This study investigated what changes in the television-personality and presidential images of the candidates would occur among first-time young voters due to the first presidential debate. Subjects, 116 18- or 19-year-old students at Purdue University, completed semantic differential forms, before and after the debate, which rated the concepts of ideal president, Ford as president, Carter as president, Ford as a television performer, and Carter as a television performer. About half the subjects were assigned to watch the debate, while the other students were free to watch as much or as little as they wished. Findings show that the candidates' television-image ratings showed the most change; following the debate, Ford's ratings moved closer to the ideal and Carter's moved farther away, and both candidates were rated as having much less warmth. The greatest differences between Ford and Carter on presidential image occurred on the wise, experienced, fair, calm, and liberal scales, with Carter perceived more negatively (except for liberal, which depended on the political views of the respondent for positive or negative weight). (JM)