Introduction The main aim of this report is to analyze the impacts of changes in the media concerning the societal and individual view of politics and politicians. The report also describes significant milestones in mass media since the year 1960 and examines the impact of mass media on how people think politically. The report then considers the effect of technological advancements in mass media and the effect on the results of elections. The use of mass media has increased over the last fifty years in that it is a primary medium through which supporters of various campaigners share their ideas and views concerning politicians and different political parties. Through social media, behaviors and performance of several activists have brought …show more content…
This new source of communication allowed for the instant reporting of information to the people of the United States. As a result, there was a positive influence on commerce and politics in that people used it as a marketing medium. Politicians, on the other hand, used the opportunity in airing their objectives and goals towards nations so that people could vote for them (Dominick 2010). Social media in presidential campaigns In the US, mass media plays a significant role in politics. One of the key roles mass media plays in politics includes the airing of the platforms of various politicians. The media influences the view of people on politics and politicians. As the opinion of individuals is affected, the results of the votes are consequently changed (Holden, 2016). During the Kennedy/Nixon campaign in 1960 in their presidential bid, the media had to play a role in influencing the outcomes of votes. For instance, during the campaigns, the media showed that Nixon should have spent more of his time practicing what he would say to the audience rather than focused on the physical impression he would make. This approach had an adverse impact on how he was viewed since the powder that he applied to his person started fading as he was sweating during the …show more content…
The changes in social media implied that many people got in touch with the political candidates either directly or indirectly. The people watched their potential leaders of the nation and were able to question them (Mutz 2001). Differences between social media and mass media Social media entails the use of phones, laptops and other portable devices. In social media, people can stay in touch with their loved ones; they can share ideas, comment on people’s ideas and like brands of various products. Mass media, on the other hand, is a combination of different technologies, and their main aim is to reach a larger audience (Pérez 2010). Ways in which mass media influences societal and individual thinking Media also influences the thinking of people and society in general through entertainment as well as advertising and marketing campaigns. It is the creative ideas and boost to the imagination that people get once they watch a television show, movie, commercial or listen to a certain song. The impact any of these forms of media can have on an individual’s thinking can change in that most of them view the various stars in the movies, TV or the music industry as role models and as a result, they start imitating them. This type of influence oftentimes will influence the way someone views a political
Media plays a key role in American society, it shapes, manipulates, and influences us as individuals. Media can come in all forms such as the Internet, things we read, see, and hear. Media can have good effects and bad effects but it seems like media has been taking over recently. We see media everywhere, on our cellphones, in the news, even just listening to the radio. The media influences us as individuals and we respond to it in different ways.
Have you ever turned on the TV to watch the news during election year? News programs constantly bombard the public with campaign coverage that negatively affects the way people vote. The most noticeable effect the TV news media causes is a decrease in voter attendance at the ballot boxes. News coverage of political campaigns reduces voter turnout because of the negative campaign tactics used by candidates and their parties; exit polls that predict the outcome of an election; and the public's perception that the media can be bought to influence people to vote for a certain issue or candidate.
The television allowed for people around the country to get involved in politics, and while it did just that, it had several negative effects on politics as well. Both what people look for in a candidate and what a candidate’s effort to convince voters changed - imagery had become more important than the subject matter. Celebrities and reporters were able to directly influence the opinions of the American people. Television still has a large impact on politics today and, while improved, still suffers from many of the negative effects it created when it was
Influence; it is an essential force inherent to all decisions, mindsets, and values. Sometimes influence, be it intentional or not, is easy to uncover, but other times it goes unnoticed despite the great impact it can have. Influence can come about in many forms, be interpreted in multiple fashions; it all contributes to the idea that the roots of influence are not always necessarily clear. This is increasingly the case with the effects of the Canadian media on politics as more people continue to consume additional media on additional platforms at additional convenience. Essentially, it is easier to consume media than it has ever been before. On the aggregate, the Canadian media is able to impact a larger audience while inducing additional influence on Canadian elections as a consequence of a meager regulatory board resulting in media corporations holding too much influence in Canadian elections.
The researchers present findings that indicate that a politician’s popularity in the voting booth may be related to the frequency with which the candidate is talked about on social media. The researchers goes on to discuss how further research may conclude that social media has a bigger impact on voting outcomes than traditional forms of media, and how that could potentially shape the future of voting.
Currently, the office of the United States Presidency is one of the most powerful positions in the world. The President has the power to influence Congress, the nation and the free world. However, the US Media, which is also the freest and most powerful press, has had control over the presidency. The advent of CNN, ABC, NBC and others has had the effect of being able to sway the population of the United States, either garnering support for a president or destroying his credibility. The media has permitted the spread of information, allowing the people to take a more active role in politics making the general will better known, but it has also made politicians and the public hostage to the ideas and opinions of reporters, who are often only after a gripping story and a large profit. The media has the power to sway the American public by reporting favorably or with disfavor on a candidate, thus making a presidential candidate the prisoner of entertainment companies. Thus it could be said that the American people lose their ability to truly know a candidate because of the media. Instead they vote according to what they are told by major publications rather than what they believe. In this paper, I will explore whether the Media is a valuable resource or a does it have an undue influence over the President and the American public?
