Visuals Matter

How the first televised presidential debate changed the political game

The very first televised presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960 marked a turning point in American politics and the role of television in political campaigns. The 1960 debate impacted how candidates would campaign, communicate with voters, and use media to shape public opinion. This debate emphasizes the growing influence of television and marked the beginning of a new era in political communication where presentation, self-image, and media strategy would become crucial to an electorate’s success.

September 26, 1960, the first of four presidential debates between Kennedy and Nixon took place in Chicago on live television. The candidates debated in a live, unscripted format and was broadcasted to around seventy million viewers—way more than any other event in U.S. history for the time. This debate allowed television to emerge as the new dominant form of media for political communication. The debate showed the distinct differences between the candidates, in terms of both appearance and delivery. Kennedy was forty-three, youthful, telegenic, and could remain calm under pressure. Nixon, however, was nervous and sweaty, and he was still recovering from a hospital stay due to a knee injury. The contrast between the two was even more apparent thanks to television. Viewers were able to judge candidates not only on their political stance, but also on their appearance and how they carried themselves.

Prior to this debate, political campaigns utilized radio and print media. The radio and newspapers emphasized content rather than appearance. Radio allowed electorates to discuss their policies and goals, whereas newspapers provided analysis and commentary on candidates. Television, however, provided the visual element of campaigns which added a new layer of complexity. This shift had lasting effects for political campaigns. Candidates began to realize that how they presented themselves with appearance and how they used their body language was just as important as their stance on political issues.

The Kennedy-Nixon debated also was the beginning of media-driven campaigns. Candidates would now begin to increasingly rely on television to communicate with voters, but primarily to shape their public image. The results of the election of 1960 showed this new power that television would hold in politics. Surveys and polls would show that television viewers overwhelmingly thought Kennedy won the debate, but those who listened to the debate on the radio thought Nixon had won. This distinction showed how the same event may be perceived differently depending on how it was consumed.

The debate amplified the importance of media training and how television may be used strategically in campaigns. After the 1960 election, candidates would start to hire media consultants and public relations experts to help hone their television appearances. Television ads have become a vital component of campaign strategies. Candidates created commercials that would promote their key messages, display their character, and sway swing voters. Television would continue to grow with the introduction of cable television and 24-hour news networks.

The legacy of the Kennedy-Nixon debate is an important milestone in the way political campaigns would function. Television was beginning to shape what candidates said, and how voters would perceive them. This important moment in American political history would lay the foundation for media-centered campaigns. The influence of television is still relevant today, as candidates continue to rely on television to promote their key issues and public images.

Sources:

"Kennedy-Nixon Debates: Scholarly Assessments." Purdue University: History Department. Accessed November 16 , 2024. https://cla.purdue.edu/academic/history/debate/kennedynixon/kennedynixonscholarly.html

Green, Allison. "Debating on Television, Then and Now." Smithsonian Magazine, October 21, 2010. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/debating-on-television-then-and-now-59429581/

Grant, Julia. "How Televising Presidential Debates Changed Everything." JSTOR Daily, September 24, 2016. https://daily.jstor.org/how-televising-presidential-debates-changed-everything/

Sides, John, Shaw, Daron, Grossmann, Matt, and Lipsitz, Keena. Campaigns and Elections, New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2022. 4th Edition. Page 79-84