C-SPAN Data .xlsx

Millions of Americans are occasional or regular viewers of C-SPAN for information about the U.S. Congress. The cable service works closely with Congressional leaders to provide non-partisan, gavel-to-gavel coverage of legislative activities. In 2023, the rules for camera coverage were temporarily changed. This unique historic moment offered a chance to test an emerging theory, “embodied gatekeeping,” which describes how those who control physical space shape their literal and public image by exerting power over visual journalists. We conducted an experiment using C-SPAN coverage on the same topic, Speaker of the House proceedings, comparing coverage with looser camera controls and the more typical, constrained camera rules associated with embodied gatekeeping. We found that when cameras are controlled by humans using news judgment, viewers benefit by liking the videos more, paying more attention, comprehending more, and becoming more engaged. This happens because of a sense of presence, or “being there.”