Media and its influence on politics

1. Media and its influence on politics

2. Mass Media • There are four types of mass media that impact voters • Television – has sound bites (30-45 second small reports) • Newspapers • Radio • Magazines

3. What are the preferred sources? • What is your preferred source of information? • What is your parents preferred source of information?

4. Media’s influence on public agenda • Media chooses what they report on, determines the issues the public see • Focus attention on certain issues • Tell people what to think about • Has a dramatic impact on what people perceive as news • Political leaders monitor news making sure they are up to date

5. Media’s influence on politics • Decline in importance of political parties • Candidates can appeal to public directly • Voters make their impressions form the image in the media • Voters here “sound bites” that catch their attention

6. Limits on the Media • Newspapers and magazines offer the most in-depth coverage • They offer more non-political information • People would rather watch or listen to entertainment than political affairs • People are selective in what they watch or listen to

7. Propaganda • Technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors • Name calling- saying something negative about your opponent • Card stacking- only one side of the story • Glittering Generalities- message sounds great, makes you want to be a part of something • Bandwagon- everyone is on board, you should be too • Plain Folks Appeal- this is the normal thing to do; just one of the guys