MediasPoliticalInfluence1

TheMediasActiveRoleinInfluencingPolitics

KaitlynS.Depew

GlenAllenHighSchool

 MediasPoliticalInfluence2

Abstract

Thispaperdiscussesthemediasinfluenceonpublicopinionandsocietalreactionsinthe

politicalsphere.MediahasbeenevolvingsincethebeginningofAmericaspoliticalhistory,

althoughmorerapidlyinrecentyearswiththeinventionofinternetandsocialmedianew

media.Thispaperwilldefinemediaaswellasintroducevaryingtheoristsinterpretationsofthe

mediasscope.Then,itwillanalyzethewaysinwhichthemediainfluencesthepublic.

Following,majorchangesanddifferencesbetweenmediaofdifferenttechnologicalerasare

discussed.Finally,thepaperintroducestheuniquenessofnewmediaanditseffectsboth

positiveandnegativeonthewaysocietyviewsandinteractswithpolitics.

 MediasPoliticalInfluence3

Introduction

The2016presidentialelectionwasastartlinglookintothenewdynamicsofthe

presidencyandtheAmericanpoliticalsystem.Presidentsandpresidentialcandidateshave

selfrunTwitteraccountsandeveryonefromgreatauntstogradeschoolfriendsseemsto

haveastrongpoliticalopinionandnegativeopiniononthosewhostrayfromit.Mediaand

journalismhaveexistedsincethebirthofAmericaandwillcontinuetobeamajorpartofthe

politicalculture,soitisimportanttolookathowthemediainfluencesthepublicandtheir

reactionstoandperceptionsofevents.Althoughthemediahasalwaysinfluencedpeopleand

sensationalizeddifferentaspectsofthenews,mediaisconstantlyevolvingandstrengthening.In

thepastfewdecades,therehasbeenahugejumpintheevolutionofthemediawiththe

introductionoftheinternetfollowedbysocialmediaplatforms.Socialmediaaffectspoliticsina

negativewayintroducinggroupnorms,socialpressures,andpublicshamingtoclassicmedia

influences.

TheDefinitionofMedia

Theworldisfullofconflictinginformationandisinhabitedbyalargeanddiversegroup

ofpeople.Thewaythatthisinformationisorganizedandspreadisthroughthemedia(Happer&

Philo,2013).Theaveragepersonknowsverylittleoftheworldoutsideoftheirprivatesphere.

Mediahelpspeopledecidehowtoviewunknownswhetherthatbeplaces,people,concepts,or

events.Thereisdisagreementovertheextenttowhichaudiencesarepassivetomediainfluence

andhowpervasivethemediatrulyis.
 MediasPoliticalInfluence4

AccordingtoBoschandMoy(2013),theearliestconceptionsofmediaeffectswereof

powerfulmediaexertinggreatimpactonrelativelypassiveaudiences,andtwosuchearly

twentiethcenturytheoristswithinthisrealmofbeliefareWalterLippmannandJohnDewey(p.

5).Lippmannbelievesthatcitizensmustrelyonthemediatohelpthemcreatetrustworthy

imagesofenvironmentstheyknowveryindirectly.Hisviewofthepublicisonethatisunable

toprocessinformationdeeplyortobehaverationallyandwasskepticaloftheirabilityto

contributetothedemocraticprocess(p.4).Deweyhadamoreoptimisticresponseandbelieved

thatpublicopinionisthebestsafeguardfordemocracyevenifthecitizenryisimperfect,but

thattheviewthatthemediasrolewastohelpcitizenslearnandreason(p.4).Boththeories

demonstratetheviewthatthemediaisnecessarytoprovideguidanceortrainingtocitizens.

