The role of the media in politics

I am not a US citizen; therefore I cannot vote. I am, however, very aware of the role the media plays in politics; mainly because as much as I try, I cannot get away from it. With the looming election and the scandals around it, it would be nearly impossible not to notice all the radio, television and newspaper ads that have been taking over the regular commercials (which I hated before, but now sorely miss!)


Don't get me wrong: I believe that the media is essential in politics. Nowadays when people are busy and don't have time to sit and watch show after show about whether Obama is a Muslim and whether Clinton really did go under sniper fire in Bosnia, they have many options to choose from to become politically educated.

For those of us who are not so up to date on the political campaigns, political news programs on stations such as CNN or FOX News can be very helpful. These programs often offer a variety of information about both sides of the political race, and can help you make your decision about who to vote for. Televised debates are also informational and entertaining. Many times those debates are the most helpful of all media forums because the candidates themselves speak and answer questions, as opposed to annoying commentary from political analysts who believe they know it all.

The Internet is also a great media source when looking for information about the political campaigns. Personally, it is my favorite, because I can pick and choose what I read or watch, and can make my searches very specific. Even though I cannot vote (yet), I like to learn about the candidates and educate people around me when I can. Still, I wish that there were stricter rules when it came to what can and cannot be shown by the media, simply because there are some people who will focus only on the scandals, and not on the issues that really matter.

What gets my attention the most in the media (for good or bad), are the negative ad campaigns. It is so rare to see a campaign ad that simply gives the positive aspects and the platform of a candidate. Instead, we are bombarded with "So and so believes in such and such. He has done this and that. Shame on him!" What have we learned about the candidate running the ad? That's right-nothing.

No-matter what our favorite (or least favorite) media source is, the truth is that politics would not be the same without the media. We may complain about how we cannot turn the television or radio on nowadays without being bombarded with campaign ads, but in the end, we come out more educated and informed. If we don't at least make an effort to learn more about politics in our country, we can only blame ourselves when the elections don't turn out the way we had hoped.