How has the media changed the shape of American Politics - Essay Example

Media and American Politics Media has become a valuable political tool in the lives of Americans. Not only is it capable of spreading need-to-know information as soon as possible to millions of people at any given time, but it is able to reveal every side there is to politics in that same time frame. During a presidential election, for example, whether it be a news station, radio broadcast, newspaper, or the Internet, the media is able to present citizens with up-to-date facts pertaining to everyone running in the election, including the components’ stances on certain topics and any of their wrongdoings that those behind the media feel the need to report.

Americans no longer have to search high and low for this information; instead, they simply need to turn on any news channel or go to any news website and they are presented with all of the facts that are needed, and then some. It is because of media that more people than ever are involved in the world of politics (Rozell & Mayer, 2008), even if they are just spectators. However, media is not always a helpful, reliable tool when politics are involved. Media influences people in regard to politics by feeding them the information that its deems to be important; those in charge of media have their own agenda.

This is often dependent on the news station, the individual relaying the news, or the political party of anyone involved in the broadcast (Curran, 1995). If a story is being presented by Democrats, there is a good chance that the Republican party will not be shown in a good light, and vice versa. The same holds true for issues regarding propositions or bills that are waiting to be passed, such as the growing concern of border control along the southern states. What originally began as a method to keep Americans informed of political goings-on has long since become a battle to make one side look worse than the other, all because of the universality and bias of media.

Americans rely on the media so much to the point that the media has started to make up the minds of these Americans. Media helps to take the thinking and consideration out of politics. Instead of coming upon one’s own conclusion about what to believe or who to follow, they follow who and what the media tells them to. Furthermore, Americans have found the media to be a trusting source, despite the fact that there is often two sides to every story (Curran), though only one may be heard. It is because of this that many Americans are unaware of what is factual and what is false.

They may even hear both sides of the story, but they stick to the one that sounds more convincing. By relying on the media as a trustworthy source of information, Americans have ceased to do their own investigating to see which story, if either of them, are true. Media is gradually taking Americans out of politics. In essence, the media has begun to control the entire world of politics, especially the direction that it move in. The media has not always been like this though. Back in the day of simple radio broadcasts and newspapers, Americans were able to rely on the media for factual information about politics.

They were able to take the information presented to them and form their own opinions. There would be enough information for Americans to understand the basics, yet not too much where the media source would make up their minds for them. As media continues to gain power over politics, it also continues to gain power over the independent minds of Americans. References Curran, J. (1995). Media, power and politics. Florence, KY: Taylor & Francis, Inc.. Rozell, M. J., & Mayer, J. D. (2008). Media power, media politics (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.