The mass media impact on election outcomes is undeniable. Most people depend on these outlets to provide input for their views of the world. Direct contact with the decision makers is rare. Contact with friends who repeat the talking points multiplies the media impact.

The influence breaks down into several media formats and categories. Recent Pew Research suggests the influence of talk radio and cable news outlets has surpassed broadcast news. Newspapers and magazines are losing appeal. Younger people depend more on the comedy news outlets and have made Jon Stewart the fourth most respected news anchor.

Conservative Talk Radio (Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck)
Conventional News Broadcasts (NBC, the networks, etc.)
Themed TV News Shows (O'Reilly, Olbermann,etc)
Comedy News (SNL, Daily)
PBS in depth coverage (Moyers)
NPR (All Things Considered)
Newspaper investigative reporting (NYT)
Local newspaper coverage and editorial policy
Blogs (Politico, DailyKOS, Huffpo, National Review, Drudge, RedState)
Political Movies (Sicko, Iraq for Sale, No Country for Old Men)

Blogs have let people participate in the news stories by reposting tidbits in a community and adding commentary and discussion. Live blogging events has become a new fad. Live blogs covered the debates and the NBA Playoffs.

Which ever side one is on, everyone likes to criticize the media for providing biased coverage. Conservatives lambast the "Liberal Media" while liberals attack conservative talk radio and "Faux News."  There is plenty of coverage, however the most popular coverage is uniformly shallow. The horserace is more fun than the substance of the campaigns so it gets disproportionate coverage.

Polls miss the mark as well. The only meaningful poll in a Presidential campaign recognizes that the electoral vote is determined on a state by state basis. "Winner take all" applies in most states although the states can apportion their electors as they see fit. The rules make certain states the battleground.

New York, Massachusettes and California are traditional "Blue States." Republicans need not even campaign in these states because the effort will prove fruitless. Texas, much of the deep south and the mountain states are "Red," so see little Democratic effort. Louisiana is so "Red" that no one even bothers, however the shocking upset of the Republican Woody Jenkins in his effort to fill a vacancy in the Baton Rouge area has led Democrats to reconsider expanding their efforts to a full "fifty state strategy. "

Ohio, Florida, New Mexico and a few others are often close contests. These states have been designated "Purple." Traditionally Red Virginia turned Purple in 2008, while usually Purple Florida has shifted to the longer wavelengths at the Red end of the spectrum. It is in these states that you will see the most agressive campaigning, media "buys," telephone solicitation and voter registration efforts. They also tend to be the most prone to illegal acts of voter intimidation and fraud.