Final answer:
The statement that undecided voters will not retain sound bites as well as they will retain facts is false. Sound bites are designed to be memorable and can be quite effective at capturing voters' attention, even though they may lack comprehensive details.
Step-by-step explanation:
The claim that sound bites are too academic and therefore undecided voters will not retain them as well as they will retain facts is false. Sound bites are generally designed to be memorable and impactful, often summarizing complex issues into a simple and emotionally engaging statement. Though sound bites might be short and lack the depth of full-fledged facts, their brevity and punchiness can make them more memorable to the general public, including undecided voters. Additionally, the length of sound bites has significantly decreased over the years, from an average of 42.3 seconds in 1968 for Richard Nixon to only eight seconds in 2004, indicating that politicians and media tend to prefer these short, succinct messages.
While it's true that gaining media attention is important for candidates, and they accommodate the voters' preference for quick information, it doesn't necessarily mean sound bites are better retained than facts. In fact, voters who do their research might retain information from sound bites and campaign material to gain a more comprehensive understanding of candidates' positions and histories. Furthermore, the trend towards shorter and more frequent sound bites could indicate a shifting dynamic in voter engagement, where brevity is often more pragmatic for capturing attention in the fast-paced media landscape.