In conclusion I have noted several methods of news media that the public has access to. Many personalities have different methods of getting their opinion to the public and some try to stick with one or two at the most. All of these methods greatly influence public opinion concerning politics and politicians. In this country, public opinion is incredibly important to the success of politicians or movements. If you don’t carry a significant number of people in this country your success as a politician is not going to happen. The biggest method people have to get their message out to the public is mass media. If the media decides they don’t like you the results can be devastating. It is almost as important to please the media as it is to please the American public! Public opinion is greatly influenced by the media.
It has been an effective way for a two way communication between the people and their leaders and in a way it has brought them close enough to each other. Social media has engrained itself in our modern day society and plays a vital role in our daily lives. The importance of social media cannot be neglected when it comes to politics and we hope that it proves continues to be a powerful tool of communication as it is
The mass media has become a very significant player in the politics of US foreign policy. There are two major reasons for this. First Americans society and the global environment have grown in complexity and in importance in affecting the lives of Americans; people have developed a greater need for information about national and international affairs. Second during the 20th century a media revolution occurred that makes it possible for the mass media to rapidly communicate information anywhere on the planet. The result of this is much of the information, knowledge, and images that individuals have of the world, come from the mass media
Before beginning to speak about the complex interactions between the media and politics, we must understand what politics and the media are. Media is the sum total of all the different forms of mass communication such as television, radio, newspapers and the internet (Dictionary.com, 2016). Politics is the activity through which people make, maintain and amend the general regulations under which they exist. Politics has been viewed as the art of government or as ‘what concerns the state’; as the conduct and management of public affairs; as the result of conflict through debate and compromise; and as the production, distribution and utilization of resources in the course of social being (Dictionary, 2016). Conventionally, politics has narrowly
The current role of mass media in politics has definitely played a significant role in how view and react to certain events and issues of the nation. Newspapers, magazines, television and radio are some of the ways information is passed onto many of the citizens. The World Wide Web is also an information superhighway, but not all of the sources on the Internet are credible. Therefore, I will only focus on the main three types of media: written, viewed, and audible, and how they affect whether or not democracy is being upheld in the land of the free. The media includes several different outlets through which people can receive information on politics, such as radio, television, advertising and mailings. When campaigning, politicians spend large quantities of money on media to reach voters, concentrating on voters who are undecided. Politicians may use television commercials, advertisements or mailings to point out potentially negative qualities in their opponents while extolling their own virtues. The media can also influence politics by deciding what news the public needs to hear. Often, there are more potential news stories available to the media than time or space to devote to them, so the media chooses the stories that are the most important and the most sensational for the public to hear. This choice can often be shaped,
The purpose of this research is to examine the pros and cons of electronic media used for political press agentry, which may help expose more politicians to the public about the political candidates and their campaign approaches. This will conceivably help enlighten and further the acknowledgement of the American civilians on the strategies that are used to create the governmental foundation. This research also will help further acknowledge the good and bad effects of press agentry within politics, beginning with some of the earliest forms of politics.
Over the years the media has made citizens major role players in politics. Ross Perot opened eyes by putting the 1992 Election in the media and thereby allowing voters to become directly involved in politics. The Internet, the new form of mass media “has turned into a major political and media industry” (Grossman 16). Because of the rise the Internet has taken, the idea of direct democracy has risen. The foundation of direct democracy is in self-government. The claim is that the presence of the Internet will increase citizens’ involvement in political issues by allowing them access to more information. This is significant because it takes a look at the impact of technology on society and politics, as well by looking at politics from the average persons’ perspective. It is my position, however that although the Internet will make citizens more informed this would actually work to deter people from participating in politics. Through the greater establishment of community and trust among citizens will we find the desire to participate in government and politics.
In our democratic society, mass media is the driving force of public opinion. Media sources such as Internet, newspaper, news-broadcasts, etc, play significant roles in shaping a person’s understanding and perception about the events occurred in our daily lives. But how much influence does the mass media poses on our opinion? Guaranteed by the First Amendment in American Constitution, the media will always be there to inform us about the different events or issues they feel are important for the public. The media constantly bombards us with news, advertisements, etc, wher...
It is notoriously accepted that there is no single precise definition of political communication since ‘political’ and ‘communication’ themselves have varieties of definition. In order to critically discuss the changes that the Internet has brought to political communication, this essay is going to define political communication as purposeful communications about politics (McNair, 2011: 4). As McNair (2011:6) and Norris (2010) state that political communication involves the interactive process between political organizations, media and citizens. Moreover, media is a crucial element that links political organizations and citizens in various ways. The downward communication from political organizations to citizens, horizontal communication between parties, public organizations, pressure groups, terrorist organizations and governments and upward communication from citizen to political organizations all require media to disseminate the information. Media comprises print, broadcasting and online channels. With the development of information technology and Internet, online channels are becoming increasingly significant for political communication. This essay particularly focuses on changes that Internet has brought to political communication. Firstly, some positive impacts that Internet has brought to political communication will be explained. Secondly, this essay is going to demonstrate several negative effects on political communication that coincide with the expansion use of Internet by politician. Specific examples of how politicians use Internet in political communication will be utilized to analyze these changes.