This interactive chart compares and contrasts cable news coverage between Donald Trump, Joseph Robinette Biden, Kamala Harris. The vertical “Count” scale measures the number of 15-second airtime segments that mention the terms queried. The content represented includes content from CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and other cable news outlets.


Summation of CNN, Fox, MSNBC


Fox News Statistics


CNN Statistics


MSNBC Statistics


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

# 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

# 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

#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