Cable News Tracker Segments

This interactive chart compares the amount of cable news coverage mentioning “Donald Trump,” “Joe Biden,” and “Kamala Harris” between late April and early October, the most recent period for which data are available.

This chart includes all coverage from MSNBC, CNN and Fox.

The charts show that, overall, less coverage is given for Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, regardless of whether the news source leans liberal or conservative.

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MSNBC

This chart includes data from only MSNBC.

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CNN

This chart includes data from only CNN.

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Fox

This chart includes data from only Fox.

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Code

#Fox News

FoxNews <- AllData %>%
  filter(Series == "FOXNEWS")
figFox <- plot_ly(
  FoxNews,
  x = ~ WeekOf,
  y = ~ Trump,
  name = 'Trump',
  type = 'scatter',
  mode = 'none',
  stackgroup = 'one',
  fillcolor = '#B8001F')
figFox <- figFox %>% add_trace(y = ~ Harris,
                               name = 'Biden',
                               fillcolor = '#507687')
figFox <- figFox %>% add_trace(y = ~ Harris,
                               name = 'Harris',
                               fillcolor = '#384B70')
figFox <- figFox %>% layout(
  title = 'Segment counts, Fox News, by topic and week',
  xaxis = list(title = "Week of", showgrid = FALSE),
  yaxis = list(title = "Count", showgrid = TRUE)
)

figFox

# CNN

CNN <- AllData %>%
  filter(Series == "CNN")
figCNN <- plot_ly(
  CNN,
  x = ~ WeekOf,
  y = ~ Trump,
  name = 'Trump',
  type = 'scatter',
  mode = 'none',
  stackgroup = 'one',
  fillcolor = '#B8001F')
figCNN <- figCNN %>% add_trace(y = ~ Harris,
                               name = 'Biden',
                               fillcolor = '#507687')
figCNN <- figCNN %>% add_trace(y = ~ Harris,
                               name = 'Harris',
                               fillcolor = '#384B70')
figCNN <- figCNN %>% layout(
  title = 'Segment counts, CNN, by topic and week',
  xaxis = list(title = "Week of", showgrid = FALSE),
  yaxis = list(title = "Count", showgrid = TRUE)
)

figCNN

# MSNBC

MSNBC <- AllData %>%
  filter(Series == "MSNBC")
figMSNBC <- plot_ly(
  MSNBC,
  x = ~ WeekOf,
  y = ~ Trump,
  name = 'Trump',
  type = 'scatter',
  mode = 'none',
  stackgroup = 'one',
  fillcolor = '#B8001F')
figMSNBC <- figMSNBC %>% add_trace(y = ~ Harris,
                                   name = 'Biden',
                                   fillcolor = '#507687')
figMSNBC <- figMSNBC %>% add_trace(y = ~ Harris,
                                   name = 'Harris',
                                   fillcolor = '#384B70')
figMSNBC <- figMSNBC %>% layout(
  title = 'Segment counts, MSNBC, by topic and week',
  xaxis = list(title = "Week of", showgrid = FALSE),
  yaxis = list(title = "Count", showgrid = TRUE)
)

figMSNBC

if (!require("tidyverse"))
  install.packages("tidyverse")
if (!require("plotly"))
  install.packages("plotly")
library(tidyverse)
library(plotly)

# Defining date range

startdate <- "20240429"
enddate <- "20241028"

### Trump

# Defining query

# Note:
# In queries, use %20 to indicate a space
# Example: "Donald%20Trump" is "Donald Trump"
# Use parentheses and %20OR%20 for "either/or" queries
# Example: "(Harris%20OR%20Walz)" is "(Harris OR Walz)"

query <- "Donald%20Trump"

# Building the volume dataframe

vp1 <- "https://api.gdeltproject.org/api/v2/tv/tv?query="
vp2 <- "%20market:%22National%22&mode=timelinevol&format=csv&datanorm=raw&startdatetime="
vp3 <- "000000&enddatetime="
vp4 <- "000000"
text_v_url <- paste0(vp1, query, vp2, startdate, vp3, enddate, vp4)
v_url <- URLencode(text_v_url)
v_url
Trump <- read_csv(v_url)
Trump <- Trump %>%
  rename(Date = 1, Trump = 3)

### Biden

# Defining query

query <- "Joe%20Biden"

# Building the volume dataframe

vp1 <- "https://api.gdeltproject.org/api/v2/tv/tv?query="
vp2 <- "%20market:%22National%22&mode=timelinevol&format=csv&datanorm=raw&startdatetime="
vp3 <- "000000&enddatetime="
vp4 <- "000000"
text_v_url <- paste0(vp1, query, vp2, startdate, vp3, enddate, vp4)
v_url <- URLencode(text_v_url)
v_url
Biden <- read_csv(v_url)
Biden <- Biden %>%
  rename(Date = 1, Biden = 3)

AllData <- left_join(Trump, Biden)

### Harris

# Defining query

query <- "Kamala%20Harris"

# Building the volume dataframe

vp1 <- "https://api.gdeltproject.org/api/v2/tv/tv?query="
vp2 <- "%20market:%22National%22&mode=timelinevol&format=csv&datanorm=raw&startdatetime="
vp3 <- "000000&enddatetime="
vp4 <- "000000"
text_v_url <- paste0(vp1, query, vp2, startdate, vp3, enddate, vp4)
v_url <- URLencode(text_v_url)
v_url
Harris <- read_csv(v_url)
Harris <- Harris %>%
  rename(Date = 1, Harris = 3)

AllData <- left_join(AllData, Harris)

### Graphic

AllData <- AllData %>%
  arrange(Date)

# Add "WeekOf" variable to the data frame

if (!require("lubridate"))
  install.packages("lubridate")
library(lubridate)

AllData$WeekOf <- round_date(AllData$Date,
                             unit = "week",
                             week_start = getOption("lubridate.week.start", 1))

CombinedCoverage <- AllData %>%
  group_by(WeekOf) %>%
  summarize(
    Trump = sum(Trump, na.rm = TRUE),
    Biden = sum(Biden, na.rm = TRUE),
    Harris = sum(Harris, na.rm = TRUE)
  )

fig <- plot_ly(
  CombinedCoverage,
  x = ~ WeekOf,
  y = ~ Trump,
  name = 'Trump',
  type = 'scatter',
  mode = 'none',
  stackgroup = 'one',
  fillcolor = '#B8001F')
fig <- fig %>% add_trace(y = ~ Biden,
                         name = 'Biden',
                         fillcolor = '#507687')

fig <- fig %>% add_trace(y = ~ Harris,
                         name = 'Harris',
                         fillcolor = '#384B70')
fig <- fig %>% layout(
  title = 'Segment counts, by topic and week',
  xaxis = list(title = "Week of", showgrid = FALSE),
  yaxis = list(title = "Count", showgrid = TRUE)
)

fig