The media habits defining the 2012 election

Background Online survey of 1,032 nationally representative Adults (18+) Conducted September 21-22, 2012 Key takeaways TV is still the number 1 source for election coverage, and still the most important media for voters in making their decision to vote WOM still a key influencer of voting decisions part of an ongoing consumer trend around the desire for, and importance of, more human interactions Prints decline continues to be seen with some online media (e.g. online video, social media) being as much or more used to follow election coverage than national newspapers or magazine articles Millennials are driving much new media activity around the election (e.g. tablet use, mobile) Republicans more actively engaged on new media platforms (e.g. mobile, social) Swing voters are less likely than decided voters to feel that TV election coverage is important in making their decision for who to vote for, but are more likely than decided voters to say that online articles and local newspapers are important

Keeping up with the Presidential Election Coverage TV Rules- More Americans turn to Network TV News coverage (60%) for presidential coverage than any other media option while just over half follow along with Cable TV News (53%). Few forms of media are more important than talking with friends and family when it comes to the presidential election and other vital decisions. Ranking 3rd behind following the election on Network News and Cable News coverage is Talking with Friends and Family (50%). This finding reinforces Mindshares 2012 HUMAN TOUCH trend which found the increasing importance of one-on-one Human interaction for decision making in a world that is more complex, tech-based and uncertain Slightly more Americans have followed the presidential election via video coverage on their computer (25%) than by reading the national newspaper (22%). About just as many adults have followed the presidential election coverage on social media (21%) as via magazine articles (20%). Regardless of gender, Millennials are nearly twice as likely (19%) to follow the presidential election by watching video on their tablets than the average adult (10%). Millennials (19%) are the most likely adult generation to follow the presidential election on their mobile phones. One in ten adults are not following the election coverage.

How have you followed the presidential election so far?

US 18+
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Watched network TV news coverage Watched cable TV news coverage Talked about Read articles Watched On social it with family on my video media sites and friends computer coverage on my computer Read a magazine article Read articles Watched Im not on my mobile video following the phone coverage on a presidential tablet election news

Millennials (A18-34)

Gen X (A35-44)

Boomer (A45-59)

Matures (A60+)

Keeping up with the Presidential Election Coverage: Political Party Split

Not so old fashioned after all- Mindshare reports more Republicans are following election coverage
via Social Networks and Online Articles than their Democratic and Independent counterparts. We believe this is partly a function Republicans higher income skew (new media adoption is correlated with income). Network and Cable TV news coverage are the dominant means of following the presidential news coverage regardless of political party affiliation.

Interesting facts (Base: those who are following the election) Republicans (31%) are more likely than Democrats (19%) and Independents (25%) to follow the presidential election news on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Republicans (59%) are more likely than Democrats (48%) and Independents (57%) to follow the presidential election news by reading articles on their computer. Republicans (16%) are more likely than Democrats and Independents (11% each respectively) to follow the presidential election news reading articles on my mobile phone. Independents (14%) have an edge with watching video coverage on the Tablet; Reps 12%, Dems 9% Local newspapers and magazine articles appear slightly more important for Democrats than Republicans (47% Democrats cite theyre following election coverage via local newspapers, vs. 44% Republicans; 22% Democrats cite magazine articles vs. 18% Republicans)
2

Stated importance of each medias influence on candidate decision (base: those planning to vote) Seeing the candidates talk on national TV (50%) is the most important for voters when deciding who to vote for in the presidential election. o National TV- Republicans 58%, Dems 49%, Indy 45% Newspaper ads (9%) and emails from the candidates (8%) are the least important for Americans when deciding who to vote for in the presidential election. o Newspapers- Republicans 7%, Dems 8%, Indy 12% o Emails- Republicans 11%, Dems 5%, Indy 8% Tying in with the finding that Republican respondents are more likely to be following the election via social media than Democrats, Democrats (6%) are half as likely as Republicans and Independents (12%) to say seeing a candidates posts on social media is the most important to them when deciding who to vote for in the presidential election (Total adults: 10%)

How planning to follow the debates Six in ten adults plan to follow the upcoming presidential debates Live on TV with Republicans most likely (69%), Democrats (64%) and independents (62%). A third of adults plan to watch the TV news summary coverage after the debates. Interest is evenly divided among political parties. o News summary- Republicans 36%, Dems 35%, Indy 32% 16% of adults are not planning to follow the debates at all.

Swing voters Swing voters are slightly less likely to say TV is important when deciding who to vote for compared to decided voters, even though theyre as likely as decided voters to be following election coverage via the TV. o 62% of swing voters have followed the election on Network TV vs. 60% decided voters o However, 41% of swing voters say seeing the candidates talk on national TV is important to them when deciding who to vote for, versus 46% decided voters Swing voters are slightly more likely than decided voters to have followed the election via watching video coverage on their computers (27% for swing voters, versus 24% for decideds) Swing voters are also more likely to have followed the election via local newspapers (45% for swing voters, versus 40% for decideds), as well as via magazine articles (28% for swing voters, versus 17% for decideds) o Magazine articles are also more likely to be important to swing voters versus decideds in making their decisions: 17% swing voters state magazine articles are the most important to them when deciding who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, versus 11% decideds WOM is more important for swing voters than for decided voters

26% swing voters say Talking to people in my community- is among the most important to them when deciding who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, versus 20% decided voters Talk radio is less important for swing voters versus decided voters o 13% swing voters say Listening to talk radio shows discussing the election/candidatesis among the most important to them when deciding who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, versus 19% of decided voters Swing voters are less likely than decided voters to say theyre going to watch the presidential debates live on TV (54% swing voters saying theyre planning to watch the debates live TV, versus 62% of decided voters) However, they are more likely than decided voters to follow the debates by reading articles about the debates on their computer, or in the newspaper o 27% swing voters say they will follow the debates via Read articles online on my computer, versus 20% decided voters o 29% swing voters say they will follow the debates via Read about them in the newspaper, versus 17% decided voters