MediasInfluence

Whetherornotonebelievesthataudiencesofmediaarepassiveoractiveintheir

understandingofthemessagestheyaresubjectedto,allresearchshowstosomeextentthat

mediaisinfluential.HapperandPhil(2013)foundthat,throughoutmanystudies,anumberof

factorsincludingdirectexperience,knowledgefromothersources,logicandthegenerationof

fearorangercontributedtothedegreetowhichaudiencesacceptedorrejectedthemedia

message,(p.8).Withthatbeingsaid,oneofthewaysinwhichthemediaisinfluentialisby

choosingwhichtopicsarecoveredandthereforewhatcitizensfocusonandfindimportantthis

isknownasagendasetting(Bosch&Moy,2013).Interpersonaldiscussion,relevance,and

certaintyareaffectedbythemediasagendasettingeffects(Bosch&Moy,2013).

AccordingtoresearchbyZucker,therearevaryinglevelsofthestrengthof
 MediasPoliticalInfluence5

agendasettingdependingonanissuesplacementontheobtrusivenessunobtrusiveness

continuum.Obtrusiveissuesareissueswithwhichonehasdirectorpersonalexperienceand

unobtrusiveissuesareissuesaboutwhichonehaslittletonodirectorpersonalexperience.

Thereisdebateoverwhichsideofthespectrumcausesthestrongesteffect.Someresearch,such

asZuckersin1978,havecausedonetobelievethatunobtrusiveissuesaremostaffectedby

agendasettingasonemustturntothemediaforthingstheydonotknowmuchabout.Otherlater

researchers,suchasLasorsaandWantain1990haveconcludedtheoppositethatthemore

backgroundapersonhasaboutanissue,themoresensitivetheyaretoseekoutfurthermedia

informationandthusaremorepronetoagendasetting.(PersonalInvolvementasaMediating

Variable,1999)

Inadditiontoagendasetting,therearesubsetsknownasframingandpriming.Framing

isinfluencebasedontheconditionsunderwhichmediacoverageispresented.Asopposedto

amountofcoverage,framingiscomposedofthequalityandcontentofmediacoverageofan

issue(p.11).Primingistheprevalenceofmemorybasedprocessingofinformationtheidea

thatindividualstendtoretrieveinformationthatismoresalientratherthanbytheir

impressionsofinformation(p.9).Throughagendasetting,framing,andpriming,mediasources

areabletochoosewhichissuesviewersorreadersrememberorfindmostimportant.(Bosch&

Moy,2013)

Similarly,journalistsinserttheirownbiasesandopinionsintotheirreporting.Thereisan

inherentbiastomostmediathatmayormaynotbeintended.Thewaythatjournalistsexplainan

issueoraneventchangesthewayotherpeopleperceivethatevent.Whenreadersperceive

somethinginaspecificway,alensisformedandthatisthewaythattheywilllookatother
 MediasPoliticalInfluence6

issuesorevents.Thislandslideeffectheightenstheinfluenceofmediaasonearticleornews

storytoldinanangledwaycanaffectthewayreadersfeelaboutandinterpretfutureliteratureor,

lessspecifically,themedia.(Bosch&Moy,2013)

Themediaishowpoliticiansspreadinformation,oftencampaignpropaganda,ata

generallylowinformationcosttoalargenumberofpeople(Muller,2016Kelley,1962).The

framing,priming,andsubjectivenatureofthemediaisparticularlyapparentinelectionsandthe

politicalprocess.Journalistsdemonstratetheirownpoliticalviewsbyselectivelytransmitting

campaignpropagandainthecontextoftheopinions,expectations,moralviews,andpartisan

preferencesfromwhichtheyoriginate(Kelley,1962).Themediacanalsoactasawatchdog

figuretoholdpublicofficialsaccountablefortheiractions,suchasthe2016releaseofDonald

Trumpslewdcommentsaboutwomenduringaconversationfrom2005.Themediatookhold

ofthisinformationandheldhimaccountableforhisactions,leadingahugebacklashagainstthe

thenpresidentialcandidate.

