[Smokin' Joe]

Remember, too, that video media is all about images. Bad lighting angle, bad camera angles, careful selection of still images for the 'right' expression or posture to try to convey anything from stalwart trustworthiness to villainous creepiness is something studied in communication arts curricula. Right along with making crowds look more dense, more scattered, or virtually nonexistent using camera angles and wide versus narrow fields.

Similarly, the appearance of the crowd as portrayed will have an effect on the viewer. Split screen with Candidate B showing angry crowd on one side, image of candidate lit form above or below on the other (the old camp out evil flashlight face trick), and a candidate can be made to look evil. Low angle light which makes them shine can be used to make them look nervous, good lighting can make them look anywhere form saintly to superhuman.

All the tricks used to divide now will be used later against many people's candidate of choice.

Even follow up stories and lead ins can set the tone, with murder and mayhem for the lead, sob story follow up giving one mood around the candidate, and with a 'good news' story and a feelgood puff piece about puppies around the candidate setting an entirely different tone.

From Hollywood to the six o'clock news, to the sitcom laugh track, the whole trip is manipulating your emotions, whether you know it or not.

[nikos1121]

I think this guy Stossel is going to, or has done a segment on this subject. He interviews some guy who apparently has it down to, as you say, buzz words, and colors too, in ads.