of the candidates’ trade policies, with small diversions to discuss U.S.-EU trade in general.

On the other hand, American coverage of the same BBC interview, as reported in The New York Times and the Washington Post (both articles pulled from REUTERS) uses a completely different headline ‘U.S. Democrats Reassure EU Over Stance on Doha Talks (May 8)’ and discusses Mandelson’s criticism of the Democratic Presidential Candidate’s trade stances in terms of the World Trade Organization’s Doha multilateral trade neogiations. The articles note that Mandelson is currently pushing for a WTO deal now (conclusion of the talks has been much delayed, with no sign of a breakthrough) .

‘U.S. Democrats Reassure EU Over Stance on Doha Talks’ May 8, 2008 Washington Post

We will include the New York Times version as well (click here for the link). No other articles could be found about this in the American press at the time. Perhaps this says something about the importance the American media places on comments made by a major trade figure in of one of the United State’s largest trading partners, the European Union.

Europeans are watching the U.S. presidential campaign more closely than ever before, and Obama is stealing the spotlight. The New York Times details ‘Obama Fever’ in Europe.

‘Obama Fever in Europe’ New York Times, March 21, 2008

Methods of covering presidential elections have changed dramatically in recent years, and many believe that the 2008 campaign is the first in which the ‘new media’ have come fully into their own. The Transatlantic Media Network and the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs hosted a discussion on ‘The Challenge of Covering Presidential Elections’ on April 24th at George Washington University, in which a wide range of media representatives and veteran journalists examined the latest trends in campaign reporting - including the demise of ‘The Boys on the Bus.’

For the transcript, audio and other information, please visit the event website.

In an era of tightening budgets, major media outlets have cut back on costly practices, such as assigning reporters full-time to covering individual candidates. The New York Times details the phenomenon.

‘The Buzz on the Bus: Pinched, Press Steps Off’ March 26, 2008, New York Times

The Washington Post offers this analysis of televised presidential debates:

‘In PA Debate, The Clear Loser is ABC’ April 17, 2008, The Washington Post

Katharine Q. Seeyle notes in The New York Times that in an attempt to play to the new media, Hillary Clinton’s campaign ran a ‘bloggers only’ conference call, aiming to increase her presence in that power sphere.

‘As Primaries End, Clinton Appeals Directly to Blogs’ May 20, 2008 New York Times

On May 11, the British Sunday newspaper, the Observer, published this hopeful article by Will Hutton about European perceptions of the United States. The view of America in the European media is often more critical and more negative.

‘Forget the Naysayers: American Remains an Inspiration to Us All’ May 11, 2008, The Guardian

While most American reporting on economic downturns focuses on American domestic issues or world business reports, this New York Times article takes a look at the way stagnant wages are hurting the European middle classes. Interesting to note the ‘luxuries’ which many Europeans are being forced to abandon.

‘For Europe’s Middle Classes Stagnant Wages Stunt Lifestyle’ May 1, 2008 New York Times