“The media plays a substantial role in the development of government. The media gives people access to be able to choose a political party, devise attitudes on government parties and government decisions, and manage their own interests. From newspapers to television to radio to the Internet, the media is the leading factor in political communication and fund-raising. (Media Influence on Politics and Government by Tatum Wilcox)” http://www.helium.com/items/745081-media-influence-on-politics-and-government Wilcox is obviously in favor of the media when it comes to politics- arguing it is imperative to politics. The media is the foundation of political communication and without it there would be very little awareness with regard to politics. Throughout his article Wilcox argues the many importance’s of media but recognizes its bias. “The media remains important since they are the means by which people obtain current affairs both inside and outside of the United States- however bias it may be. (Wilcox 1)” Can the media still be credible even if there is a bias?
There is no argument as to whether the media play a role in the political field, but rather what type of role does the media play? Do you feel it is more positive or negative? “Over the years, some authors have complained that the media’s effects on campaign scheduling and financing have given them an unseemly amount of influence over political affairs. Others argue that television’s modes of visual presentation produce cognitive laziness among voters and thus guarantee information loss in a campaign. (Hart 53)” Do you think that television is important with regard to political awareness? How informed do you think you would be (with regard to politics) if the TV were not invented? Also, What do you feel is the most influential form of medium right now vs. in the 1960s?
Kaid says in the Handbook of Political Communication Research, “All news is a construction of reality. (237)” Do you agree with Kaid? Is all news a construction of reality, or has some forms of medium taken the political game so far that somewhere in between the truth just got lost. Between media bias and truth- bending, how informed do you really feel about politics through the media?
6 comments:
I agree the media plays a substantial role in politics. Journalists act as watchdogs over politicians. Imagine what the government would be like without the media. Imagine if political actions were left unchecked, unreported, and unknown to the public. The media isn’t only important to politics, it is necessary. Television is incredibly important in regards to political awareness. In the Handbook of Political Communication Research, Kaid says “News media impact has been observed in what people learn from the news and in their attitudes towards the democratic process” (238). The news provides information that people would otherwise be unaware of. But with news information, comes bias. It is important to know the news source you are using to consume news. I learned this lesson a few years ago when I was driving home from school. I was listening to Rush Limbaugh talk about a recent decision congress made. When I came home, I turned on CNN and listened to a report on the same story. It was shocking how differently the stories were being told. I saw, first hand, the effect media can have on news consumers. Although I feel bias in the media is present, Kaid would disagree with me to an extent. “Repeated analyses of news coverage of recent presidential elections continue to find no evidence of partisan bias in news reporting. This does not mean, however, that the coverage has been neutral. Some candidates receive more favorable coverage than others” (239). Although bias has not been found while reporting stories, a news station can still shed more positive attention on a particular candidate.
Although I have found bias in the media, I still feel the news should be an integral part of ones daily life. Take my Limbaugh/CNN story for example. Although I was given two different versions of the same story, the basic facts were still there. I knew about an important decision that occurred in Congress, I knew that a major fight broke out between conservative and liberal leaders, and I knew the repercussions of the argument. Like I said earlier, one must understand their news source, and listen to multiple sources to get a fuller picture. The news media is very important, viewers just need to know how to consume it.
This election has really highlighted the importance of the media in politics, and also the presence of bias. I think that it's unrealistic to think that there could ever be news that is completely objective; it's not in human nature to be that way and even a few simple words can inject one's opinions on what they are writing about. In the handbook, Kaid tells us that in the early 19th century, the news media was openly biased when it came to politics. It was only over many years that objectivity became the standard for news reporting. (Kaid 239) While objective reporting is incredibly important and useful, if done correctly, I don't see very much harm in having news reporting that is biased. After all, people seek what they enjoy and what they are familiar with, and certain stations certainly cater to different points of view. Also, as Kaid notes, journalists have their own personal likes and dislikes that can influence their reporting- and this is okay! The media must be fair and accurate, but it is unrealistic to think that it can be completely unbiased. There are too many interests outside of public welfare that run the media companies to have total objectivity.
Maybe the solution is having a nationalized broadcast channel like there are in many other countries in Europe and South America. I'm not exactly thrilled with our government at the moment, but maybe if our taxes paid for a news channel it would be a "by the people for the people" kind of operation could be a little more objective.
