Media Analysis of the First 2020 Presidential Debate

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CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2020 Powered by LawFuel — Cision, an industry-leading earned media communications management and media advisory platform, today published the latest data from its 2020 State of the Election blog series, a weekly nonpartisan media analysis of the U.S. presidential election. This week, Cision analyzed media coverage of the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Cision also looked at how coverage was consumed by left and right audiences and monitored the seven key issues asked by moderator Chris Wallace. 

(PRNewsfoto/Cision Ltd.)
(PRNewsfoto/Cision Ltd.)
(PRNewsfoto/Cision Ltd.)
(PRNewsfoto/Cision Ltd.)

“As expected, the debate continues to garner significant media coverage and it remains important to Cision to look at the full picture from a nonpartisan point of view,” said Seth Gilpin, Product Marketing Manager at Cision. “As we’ve done in past analyses, we are keen to understand how the left- and right-leaning online publications cover important topics around the election, how that content is shared across social media and the quality of coverage.” 

Over the past week, Cision found there have been nearly 100k mentions across online media, newspapers, TV, radio, and podcasts related to the presidential debate. In the days leading up to the debate and on the night of the debate, right-leaning publications had published 32% more content than left-leaning publications; however, at the time of publishing the day after the debate, left-leaning publications generated 25% more coverage.

Left-leaning coverage was shared about 2x more on Facebook, 24x more on Reddit, and 2.9x more on Twitter. In past analyses, left-leaning content has always outperformed on Reddit, and right-leaning content has outperformed on Twitter. There was a discrepancy this week in Twitter amplification.

Cision also analyzed the seven debate themes and the key messages around the top three topics. The Supreme Court, the novel coronavirus, and the economy yielded the most coverage while racial inequality yielded the least amount of coverage.

View the full media analysis and subscribe to Cision’s election blog series here.

Cision is politically unaffiliated and does not endorse any political parties, platforms, campaigns or candidates.

About Cision 
Cision is a leading global provider of earned media software and wire distribution services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. Cision’s software allows users to identify key influencers, craft and distribute strategic content, and measure meaningful impact. Cision has over 4,800 employees with offices in 24 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information about Cision’s award-winning products and services, including the Cision Communications Cloud®, visit www.cision.com and follow Cision on Twitter @Cision.

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US Law Firm Mergers Down, But Still Moving

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Law firm mergers will be well down on what occurred in 2019, but have picked up after the early days of the pandemic, according to Bloomberg Law.

Law firms registered 20 combinations from July through September, up from a near-decade low of seven in the second quarter. However that doesn’t come anywhere near the 115 US ‘combinations’ last year, compared to 44 in 2020.

The COVID crisis saw firms taking some time to adjust to what was occurring after organizing lawyer relocations and restructuring to deal with the pandemic, which then lead to their thoughts on the way ahead to strengthen their practices.

“I think you’ll see additional engagement once firms are past their budgeting for next year, and decide if, and how long, they will stay remote,” said Tom Clay, an Altman Weil principal who tracks mergers. “The pandemic put the brakes on but midsize and larger firms are beginning to reengage in strategies to acquire smaller firms.”

Global firm Dentons chalked up the biggest deal of the third quarter, announcing a combination with 96-lawyer Durham Jones & Pinegar, in Salt Lake City, a merger that is part of Denton’s “golden spike” strategy to create an alliance of law firms around the country.

Three large law firms made more typical acquisitions in adding smaller firms for practice expertise.

K&L Gates picked up three-lawyer firm Richards Patent Law, in Chicago. Bond Schoeneck added The Wolford Law Firm, a three-lawyer litigation boutique in Rochester, N.Y. Miles & Stockbridge acquired Taylor & Ryan, a two-lawyer immigration firm in Pikesville, Md.

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