The Role Of The Media In Democracy Essay - 1490 Words

How much does your vote really count? As a voter, does your choice really matter? How much influence does the media have on your vote? How many choices does the media actually make when it comes to our nations leadership? These are questions pondered by both political scientists and the average American citizen each year as the second Tuesday in November approaches. Though we know that the framers founded this nation on the principles of representing its citizens, and on the ideals of a nation for the people and by the people; it is obvious that the people feel that their vote doesnt always count. In this paper I plan to expand on these questions and the justifications behind asking them, and I plan to follow up with a specific†¦show more content†¦Thousands of our nations men and women were fighting for their country, yet the media limited the amount of information that they chose to pass on to the public. Each day the media is faced with the choice of making decisions of w hat news to pass on, when that news could make a significant difference in someones life, or in the fate of our nation. How much does the media effect your choices in voting? When we first ask this question, we think of the obvious. The media informs us of canidates, their personal backgrounds, their ideology, their stances on issues, things they do in the community they represent, and the platform on which they plan to run. However, once they get past the initial introduction, they quot;tend to be highly critical of politicians; they consider it their job to find inaccuracies in fact and weakness in argument.quot; (Janda et al., 192) They force the faults of politicians on us, seldom speaking of the positive aspects from that point on. This, in turn, gives the voters a negative vision of their representatives as leaders. If faults are constantly being pointed out, voters begin to think that all politicians are incompetent and unable, and therefore see no need to vote. The media does not intentionally force these negative views upon the mass public; rather they point out the faults because it makes a better story. Although the media does not directly create or change opinions, it tells the public what to think about. By using primingShow MoreRelatedRole of Media in Democracy2423 Words   |  10 PagesRole of Media in Democracy ------------------------------------------------- Top of Form 1. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the  FAQ  by clicking the link above. You may have to  register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Bottom of Form Welcome to the India Forums | Discussion Forum. ------------------------------------------------- Top of Form Page 1 of 212LastRead MoreThe Role of the Mass Media in Ghana’s Democracy2088 Words   |  9 PagesThere is a linkage between the mass media and democracy. The press in the Gold Coast played a significant role in the struggle for the country’s independence from colonialism. Ghana was birth after independence and it has experienced a history of democracy and a mixture of coup d’à ©tats. This reduced the beauty of the once vibrant democratic state to a state where the rights of many Ghanaians were imprisoned, beaten, killed by soldiers. 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