Media's effect on Voters

In our lazy nation today, most of the American citizen cast their vote on what they see on the news. It is safe to say that the media primarily control peoples opinion on political issues. Unfortunately the worlds most developed nation don't have time to carefully pick their leaders in any level. While vast opportunity of research is available to the American citizen to carefully pick their candidates, they choose to go along with the with what the media tells them to do. It is the media that controls the nation, it is the media that selects the agenda, and it will be the media that selects the president. Media also gives vast amount of information to keep us up to date with the changing world. It is important to watch the news, because news allows us to be up to date on current events.

When it comes to keeping up with news, I usually tune to several different sources such as PBS and ABC. I choose to watch PBS and ABC because these sources generally gives the cold facts first, then allows journalist to give their opinion on certain issues. This is helpful because when the viewer knows the facts, they can relate their opinions to the opinions of the journalist. There are times when the media gets carried away with information, they allow their opinion to drive the fact, instead of the facts driving the opinion. This example was experienced in the case between President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. The journalist's opinions, not facts drove the nations though about the issue. After President Clinton testified in front of Mr. Starr we learned the cold facts. This is why I believe media's most important job is to inform the public.

Media's job is to inform. I'm not against media's quest to make profit, but I'm against it when media, the informer, gives untrue stories to catch ratings. What is the point of having a teacher who is interested in making money and forgetting about the most important thing, which is to teach children? In a nation that is so dependent on the media, it must be their duty to inform. The president himself is dependent on the media to keep up with the changing world. There must be other ways to gain ratings, but misinforming the public is not one of the options. That is why if I were to run for a public office, my primary link to the electorate would be CNN.

There are several things I like about CNN which made it my number one media source. Our political world is changing every day, and to keep up with our changing world one needs a source that is changing along with the world as well. What I mean by this is, while other stations such as ABC and PBS only give national news for one hour, the CNN is broadcasting news all the time. This is a dramatic advantage for anyone who is running for a public office. For people like George W. Bush, the CNN would be a very helpful source, maybe it will give him a clue as to who the Prime Minister of India and President of Mexico is. When ABC broadcasts an event, it usually given the people a summarized version of the event. There are a lot more to the news than what you see on television. One thing CNN does which no other source do is that the summarized version of the event is usually much more detailed and indebted. If I was the president of the United States, just watching CNN would not help me keep me up to date with the quickness of world politics and events. Multiple media source is necessary for people in public office. This is usually the case with the American people. They judge things by one opinion only, they usually cast an opinion on an issue by watching one media source.

If people start casting opinions by watching one media source, they lack the other side of the story. The reason we have different media sources is so one can have a well rounded opinion on particular issues. The fact might be the same, but what's important is when journalists discuss about the issue. Different journalists have different opinions. If one absorbs the different opinions, he or she might be very well informed about a certain topic. Unfortunately I am guilty of this topic. I, like many Americans, simply don't have the time to watch several different sources. I used to think that all the sources give the same opinions and the same facts because they are the same news, but now I realize how distinct one news source is from another, that is why I will strive to change this habit of watching only one news source to cast an opinion on issues. It has been said that people don't necessarily watch what they don't understand. We all love to watch movies because they deal with a broad enough topic that everyone can understand and enjoy. After reading my text book, it can safely be said that politics is a type of a theatrical performance. In our modern world, winning an election is based on image and performer, the best performer usually wins. Some people are not interested in news and politics because they have difficulty watching and understanding this political movie. I am beginning to understand this movie, I am beginning to find interest in different sources of media. That is why I will change my habit and watch different sources of media.

Our nation is controlled mainly by the media, our opinions, our stand on issues are more likely parallel to the ones in the media. Media plays an important part in our society. Since the majority of the American people don't research on things, they rely heavily on the media to bring them the story, however different sources of media is important if one wants to excel and gain more knowledge on cretin issues. It is the media that controls the nation, it is the media that selects the agenda, it is the media that keeps us informed.