When it comes to media and politics I believe they do go hand in hand. With the expansion of media sourcing over the years I believe that if the media influences, informs and is the main source in aiding politics. I believe media is extremely positive when it comes to politics. Yes media can get backlash at certain times but in the grand scheme of things it is more influential than anything else would be. Newspapers, televisions, magazines and the internet media have an amazing way to outsource information to people to keep their minds moving about politics. Kaid states, “news media impact has been observed in what people learn from the news and in their attitudes towards the democratic process.”(238). This observation shows that news media has a direct correlation with the public and the information they receive about politics. I believe the television is one of the most vital aspects of the political process. The convenient factor goes into play with television. How simple it is to just touch a power button and have everything right in front of you is most appealing to many people all over the country. Political awareness is spread greatly through television. From news broadcasts to talk shows to even commercials whether they are positive or negative information is still being received and from there people can use that information to gain knowledge about politics. If television were not invented I still feel that media would still be friends with politics however it would not be as convenient and visual. Newspapers would be greatly relied on where as now they have been pushed aside due to television. I also think that radio would be the number one source of information. Radio is another convenient way to receive news however there is no visual. If television was never invented people would never know the difference about the visual aspect of television and just hearing voices on the radio so it would be okay. Kaid states, “All news is a construction of reality. (237)” I can partially agree with Kaid, there is factual information that is given out via news. Of course you’re going to receive some fluffed information but that’s where you as a viewer has a chance to be your own person and decide for yourself whether it’s fake or factual. All in all I believe the media is a great way to gain information about politics especially in a year of elections.
The media is essential in providing the public with information about the candidates and their stances on issues. Without the media reporting on the candidates, most of the public would be in the complete dark about the candidates, and would know nothing about them. Think about what elections would be like in this country if the media did not cover them. The only information you would be able to receive from the candidates would be going to see them speak in person, which many people don’t have the opportunity to do. The media is pivotal to candidates and their campaigns because without them the American people would be clueless about the political process.
Whether the media is effective in reporting about politics is another story. In The Handbook for Political Communication Research, Kaid writes about the lack of knowledge of viewers watching political news coverage on TV. Kaid says, “Researchers have questioned whether the nature of news is the problem. In particular, they wonder whether or not journalists are providing the kind of campaign news that will help the electorate make voting decisions in line with their policy preferences and their assessments of candidates (238).” It can be argued that news coverage can be ineffective, and at times biased when covering a campaign. The bombardment of news focusing on poll numbers and advertising seems to take the forefront over coverage of the candidate’s policies and stances on issues. This news format will lead to a less informed viewer, and I’m sure the campaign coverage this year has already done that. The media needs to start covering the things that really matter and use the poll numbers and such as a supportive tool rather than the lead story.
In today's world I think that television is very important to political awareness because in many houses television is the main media outlet. Not only is it easy to sit there watch and listen the invention of the t.v "brought citizens into intimate if synthetic, contact with the candidates and the campaign. (Kaid 241). I think that if the television was not invited i would still be a rather informed voter. If something was never created i wouldn't know what i was missing and would have to turn to newspapers for my information. I believe that in the 1960's that newspapers where the most influential medium of the time. News was only on once a day and if you missed it you missed it and people where always carrying around news papers to read as they sit on the train, drink coffee ect. And i think that constant news coverage that started around Vietnam was still relatively new and some people where hesitant to want that much coverage or information being thrown at you.
I feel that today we may be over exposed to news media making us desensitized to information that would have shocked and scared our parents in the 60's. Television is a great outlet because it delivers information almost instantly. But in the rush to be the first the truth can sometimes get altered and never corrected. If it's the job of the journalist to be unbias in writing articles when it comes to watching television shows on Fox News or say the Daily Show I think the viewer is smart enough to realize that these are bias shows and should be able to pull out the truth.
I believe that television is extremely important in regard to political awareness, as well as everyone else. Although individuals must be aware of the biases, television is a major informative tool in today’s society. Young people, especially look toward the television to get their information. Not many young people read the news papers, but rather watch shows like SNL or The Daily Show..etc. As for “real news” sometimes young people may come across a fox news program and are definetly more likely to watch that than read the news. On the flip side if there was no television than people would have no choice but to turn to the newpapers for information. I believe that than maybe since it would be the only medium young people would look to the newspaper to gather information. Although, whose to say if there was no televeision the newspapers wouldn’t become more bias, there are opinion sections, as well. I believe the most influential form of medium right now is a mix up between the internet and the television. Today television and computers play a vital role in people’s lives. Many people go on the internet for various reasons, work, to chat with friends, or just to browse. Every now and again people will come across a pop up, or find a blog, or a youtube video that discusses politics, or more particularly the 2008 campaign. Also, television politics plays into the obvious news channels, but entertainment and comedy channels as well. This allows for a variety of different individuals to gather information about politics vs. in the 1960s when the medium most widely used would have been newspapers and radio. “Although television brought profound changes in the ways that candidates waged their campaigns, it also seemed to enhance the discrepancy between “hoopla” and substance observed in print and on radio coverage 20 years earlier(241) noted, Kaid. Although radio was a new and exciting way to access information, it led less facts and more as we say in class, “celebrity,” of candidates.
When Kaid says in the Handbook of Political Communication Research, “All news is a construction of reality. (237)” I do not agree. I believe some news is a construction of reality but now there are so many forms of “news.” There are blogs, which anyone can post or right there opinion, and consider it news; there are television programs such as the Daily Show and Colbert Report, which may take things out of context or have a bias in the production of the show. Also regular news mediums are known for their biases such as fox is known for being more of a conservative channel. As Kaid states, “Each actor endeavors to control how the news story is told(237).
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