Importance of Color

I'm noticing more so now with the election right around the corner, that news shows feel very strongly about the colors they use to design their sets and graphics.

I'm currently watching the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, which airs at 9pm ET, and is a political opinion/current news program. I usually tend to watch CNN, but over the last few months I discovered Maddow and really got hooked on her interviews and commentary. Until now, I hadn't realized just how american pride her set and graphics were!

The studio is adorned in all red, white, and blue. The graphics that appear when the show turns to a commercial are red, white, and blue. The headline designs, the poll graphics, the news ticker, and even the cup on her desk, are all RED, WHITE, and BLUE.

Coincidence? I'm thinking not.

Rachel Maddow, whom I would consider to be a liberal individual, is pretty aware of the importance of displaying the fact that her program is meant to bring serious and vital information to the American public. No matter her political positions, we automatically associate the program with the country and the governmental aspect. Who knows if Rachel is even that massively proud of being an American, but her program's design seems to speak volumes. Could the point of all the american pride color schemes be to attract "channel flippers," who might otherwise mistaken the program as something more boring and lackluster?

Here's a promotional graphic for The Rachel Maddow Show.

Thoughts?