How Does Television Influence Presidential Elections

Tvs regularly broadcast information and short clips or even live interviews of the candidates, giving people more and more useful information about who their possible new president could be. It gives you their ideas and goals for the future and their view on the current standing of the nation. It also gives you an understanding of who the person really is. Source B provides information of how Bill Clinton spoke openly about his underwear. His objective was not to let everyone know he wears boxers, but to give them a general idea of himself and personality. Although it is important to understand what the candidates have planned for the future, it is also important to understand who the person is. Tvs do that all the time by broadcasting a variety of things said and done by the

The coverage allows voters “ immediate contact with political events”(Source A). Having this contact provides the voters knowledge of the characteristics of the candidates. Knowing how the candidate reacts in different situations is important because we want to ensure they won’t cause extreme problems. For example, a president that is quick to anger wouldn’t be the best for the country because if he or she was discussing policies with world leaders. If he or she didn’t agree, they could become angry and embarrass the country, or even launch an attack. That may be a major exaggeration, but we need to be aware of the characteristics to ensure the candidate will be a great president. However, we don’t actually know the candidate. It may feel as if we do, but we don’t actually know them, TV promotes a false connection. especially biased TV stations. Over time, television broadcasting stations have formed biases and praised the candidates with similar opinions while shedding a negative light on the candidates that with contrasting views. In other words, we can’t trust how the candidates appear on TV because it provides a false image of how the candidates truly

Since 1952, television has played a major role in presidential elections. Television allows candidates to reach a broad number of people, and personalities, to help push along their campaigns. Campaigns help the candidates just as much as the voters. The candidates get to be identified, and known to the voters, and the voters get to hear and see how a specific candidate identifies with their needs and wants. The best way to get this information out there is through the most used form of media, television.

The invention of the television has changed the world and especially the US tremendously. What once was just a dream became a reality; people could be together watching the same event in real time, something that could never be achieved before. Although this invention of the television had many great aspects and improvements in the lives of the American people, it also changed the political landscape negatively, making image over substance important in Presidential elections, creating an intimacy with leaders and celebrities like never before, as well as giving rise to the credibility of influential media. One major impact of television on the political landscape was the shift of focus from political issues to the image and appearance of the candidate. As seen in Source C, the Kennedy-Nixon debates, one of the first debates shown on television, clearly was influenced by TV and the images created by its invention.

The political debates amongst Nixon and Kennedy assume a gigantic part in TV history, and the historical backdrop of America. It formed the way that we run our political races today. The politics debate being aired on television enabled individuals to see the character and activities of both candidates. During these televised debates, various viewers saw Kennedy's self assurance and how well put together he was. But then on the other hand, Nixon had a harder time and gave off a frightful vibe to the viewers who were watching the debated. Individuals who watched it on TV felt Kennedy won the debate, while the individuals who tuned in to the radio felt Nixon won. This point is important, essential, and identified with television

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 uses the issues debated and discussed and focuses on the way the candidates respond to issues. There is an increasing focus on why a candidate is saying what they are saying rather than the actual content of their policies or ideas on an issue. This focus is used to formulate an image of an individual candidate, which tends to have a bigger impact than the politics itself. For example, in the most recent election, there was a focus on Clinton’s speech because it was presumed that she was just trying to protect herself and hide her emails. In document A, the author states, “One of the great contributions expected of television lay in its presumed capacity to inform and stimulate the political interests of the American electorate.”

I do believe that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections. In modern times there is a need for television for these types of events. The authors mentioned agreed with the fact that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections. One source, Source D, is a chart of the ratings for presidential debates. I believe that television has had a positive impact on presidential elections because the world has changed in recent years, the people have changed, there is a trust in the people who are on television, and there is a more honest aspect when someone sees it themselves.

Television has been influential in United States presidential elections since the 1960’s. But just what is this influence, and how has it affected who is elected? Has it made elections fairer and more accessible, or has it moved candidates from pursuing issues to pursuing image? The media only impacts the American Society, especially for the presidential election as it increases the talks in politics and gives the president a higher role to follow. The television race captures more popularity than what a citizen is actually voting for.

In fact, television makes impossible the determination of who is better than whom…” p.133. Postman continues, arguing that television does not allow us to choose the “best man” who is, “more capable in negotiation, more imaginative in executive skill, more knowledgeable about international affairs…” p.134. He talks about how the candidates try to change their image to the image of the leader we need, even if they are not actually that person. I completely disagree with this argument. One reason why I disagree is because the politicians running for president are constantly fundraising and speaking in front of crowds and even if they are pretending to be someone they are not, how could they do that for years and years without anyone finding out? I truly believe that television does help a lot when it comes to learning about politicians because every single person is so opinionated and when you hear many different opinions about a person it starts making you think more and more about what is true and what is not, causing you to do more research and be more careful. The presidential debates also really help when it comes to choosing our presidents. During the debates the candidates are asked so many questions and asked to respond so quickly that they do not really have much time to think about what they should and should not say. Those are the times

These debates stand out in history as the moments that changed the nation’s politics. This is due to two facts. The debates propelled an otherwise unlikely candidate into the spot of the presidency, and it turned television into an easily accessible medium during the electoral process. In the nineteenth-century, the people of the United States of America would commute to presidential candidate’s houses to inquire about problems with America and how he would remedy them. This was no longer necessary, and lead Charles Kuralt of CBS News to declare that Kennedy’s presence on television changed this medium into the nation’s new “front

Presidential election has evolved significantly over the course of time. In the past, presidents like Andrew Jackson had to travel around the country and physically share his ideal through speaking with others. In modern day, presidents like Bill Clinton had the option to sit in a room and portray his ideals to the audience through the television. Well, what’s the difference? First, the invention of television has improve the relationships between the president and its citizens.

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

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