How Does American Television Influence Democracy

As the television was brought in to homes across America, it was evident how incredibly engaging and extremely influential this . For example, television was live and the people were able to see the events that were being broadcasted. Compared to the older forms of technology like newspapers and radio, the television was much more powerful in the way that it allowed peoples to physically see events occurring rather than to read about them or listen to them. Moreover, the characteristics of the television played a huge role in politics throughout the United States.

The broadcast of television and its contents have influenced society as a whole. Whether it being commercials or news incidents, the television covers it all. With the vast amount of information being introduced to a wide span of audience, the television has altered the way a person takes in the given info. Despite all the advantages of the television, it generates bias amongst its viewers and converts their attentions on a certain issue, such as politics, for better or for worse. Although the invention of the television ventures to address political issues to the world, the television manipulates information so that a negative outlook would be pronounced on a particular candidate for a presidential election.

Television has been influential in America’s elections since the 1960’s, and as TV continues to grow, so will the influence it has over the people. Many people believe whatever comes on their television screen, and don’t think twice to counteract the information. As America continues to televise presidential elections and politics pertaining to that, the elections will be frequently unfair and biased, the candidates won’t be able to completely focus on what’s important, like their imagine instead of their ideas. Television may give more substantial access to millions of more people, but that could change that end result of the presidency for better, or for worse.

According to the book Celebrity Politics, approximately 10 percent of Americans get national political news from nightly entertainment shows such as the Tonight Show. For Americans under 30, the number is nearly five times as many (Orman and West 100). Citizens are looking to be entertained rather than simply educated by the nightly news. As David Schultz aptly put it, “ The new media cover politics, but only politics as it entertains, in part, because the audience the new media attract is a less politically interested audience than traditional news audiences” (20). The fact is that this American audience is less interested in hard news and more interested in

This is a huge issue as presidential election debates being broadcasted through television can be manipulated to “[make the debates] look pretty good”(F). Television channels do this by “[pulling] the best three or four minutes of the ninety minute event”(F), allowing for the broadcasters themselves create a bias in what segments they choose to keep and give the public, which stated before, heavily based their opinion on television. This rating system, partnered with public appeal and systematic focus on the image which can be derived from the representatives being questioned shows the devastating impact in which television has shifted presidential election into. While some may argue that television “provides a … direct … link between Washington and the people”(A), the fact that television has had a negative impact on presidential elections can not be averted due to television turning these debates into reality shows. The dependency which ratings television is revolved around, accompanied with representatives being forced to shift their beliefs due to the public trusting a news source more than their own government entices the fact that indeed, television has had a negative impact on presidential elections due to it being too

In the United States, television has been influential in presidential elections since the 1960’s. Television has a way of “turning away from policy sphere,” it judges candidates based on their appearances, not their message. Television has shifted the key point of presidential debates: from pursuing issue to pursuing image. Therefore, television is misleading, having a negative impact on presidential elections.

The aim of this paper is to look at the relationship between the mass media, specifically television, and presidential elections. This paper will focus on the function of television in presidential elections through three main areas: exit polls, presidential debates, and spots. The focus is on television for three reasons. First, television reaches more voters than any other medium. Second, television attracts the greatest part of presidential campaign budgets. Third, television provides the candidates a good opportunity to contact the people directly. A second main theme of this paper is the role of television in presidential elections in terms of representative democracy in the United States.

Television is a form of communication that can be used to transfer information to the general public, and its full value and effects can be seen at all times, especially during election seasons. To some extent, this medium has helped people make informed decisions on which candidate is suitable to be president. However, this positive influence could distract people from focusing on policy and turn the election into a popularity contest.

The invention of the television has had an impact on all aspects of American's lives. It has affected how we work, interact with others, and our foreign relations. One part of American society that it has especially affected is presidential elections. Television has impacted who is elected and why they were elected. Since the 1960's television has served as a link between the American public and presidential elections that allows the candidate to appear more human and accountable for their actions; consequently this has made television a positive influence on presidential elections. But it has also had a negative affect on elections, making presidential candidates seem like celebrities at times and making it easier to publicize mistakes

Television was brought during the Cold War’s early period and since the medium was slowly growing, networks would primarily find sponsorship and financing from the State, more specifically the Defense department. As a result, American television content would evidently focus on the West’s position about the Soviet Union, and thus the medium started being used quite extensively as a propaganda tool. American families now had access to a propaganda medium in their homes and watched mini documentaries on what to do in the event of a nuclear attack and how to recognize an American Communist, but also newscasts about the political position of their country. Documentaries also were being played as to what the idea of what it was to be a true patriotic citizen. It was quite an ironic that the United States were preaching democratic ideologies and a free marketplace with free debate, when in fact television networks were given over to the American State’s

In modern day United States, the media is a huge pool of information that is always apparent. Almost every household in America has a television; hundreds of channels on the television are mainly news, local or national such as Good morning Colorado, Good morning America, and World News Tonight, even talk shows such as Late Night w/Jimmy Fallon are fueled by the media.

Since the 1960’s Television has become a fundamental criterion in political presidential races. Television, without a doubt is very influential in presidential races, since it is more accessible to the American people, however in doing so, it has made elections unfair. While others say it is positive because candidates have a larger platform to voice their policies, I believe it is not since image has become more important rather than stances on how the nation will be ruled.

The American public has almost no understanding and involvement in the news. The younger generation, specifically, finds absolutely no interest in the news and believes that it is irrelevant. For example, “when one college teacher required a class to listen to NPR for an hour, one student summed up the general reaction to the experience by calling it ‘torture’” (Shenkman 27). This shows that students do not understand the importance of politics and are rather bored with the current news.

Besides the media’s wide availability, another major factor that makes the media a powerful influencer over American culture is the media’s ability to select exactly what is spread to these mass audiences. Specific stories and topics can be publicized over others, and others could just be omitted. Since the media is the main source of information for the majority of the population, the stories, topics, and events that the media features on television, newspapers, and websites are what is directly affecting and

“The media are a primary source of those pictures in our heads about the larger world of public affairs, a world that for most citizens is ‘out of reach, out sight, out of mind’ and what we know about the world is largely based on what the media decide to tell us” (McCombs).