| What role does the powerful new media play in | | | | tune in twenty four hours a day. The television |
| Politics? The short and long term effects cannot | | | | media quickly enhanced their position in the political |
| be denied. But does the new media offer us | | | | process. Politicians and the mainstream press could |
| sound political information or simply entertain us | | | | not help but take them seriously. One of the |
| for profit and ratings? | | | | criticisms levied against the television media was |
| The New Media | | | | that they trivialized serious issues of governing by |
| Every so often, the mass media system in the | | | | mixing politics with entertainment. Every political |
| United States experiments significant | | | | issue at hand could now be analyzed and |
| transformations that signal a new plateau in its | | | | scrutinized twenty four hours a day on cable |
| evolution. Widespread recognition of the new | | | | news. Campaigns had to give a second look on |
| media's role on the political scene occurred during | | | | the role of media in politics. The media could be a |
| the 1992 Presidential campaign. The candidates | | | | tool of support or a thorn in your side. Campaign |
| flocked to talk radio, television talk shows, news | | | | strategy had to be changed. The power of |
| magazine programs and the internet. Although the | | | | television was not to be denied. |
| media offered many options to deliver their | | | | The Internet |
| views, the debate as to rather or not the content | | | | Twenty five years ago the term "modem" did |
| was informative or entertainment had begun. | | | | not even appear in the dictionary. Modems |
| Talk Radio | | | | connect people to online computer services such |
| If there has been one communications format | | | | as CompuServe,Prodigy, America Online or MSN, |
| that has become emblematic of the new media, it | | | | and to hundreds of thousands of world wide |
| is talk radio. Talk radio used to be the "night shift" | | | | websites and home pages. Increasingly, the |
| of the airways. Talk radio reinvented itself. Talk | | | | internet has become a tool for political |
| radio became an important candidate forum in | | | | communications as well. On the net you could gain |
| 1992. President George H. Bush interviewed with | | | | political info, express political opinion, and mobilize |
| conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh. By | | | | other voters and political leaders. You could also |
| 1994 nine talk radio hosts ran for statewide or | | | | make political donations. In this years Presidential |
| local office. Most were unsuccessful, but their | | | | race, candidates have raised literally millions of |
| positions in talk radio gave them legitimacy | | | | dollars online. The web has become a electronic |
| ascandidates. | | | | town hall. In a brief time, the web has grown into |
| Other unsuccessful candidates such as former | | | | a major player in the new media. |
| New York Governor Mario Cuomo and New York | | | | Conclusion |
| Mayor Ed Koch moved into local or national talk | | | | The media has found its niche in today's politics. |
| show host jobs. Talk radio had a political platform. | | | | Rather its talk shows, television or the internet, |
| Americans were tuning in. Ratings were up. Profits | | | | they have laid a foundation, built a platform from |
| were rising. Talk radio had become a force to be | | | | which to voice their social agenda and flex their |
| reckoned with. | | | | political muscle. How much of that voice is quality |
| Television | | | | content is still up for debate. One thing is for sure, |
| Cable television opened the airways for an onset | | | | if you want to succeed in politics, it will not hurt to |
| of media opportunities. Time slots were filled with | | | | have the media in your corner. |
| talk shows and news programs that you could | | | | |