PROVIDENCE, R.I. --The news media receive mixed marks for their coverage of this fall's presidential campaign, according to a new national survey. However, more people rate this year's coverage as better or the same, compared to four years ago.

The survey was conducted October 28 to November 2, 2000 by Darrell M. West, director of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions at Brown University. It was based on a national random sample of 739 citizens across the country. Overall, it had a margin of error of about plus or minus four percentage points.

When asked to rate the job the news media have done in covering this fall's presidential campaign, 49 percent give the media excellent or good marks, 31 percent say it has been only fair, 11 percent believe it has been poor, and 9 percent are unsure. These ratings are similar to an identical question asked during the last week of the 1996 presidential campaign. Four years ago, 49 percent gave the news media excellent or good marks, 34 percent said it was only fair, 14 percent believed it had been poor, and 3 percent were undecided.

Twenty-one percent say this year's coverage has been better than four years ago, 53 percent say it has been the same, 11 percent think it has been worse, and 15 percent don't know.

Twenty-eight percent of citizens nationwide believe news coverage of this year's fall campaign has been biased against an individual candidate, while 58 percent do not. When asked which candidate received the most biased coverage against him, 49 percent believe Bush has received the most biased coverage against him, 25 percent name Gore, 17 percent claim Nader, 8 percent mention Pat Buchanan, and 1 percent are unsure.

The survey also asked people which television ad run by a presidential campaign this Fall has made the biggest impression on them. Overall, 23 percent mentioned some ad and 77 percent indicated no ad had made an impression on them. The top individual ads mentioned were the Gore social security ad, Gore's Texas Record ad, Bush's ad on improving schools, Bush's ad on Gore's exaggerations, NRA advertising, Bush's RATS ad, and Gore's health care ad. Total ad mentions by candidate included Gore (76 ad mentions), Bush (64 ad mentions), Nader (5 ad mentions), and Buchanan (2 ad mentions).

Citizens are evenly divided in whom they hold responsible for the negative campaigning this year. Twenty-seven percent blame Bush, 26 percent cite Gore, and 47 percent are unsure.

For more information, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163 or consult the website: www.InsidePolitics.org.

I'm going to name some presidential candidates and ask you what you think of them. If you haven't heard much about someone I name, just tell me. Is your opinion of Al Gore favorable, not favorable, undecided, or haven't you heard enough yet to have an opinion? 39% favorable, 40% not favorable, 15% undecided, 6% haven't heard enough

I'm going to name some presidential candidates and ask you what you think of them. If you haven't heard much about someone I name, just tell me. Is your opinion of George W. Bush favorable, not favorable, undecided, or haven't you heard enough yet to have an opinion? 41% favorable, 38% not favorable, 16% undecided, 5% haven't heard enough

If the election for president were held today, would you vote for the Republican George W. Bush, Democrat Al Gore, Green party candidate Ralph Nader, or Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan? 42% Bush, 40% Gore, 7% Nader, 1% Buchanan, 10% don't know or no answer

We'd like to know your impressions of the candidates. Please tell us whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statements.

a) Al Gore provides strong leadership: 10% strongly agree, 43% agree, 31% disagree, 9% strongly disagree, 7% don't know or no answer

b) George W. Bush provides strong leadership: 11% strongly agree, 43% agree, 29% disagree, 8% strongly disagree, 9% don't know or no answer

c) Al Gore is honest and trustworthy: 6% strongly agree, 38% agree, 32% disagree, 14% strongly disagree, 10% don't know or no answer

d) George W. Bush is honest and trustworthy: 8% strongly agree, 44% agree, 28% disagree, 6% strongly disagree, 14% don't know or no answer

Which of these candidates do you think cares the most about the needs and problems of people like yourself? 42% Gore, 40% Bush, 18% don't know or no answer

Regardless of which candidate you support, which of these candidates do you think would have the best chance of winning the election in November? 36% Gore, 47% Bush, 17% don't know or no answer

Which candidate do you feel would do a better job of protecting Social Security? 43% Gore, 37% Bush, 20% don't know or no answer

Which candidate do you feel would do a better job of bringing fiscal discipline to the federal government? 32% Gore, 45% Bush, 23% don't know or no answer

Which candidate do you feel would do a better job of improving our public schools? 43% Gore, 39% Bush, 18% don't know or no answer

Which candidate do you feel would do a better job of improving health care? 44% Gore, 34% Bush, 22% don't know or no answer

How many days in the last week have you seen presidential campaign ads on television for Al Gore? 19% Not at all, 22% one or two days, 14% three or four days, 38% five days or more, 7% don't know or no answer

How many days in the last week have you seen presidential campaign ads on television for George W. Bush? 17% Not at all, 21% one or two days, 18% three or four days, 37% five days or more, 7% don't know, no answer

Which television ad run by a presidential campaign this Fall has made the biggest impression on you? 23% mentioned some ad, 77% no ad mentioned. Top individual ads mentioned were: Gore social security ad (21 mentions), Gore Texas Record adb (10 mentions), Bush improving schools (9 mentions), Bush ad on Gore exaggerations (8 mentions), NRA ad (7 mentions), Bush's RATS ad (6 mentions), Gore health care ad (5 mentions) (all others under five mentions). Total ad mentions by candidate: Gore (76 ad mentions), Bush (64 ad mentions), Nader (5 ad mentions), Buchanan (2 ad mentions)

Did most of Al Gore's television commercials that you saw explain what he stands for, or did most of the commercials attack the other candidate? 30% Explain what he stands for, 26% attack the other candidate, 17% both, 27% don't know or no answer

Did most of George W. Bush's television commercials that you saw explain what he stands for, or did most of the commercials attack the other candidate? 29% Explain what he stands for, 28% attack the other candidate, 16% both, 27% don't know or no answer

Who is most responsible for the negative campaigning there has been this year? 26% Gore, 27% Bush, 47% don't know or no answer

How many days in the last week have you seen anything about the upcoming presidential election on national television news? 10% Not at all, 14% one or two days, 14% three or four days, 53% five days or more, 9% don't know or no answer

Do you think the news media have done an excellent, good, only fair, or poor job of covering this fall's presidential campaign? 9% Excellent, 40% good, 31% only fair, 11% poor, 9% don't know or no answer

Do you think the news media's coverage of this fall's presidential campaign has been better than four years ago, about the same, or worse than four years ago? 21% better, 53% same, 11% worse, 15% don't know or no answer

In your opinion, has news coverage of this year's fall presidential campaign been biased against any individual candidate? 28% Yes, 58% no, 14% don't know or no answer

If so, which candidate received the most biased coverage against him? 25% Gore, 49% Bush, 17% Nader, 8% Buchanan, 1% don't know or no answer

How many of the presidential debates did you see this Fall? !5% None, 17% one, 32% two, 30% three, 6% don't know or no answer

As far as you are concerned, what is the most important problem facing the country today? 16% education, 14% health care, 9% social security, 5% morality, 5% economy (others below five percent)

What do you think is the most important event that has occurred so far in the fall presidential campaign? Debates (107 mentions), Mideast crisis and Cole attack (27 mentions), Gore exaggerations (16 mentions), Nader candidacy (10 mentions)