Carson enters debate in the lead as Trump’s momentum slows

U.S. TV & print news, January 1 – October 27, 2015

New York, October 28, 2015. As the Republicans prepare to take the stage for tonight’s debate, Ben Carson has the strongest media image. Meanwhile,  Donald Trump’s momentum in the media has been stalled by stagnant poll numbers and criticism on a lack of policy skills, says research institute Media Tenor International.

“Trump is now running in the middle of the pack in terms of tone,” says Racheline Maltese, a researcher at Media Tenor. “Without accelerating poll numbers, the media has struggled to find positives to talk about, so while Trump remains visible, his image has stagnated. Despite this, he continues to have appeal for voters who are frustrated with the political system and those who are influenced by the extreme negativity towards immigrants on U.S. TV news.”

Jeb Bush had the most issue-oriented media agenda, but concern about his polling numbers depressed his image despite strong visibility. Carly Fiorina’s momentum has dropped off in the media despite strong performances in earlier debates. Marco Rubio’s momentum may be accelerating and he has a chance to improve his media image and visibility with tonight’s debate.

This research examined all 5,085 reports on political figures on three U.S. TV news programs and in seven print publications from September 17 – October 27, 2015.

For over 20 years Media Tenor’s mission has been to contribute to objective, diverse and newsworthy media content by bringing together the diverse parties. Media Tenor’s global research projects include analyses of election campaigns, investor relations, public diplomacy, corporate communications and other topics critical to news makers and news audiences. For more information, please contact Racheline Maltese at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +1 212-935-0210.