door viewers
the third agenda in u.s. presidential debates debatewatch and viewer reactions 1996 2004
p drawing on scholarly research and media critiques the third agenda in presidential debates examines the most recent u.s. presidential debates from the perspective of television viewers who watched the encounters first hand . through a national program debatewatch tens of thousands of viewers had an opportunity to provide feedback to the debate sponsors the campaigns and the media following the 1996 2000 and 2004 presidential debates . as a result thousands of groups met after each debate to discuss what they liked and didnt like about a particular candidate what they learned and what they still needed to know about the issues presented before them . these focus groups along with various surveys and emails allowed viewers to lay out a concise third agenda for the debates the publics one in which comparisons could be drawn between their own interests and that of the media and the candidates themselves . p besides clearly mapping out the important aspects the public looks for when watching a debate the authors demonstrate how citizen participation challenges candidates and their issues . in addition the authors offer predictions for future debates and how new generations will choose to participate .