Political Roles of the Media

Essay by lisapuddicombeUniversity, Bachelor'sA-, April 2004

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It is an undisputable fact that the media plays an integral role in the way we, society, view daily politics and the politicians. Canadians spend almost a full day each week watching television. This is an obvious indication that people rely heavily on the information portrayed in the news. In an age where the popularization of television and other media sources has dominated the information scene, it is hard to know if the information you are receiving is from reliable and unbiased sources.

The media plays an important part in influencing public policy by influencing our thoughts and opinions about what we feel is important. It also influences our opinions on how the problems should be solved and pressures politicians into implementing new laws and programs in order to meet our needs. In this paper I will look at the role the media plays in influencing and informing the public about political decisions and the relationship between politicians and the media.

I will show that in a culture, which relies so heavily on the relay of information, we cannot function or survive without this vital player in society.

Government policies can be best described in two ways: policy for those who make themselves heard, and policies for the people who are most effectively heard . First for those who make themselves heard, I believe that in order to make your concerns recognized you must first draw attention to yourself and your cause. This is obvious, but what may not be as obvious, is the method in which to do so. The method of communication you choose to use will affect the audience you draw and in turn affect the outcome.

For example, if you chose to broadcast your problem on a late night television show, or through an email chain...