OneexampleofasourcewithpoliticalbiascanbefoundinaWallStreetJournal

headlinethatreadsU.S.MistakenlyBombsAlliesinSyria,Killing18(Misleadingheadline,

2017).Whilethisheadlinemakesoutthesituationtobeatthefaultofanincompetent

government,theactualarticlemakesitclearthattheAmericangovernmentwasnotatfaultfor

thisevent,ratheratragicmistakeatthefaultoftheirallies.Headlinesareonewaytospinafalse

narrativeorprovideabias,butthereareaninfinitenumberofotherwayssuchasphrasing,

selectivelychoosingimages,withholdingrelevantinformation,orfocusingonaspecificpartofa

story.
 MediasPoliticalInfluence7

MajorChangesintheMedia

Themediahasbeenevolving,transforming,anddevelopingtolenditselftocertain

purposes.WhenAmericawasjustacolony,themediawasonlyprintmediaandwasmostly

informative.Ithelpedtoshapeandformagroupcultureandnationalidentity.Shortlythereafter,

whatwerecalledpennypresseswereintroducedandwereshorter,moresensationalizedways

ofcommunication.Withafocusonscandalandbreakingnews,theseonepagedocumentswere

moreusefultocaptureattentionortoentertainratherthantotrulyinformorpersuadethe

beginningofthemoderntabloid.(Lule,2017)

Thenextmajorintroductionofnewtechnologieswaswithfilmandradio.Theseoutlets

weretoolstoconnectpeople,allowingmassiveamountsofpeopletowatchorlistentoeventsat

thesametime.Theyweregreatforbroadcastingliveevents,suchasCalvinCoolidges

preelectionspeech.WhileradiowasusefulatspreadinginformationandkeepingAmericansin

theloop,thevisualaspectoftelevisionandfilmincorporatedwholenewaspectstosociety.The

firsttelevisedwarVietnamsparkedawholeprotestmovementandahugeculturalconflict.

ThiswasthefirsttimethatAmericanswereabletoseewhatwasgoingoninwarandtheimages

andvideosmadeitmuchmorerealformanyAmericans.Filmandtelevisionofferedpoliticians

andpoliticalnewsnetworkstheopportunitytodrawalargeaudience,butalsointroducedan

aspectofsuperficialitytothepoliticalsystemasseenintheJohnF.KennedyandNixonDebates.

KennedysappearancemadehimmorepreferablethanavisiblysweatingNixon.(Lule,2017)

TheInternetwasamonumentalevolutionintermsofmediaandmediasinfluence.The
 MediasPoliticalInfluence8

internetseemstoholdallothermediawithinitprint,radio,film,televisionandmoreandcan

conveyamultitudeofdifferentpurposessimultaneously,oftenblurringthelines(Lule,2017).

Theinternetandsocialmediaofferawholenewworldofmediaintensifyingitsinfluences.

SocialMediaandPolitics

Newmediaischangingthewaythemediafunctionsinregardstopoliticsandtheway

thatpeopleinteractwitheachotherregardingpoliticalconversation.Whilesocialmediais

viewedasavesselforfreespeechandgivingavoicetotheeverydaypeopleofAmerica,there

aredefinitelyreasonswhyitmightnotbethebestplaceforpoliticalconversation.

Socialmediaisknownasbeingamarketplaceforideasandafacilitatorofdemocracy

(Ignant,2016).Itoffersgreatertransparency,moreresources,andmammothamountsoffree

information.Itallowsagreaternumberofpeopleaccesstothepoliticalconversation,butits

alsopronetooverdemocratizationmeaningitmightbeatapointwhereitisnothealthyor

productive(Donehue,2012).AccordingtoNicholasCarr(2013),thereistendencyofsocial

mediatobemoreencompassingand/orcontrollingthanpastformsofmedia.Theinternetand

itssocialmediacounterpartofferrevolutionaryplacesforideasandconnectionpeople,butthey

arenotfitforthepoliticalsphereand,unfortunately,thereisnotonewithouttheother.

