Sarah Palin and the Media
In keeping with the FlowTV’s ability to publish timely pieces, we are excited to welcome you to this special issue addressing the media’s coverage of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. In light of the overwhelming surge of discourse following John McCain’s selection of Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, the editors of FlowTV sent out a call for submissions which dealt with the media treatment, reaction, and handling of Sarah Palin – as a politician, a woman, a “Hockey Mom,” a wife, an Alaskan, and a Conservative. We received numerous submissions and have chosen a selection of articles that we hope provide a wide array of discourse and analysis of both Governor Palin and the media.
In this special issue you will find articles from scholars – both American and international – which focus on the various aspects of Sarah Palin and the media coverage of her. Some of the scholars tackle issues of identity and politics by focusing on feminism, gender, race, Conservatism, and regional identity. Additionally, other pieces draw attention to the ways in which media outlets have framed Sarah Palin and various political issues through the use of satire, comedy, and agenda-setting. Finally, another intriguing facet analyzed in this issue focuses on online user-generated responses such as spoofs, pranks, and even porn.
As always, Flow aims to facilitate dialog among our readers and it is our hope that these articles provide jumping off points for further conversation and debate. Our intent is to present critical examinations which encourage our readers to continue to think critically about our current media and political landscapes.