Media Holds Sway Over Political Elections

The greatest force impacting media andsomeone who couldn't win. Whatever happened
democracy is the explosion of information nowto the beloved underdog? America loves a winner,
circulated via more sources than ever before.but the winner isn't always the most capable
Super stations are buying up small competitors.candidate, and vice versa.
Media powerhouses owning several mediaWhile working with a local political campaign this
formats the American public hears only what thepast year it became apparent that our city
media giants want us to.newspaper had predetermined which candidate it
The media is one of the most powerful andwould support. The editor refused to send a
dangerous forces behind the growth of Bigreporter to take to the press the story of a local
Government. For far too long the media has beenindependent councilperson. However, some of the
biased on issues, certain political candidates andlarge party candidates received free coverage on
the two-party system. It varies from state tothe evening news and through interviews initiated
state or from one locale to the other, but overalland published by local the newspaper. People tend
the media has failed to give equal coverage to allto vote for the candidate that has the most
candidates because it takes sides and advocatespublic exposure and we all know that means
its own agenda. Raising ad prices during amedia dollars. Without publicity and financial backing
campaign easily eliminates any candidate or groupfrom political parties a candidate doesn't stand a
that has less available funding. This exclusionarychance even though he or she may be the best
bias infringes upon the people's right to make acontender. It is true that the candidate who
fair assessment of all the candidates and cast anspends the most money usually wins the election.
educated vote in an election.This was particularly true in the local council
There is an ever-increasing segment of theelection mentioned above where a young woman
population that considers itself neither Democratran against a good ol' boy calling himself a
nor Republican and many people are tired ofRepublican, and a Democrat candidate who
having to vote in the two-party system. When Isupported higher taxes. Even realizing that she
polled people about why they do not vote, theprobably wouldn't win the election, I chose to help
common reply I hear is that people do not feelmy friend with her campaign because she is
like either of the candidates is a good choice. So,making a point and bucking the system. I admire
the second question I asked in my poll is, "Whyher tenacity and belief that she could have an
not vote for an independent candidate?" Theaffect on democracy. When the votes were
common response is, "I didn't know there wastallied and the expenditures were accounted for,
another person running." Some independentthe number of votes was in almost exact
candidates have excellent ideas and abilities toproportion to the amount of money spent on
implement them, but media costs are soeach campaign.
exorbitant that not every candidate can afford toIn the 2008 Presidential Election, the media can
advertise in the mainstream media. We arebetter serve democracy by returning to true
responsible as voters to do our own research butjournalism, and by being more open-minded and
many people don't have the time to turn overless influenced by issue advocacy and dollar signs.
every rock to find the alternate candidate. ThisWhen biases are put away, true freedom of
discourages worthy candidates from evenspeech and freedom of press will return and a
attempting to run for office. I was recently toldtrue democracy will exist.
that I was wasting my vote should I cast it for