Inthemedia,thereisadisproportionatefocusonextremevoices,distractingfromthe

moremoderateones.Thevoicesthatsometimesarenotcorrectorhaveaverypartisanslantcan

oftentimesgetamplified,meaningthatthosewhohyperbolize,mislead,oraregenerally

incorrecttendtogainthemostattentionandbuzzthanthosemeasuredandlevelheaded
 MediasPoliticalInfluence9

(Ignant,2016).Whenpeoplecancontributeanyinformationoropinionstoapolitical

conversation,theonesmosttalkedabout,shared,retweeted,orlikedaretheonesthatcapturethe

mostattentionnomatterthereasonsandwithoutbeingfactchecked.

Asimilarandlinkedproblemiscausedbywhatisknownasanechochamberoften

usedforsocialmediasitessuchasFacebookwheresearchresults,friendrecommendations,and

NewsFeedsaredesignedtomatchonesinterestsandresemblepeopleandthingstheyagree

with.ChanelleIgnant(2016)wrote:

Livinginademocracymeansthatallvoicescanbeheard.Butwiththeabilitytocurate

ourownnewsandlimitthevoicesofthosewithopposingpoliticalviews,weenduponly

hearingfrompeopleweagreewithandcompletelymissingoutonanyoneelsesopinion.

Insteadofembracingavibrantpublicconversation,weendupinanonlineecho

chamber.

Facebookisinfamousforbeingahotbedoffakepoliticalnews(Sanders,2016).As

statedbySamSanders(2016),Atitscore,[Facebookis]aplatformmeanttoconnectuserswith

peopletheyalreadylike,nottofosterdiscussionwiththose[one]mightdisagreewith.

ThisdoesntstopatFacebook.Twitterisalsoasocialmediaplatformunbefittingof

normalpoliticaldiscourseantitheticaltosophisticated,thoughtfulcommunication.Twitterisnot

aconversationatall,rathermoreresemblingpostitnotesscatteredontheflooraccordingto

Sanders(2016).Theplatformgivesmanypeopleavoice,butitalsoreinforcespolarizationthis

canbeseeninthemostrecentelectioninwhichitfeltthewholeworldwasdividedinto

CrookedHillaryandTrumpisapuppet.Additionally,someofthevoicesarenotreal
 MediasPoliticalInfluence10

people.ArecentstudyconductedbyanOxfordresearchteamdiscoveredthatonethirdof

proTrumptweetsandnearlyonefifthofproClintontweetscamefromautomatedaccounts.

(Sanders,2016).

Almostcounterintuitiveduetothemassesofinformationnowavailableattheclickofa

mouse,theinternetoftenshrinksonesworldviewratherthanenlargeit.Itisnoweasytoseek

outwhatonewantstoread,watch,listento,orseecausingonetocreatetheirownsortofecho

chamber.Thereareanalmostunlimitedamountofnarrativestochoosefromandevenmore

variationsinsourceandlenseachnewsoutletfollows.Thismakesitextremelyeasytosingleout

onlyconservativeoronlyliberalnewssources,which,becauseofframingandbias,meansoneis

abletofindpotentiallyconflictinginformationastheirunlikemindedcounterpart.(Ignant,2016)

Thesameinfluencesoftraditionalmediaframing,priming,bias,etc.areintensified

withsocialmedia,In1962,longbeforeinternetandsocialmedia,StanleyKelleystated,Group

norms,groupexpectations,personswhoseopinionsareparticularlyvaluedallthesesetlimitson

theabilityofcampaigndiscussiontoinduceopinionchangesintheshortrun,(p.4).Social

mediadoesexactlywhatKelleyarguedlimitsthedirectinfluenceofthemediaitcombinesthe

agendasofthethepeoplewhoownorcreatetheclassicmediaoutletswithsocialpressuresfrom

peers,familymembers,andstrangers.Itisnowasocialmediawiththeabilitytoshame,

ostracise,andfrightenusersintoagreeingwithacertainpersonorgroupofpeople.The

polarizationofopinionsmakesitseemlikethereareonlyacoupledifferentwaystoviewand

thinkaboutissuesboththatwillmakesomefriendsorfamilyangry.Andthisisavalid

concern.FriendshipsandnotonlyFacebookfriendshipsarelostintodaysageduetopolitical
 MediasPoliticalInfluence11

postsorsharesonsocialmedia.

APewResearchStudyonadultswhousesocialmediafoundthatnearlyonethirdof

socialmediausers(31%)saytheyhavechangedtheirsettingsinordertoseefewerpostsfrom

someoneintheirfeedbecauseofsomethingrelatedtopolitics,while27%haveblockedor

unfriendedsomeoneforthatreason.Takentogether,thisamountsto39%ofsocialmediausers

and60%ofthemindicatethattheytookthisstepbecausesomeonewaspostingpoliticalcontent

thattheyfoundoffensive.(Duggan&Smith,2016)

Thissamestudyalsoexaminedhowsocialmediausersfeltaboutpoliticalconversation

onsocialmediaplatforms.Researchersfoundthatroughlyhalfofusersfeelthepolitical

conversationstheyseeonsocialmediaareangrier(49%),lessrespectful(53%)andlesscivil

(49%)thanthoseinotherareasoflifeand59%saytheirsocialmediainteractionswiththose

withopposingpoliticalviewsarestressfulandfrustrating.Themajorityofpeoplequestioned

saytheironlineencounterswithpeopleontheoppositesideofthepoliticalspectrumleavethem

feelingasiftheyhaveevenlessincommonthantheythought.(Duggan&Smith,2016)

Thewaythatpeoplefeelaboutpoliticsisnowtaintedbythewayitisdispersedon

internetandsocialmedia.Afailuretoincludecontextanddigdeeperintothefactsseparatesan

onlinebloggerjournalistfromatruejournalistwhostrivesforanobjectiveview(Stray,2016).

Thefailuretorecognizethedifferencebetweenthetwoleadstoblindfaithandfrustration

dependingonwhoorwhichsourceonedecidesistrustworthyandcorrect.

 MediasPoliticalInfluence12

CalltoAction

Therearewaystoprotectoneselffromthetrapsofsocialmedia.Withanalmost

unlimitedflowofinformation,itisentirelypossibleforthisgenerationtobecomethemost

informedgenerationinhistoryaslongasstepsaremadeasnottofallpreytoeverymedia

influence.Therearesourcesandreportersthatstrivetobeobjectiveoroffermultiplesidesto

oneissue.Buteveneasierthanthat,themoresourcesonereadsandabsorbsandthemorepeople

onerespectfullylistensto,themoreeducatedandwellversedonebecomes.Challenging

assumptionscanbeassimpleasreadingonesourceadaythatconflictswithonespersonal

beliefsordoingmoreresearchonaspecifictopic.Headlinesorsensationalizednewscanbe

deceiving,soitisimportanttolookforreputablesourcesthateitherspecificallystatetheir

sourcesorcomefromarespectedjournalistinthefieldkeepinginmindthatdifferent

journalistsnaturallyhavedifferentlenses.Consumersofmediacanfactcheckbefore

unknowinglycontributingtothespreadoffalseinformation.

Beinginformedandunaffectedbytheinfluenceofmediawillhelptocreateamore

positiveenvironmentforeveryonelookingtotalkordiscusspolitics.Thefutureoftheworldis

inpoliticsandifmoderndayAmericanscannottakeastepbackfromtheircellphonesand

tabletsoratleastlearntodiscusspoliticsinahealthyandrespectfulwayontodaysnewmedia,

therewillbenowayforsocietytoimproveordevelop.Thispatternoftheexponentially

increasinginfluenceofthemedianeedstoslowandeventuallydecreaseasonediscoversthe

harmfuleffectsoftheinternetandsocialmediatopoliticalconversation.

 MediasPoliticalInfluence13

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