Narrowcasting: TV Message, Field Money
The Article about Narrowcasting in Ohio brings to light a great strategy used by ACT canvassers. While I had friends working for ACT in PA and in WI and was in fact roomates with one, I was legally prohibited from discussing their campaign tactics prior to the election since I was working for a Congressional race. Narrowcasting is simply put. . .pretty fuckin cool.
The advantage to running TV ads is that they are extremely persuasive and can move numbers real fast. The advantage to field work is that it is higher impact and more easily targeted. Narrocasting with PDA's combines the advantages of the two. Not only can you target the voter you want to reach but also the message that is most likely to persuade them. This saved a great deal of effort in mesaging and field work. Not to mention the fact that TV ads cost a lot more money than volunteers and field staff pounding the pavement. Of course, now we should consider the startup costs for the infrastructure. . .
The advantage to running TV ads is that they are extremely persuasive and can move numbers real fast. The advantage to field work is that it is higher impact and more easily targeted. Narrocasting with PDA's combines the advantages of the two. Not only can you target the voter you want to reach but also the message that is most likely to persuade them. This saved a great deal of effort in mesaging and field work. Not to mention the fact that TV ads cost a lot more money than volunteers and field staff pounding the pavement. Of course, now we should consider the startup costs for the infrastructure. . .
2 Comments:
Narrowcasting works great in tandem with televison, but also seems like an incredibly valuable tool to those with limited finances.
Even if volunteers have to carry database generated spreadsheets instead of PDAs, the idea of using your limited resources on the people most likely to respond to your efforts (a la Jesse Jackson's campaign) is genious.
Winning elections is about mobilizing your core - why waste time on those you have no chance of wooing.
Apparently this didn't go well in the Philly and Lehigh valley areas it was tried in. Maybe Pennsylvanians are less impressed by narrowcasting then cracker Ohioians.
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