Roles of Mass Media in Political Life - Essay Example

Today media follows the public everywhere. The living room has the television, the outer lawn has the newspaper, the car has the radio, mailboxes are full of mailers and journals while the office table has the Internet and computer. The penetration is so deep that it won't be an exaggeration to say that no citizen can escape the news, views, and opinions, in different forms from the media. The political field is one such field that encompasses all aspects of our social life. So it is affected the most by media.

Media has become an integral part of our lives and therefore they generate popular interest and debate about any social problem that we can think of. Media prospers and becomes more meaningful in a democratic environment like the USA, India, etc. In general mass media plays a very crucial role in the political arena. For example;1. Mass media can make the political system more 'transparent' in the following respects:It provides information: Media provides access to government decisions and the decision-making process.

Media also provides a scope for the public to know as to why the decision taker has taken such a decision. It provides the scope of Public Participatory: Public Participation in political decisions is possible either through fair representation by direct participation.Accountability: Media has the ability to hold government officials accountable - either to the legal system or to public opinion - when they violate the law or when they act in ways that adversely affect people's interests.2. Media can highlight any sensitive issue related to the welfare of masses and force the political class to take appropriate action on the issue.3. At times shrewd political parties and politicians manipulate the media to serve their own interests.

In fact, now there are media channels/ newspapers set up by political parties/ leaders to influence public opinion. Politicians have now understood how important mass media have become to retaining power and influencing citizens.4. At times some actions of the media have generated intense debates. For example, the Public Vs Private life of a political leader issue has generated a lot of heat like in case of the sexual habits of Bill Clinton. The issue got both bouquets and brickbats in public opinion.

Many people decried the mass media's increasing intrusion into the private lives of public figures. But in any case, this affected the political fortunes of Bill Clinton, and media played the role!5. At times media also appears to play a negative role. For example, in view of the cut-throat competition amongst media channels, the breaking news concept may be used by anti-society groups like terrorists in propagating their cause. These organizations spread their message through some sympathizers in media.

In the name of freedom of expression, the media may end up propagating what the terrorists themselves are unable to do. This may influence the tender mindset of teens at times, giving strength to such anti-social elements. At times this results in an unintentional abetment to such anti-social elements.6. Media encourages the ordinary citizen for taking part in the political process by making him understand the benefits and ways and means to do so. At times media can make heroes out of ordinary citizens.7. Media stories also affect the neutral/ inactive citizen to take part in the political process.

It makes them understand the value of their 'one' single vote in changing the fate of the government.8. Media highlights many issues through investigative journalism and helps in generating healthy debates on many sensitive issues.References: