The role of the media in informing the public about the happenings across the world cannot be overemphasized. The big media has a fundamental role in the construction of attitudes, public beliefs, and most importantly, the enhancement of social change. Some of the fundamental tenets of the media include the press, television, radios, and online platforms have a vital role in communicating to the public what happens in the world. Psychologists believe that an individual's perception of reality is partly due to the beliefs they have. In today's age, many of the beliefs have been shaped by big media. It is, therefore, a worthy cause to assess what various media present, how they influence people, and the factors affecting its operation. It is important to emphasize the act that media freedom is part and parcel of a fully functioning democracy. As such, this has allowed the big media to influence society in various ways due to power. As an important measure of democracy, the press freedom acquired in the last, which has enabled it to control how organizations conduct different activities and the general way in which the society operates and makes decisions.
Social Media’s Place in Politics
With the onset of social media in the last decade or so, politics has undergone the much-needed change. Some of the most common social media sites include Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, among others (Bernoff & Charlene, 2008). These sites have changed the way campaigns are conducted, including the way citizens interact with their elected officials. The continued use of social media in politics has the set the center stage for the accountability of public officers and increased accessibility of the politicians. More fundamentally, it has provided an important platform for campaigns where politicians can easily sell their agenda to people without spending huge amounts of resources (Sobel et al., 2010). First, social media platforms have become important grounds for political discourse. This is because individuals can not only acquire information from it but also effectively contribute to it. Author Calderaro discusses the political value that comes with the use of social media. He says, "This use of the Internet has the consequence of sharing political claims and debate, and thereby the coordination of people" (Calderaro, 2018 p. 783).
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The presidential campaign in the US has received an immense boost from social media platforms. For instance, John Edwards, in 2007, was the first candidate ever to announce his candidature via the YouTube platform (Calderaro, 2018). The social media platform mirrors the actual world and is a platform which enables people to engage in conversations with one another. Other than the usual campaigns and interactions with politicians, social media influences politics by acting as the breeding grounds for movements and revolutions. For instance, in India, an anti-corruption movement against the government was started on social media arenas, including Twitter and Facebook. The internet connectivity provided by the internet platforms has also contributed to the fall of long-standing regimes headed by dictators. With a keen focus on the 2008 Barack Obama presidentially campaigns, one can understand the impact that the platforms have had on the presidential elections of the US. Kaur & Kaur (2013) say, "In 2008, his campaign managers used social media effectively by sending voting reminders on Twitter and interacting with people on Facebook."
The Media’s Effect on Politics
The big media has enabled the communication of information from one person or place to another. Sanyaolu et al. (2017) assert the essence of the big media in politics by outlining the fundamental roles that it plays. The authors say, “It stimulates citizen engagement in politics; these include, political party's membership registration, voters registration, elections and electoral campaigns, electorates management, are among the major political activities" (Sanyaolu et al., 2017). Politics involves the process of acquiring power and its application in matters of governance. It is also important to note that personal communication through media platforms allows politicians and their parties to come closer to the electorate. The mass media also enables the politicians to segment their demographics and impact than in a more targeted way. However, this does not mean that the media only carries positive impacts on politicians and their politics. They can be prone to a lack of objectivity and fairness hence limiting the chances of a politician acquiring or regaining a seat.
It is also important to note that media attention is fundamental in determining the issues that make it into the political agenda. The media has a crucial role to play in the formation of the political agenda. Helfer discusses the impact of individual media outlets in impacting politics. For instance, in discussing individual aspects of media, she says, “Newspapers are a central player, both because they can influence other media outlets and because they have been found to affect the political agenda more than television in the European context” (Helfer, 2016). More fundamentally, the role of the media in influencing the politics of a country cannot be underestimated. The media has been heavily implicated in partisanship, disinformation, and propaganda all which can influence public opinion against them. The 2016 US presidential election was significantly affected by the media. The Hillary Clinton e-mail scandal is said to have significantly been impacted by the media. The stories were covered heavily at the helm of the campaign period, which tarnished her name and reduced her popularity, especially among the neutral voters.
The Power We Give the Information We See and Hear In the Media
Chadwick, Dennis, & Smith (2016) asserts that big media has a significant role in influencing the country's social, cultural, and political affairs. Media has power because it can impact the culture of a particular society. The ideas propelled by the press are regarded as right and as such, it is difficult to criticize them. The authors continue by asserting that some of the big media outlets are privately owned. As a result, they do not serve the interests of the society but rather that of a few individuals who are powerful and influential. For many years, several research studies have been placed to identify some of the qualities that drive people to trust the news as portrayed in the media. It is common knowledge that people want the news to be fair, accurate, balanced, and complete (Campbell et al., 1989). Although much power has been given on media in the recent past, the onset of other platforms such as social media has significantly impacted the relationship that people have with the news. The lack of media freedom, constant intimidation, and the ownership by influential people remain fundamental aspects that continue to impact the power bestowed on the big media.
However, of importance remains the fact that the big media remains the official voice that the people rely upon when they need information. The case of Hillary Clinton, which involved an email scandal emphasizes the power that people have placed on the media. Although the investigations were at their infancy at the time of its publicity, people jumped into the bandwagon which painted the then-presidential candidate as a person who is unfit for office. Car, Pluim, and Howard (2018) assert that it is difficult to control the media based on the influence it has on society. The authors continue to note that the big media has the discretion in what it wants to air and what it does not want to air. The information given in the media is viewed as credible and authentic and could easily shape the life that people have. This applies in not only politics but also other aspects such as health, lifestyle, and education, among others. Hepp, Harvard, S., and Lundby (2015) assert that media plays a crucial role in determining the research outcomes that reach the people due to the power bestowed upon them.
Media and Political Decision Making
The big media has a fundamental role to play in the political decision-making process. Kunelius and Reunanen (2012) assert that the media is an important source of political power and a crucial tenet in an environment where political power works. The authors say, "Those who have an official status and are actively involved in policy networks also make use of media resources, and to differing extents adapt their actions to the demands of the media" (Kunelius & Reunanen, 2012). It is without a doubt that the press influences the course of politics in any democracy. The media will influence the particular mode of a campaign that a person takes. With social media composing mostly of young demographics, a candidate can decide to choose to delve on this site if their policies primarily apply to the young demographic. During the campaigns, as seen in the case of the US, the media focuses on the swing states, which essentially do not identify with the Republican-Democrats axis of politics. As a result, a politician can decide where they focus their campaigns the most based on this valuable information which can only be acquired from the big media platforms. Hartley (2017), however, discourages this tendency because he feels that it places too much power on the media. The politicians cannot criticize the media for fear that they will negatively be painted.
Political Literacy and Media
Many scholars and educators have asserted that media education should be a fundamental aspect of fostering prosocial goals, including political and civic engagement. Political literacy is a fundamental aspect that cannot be wished away, especially in modern democracies. Media literacy is defined as "the path towards more active and robust civic engagement in the 21 st century" (Ashley, Maksl, & Craft, 2017). Media literacy gives rise to political literacy, a fundamental aspect, especially for young people who have little knowledge and experience in defining their political values and ideologies. Media literacy will enable an individual to explore and assess various news platforms and know the difference between credible and non-credible news in a bid to become politically literate. The media has played a fundamental role in both civil and political engagement (Car, Pluim, & Howard, 2018). Through various platforms, it has raised awareness on the voting rights and the procedures involved during the electioneering period. As such, this creates a sense of political literacy, which has a significant impact on creating a responsible nation.
Marginalized Vs. Mainstream
The marginalized groups include the group of people which has traditionally been neglected or discriminated against. Examples include the disabled, sex workers, LGBT, and the poverty stricken, among others. In identifying the role of the mainstream media in the position of the marginalized groups, it is important to assess three fundamental factors. First, the big media has made significant steps as regards the calling and indicating of members of the various marginalized groups. A large percentage of the big media has considered the right to privacy and dignity while reporting among them. Secondly, the media has remained objective and refrained from the use of stereotypes when addressing controversial groups, including the LGBT and sex workers. They have also engaged in discourses that seek to limit the stereotypes and prejudices directed against members of this group (Hepp, Harvard, & Lundby, 2015). Lastly, the media has explored and aired several factors that adversely affect the members of these group, including hate speech, violence, and discrimination, among others. More fundamentally, the big media has been on the forefront in condemning such actions and advocating for unity in diversity.
Examples of Positive and Negative Effects the Media Has Had In Politics
On a positive note, the media has positively impacted the politicians and the electorate. For the politicians, they have found avenues to air their manifestos and agendas. Secondly, they have platforms for direct interaction with the people where they could get feedback and recommendations. Politicians use these arenas for campaign purposes to ensure that their agenda reaches the common citizen at the grassroots level. On the negative end, the lack of objectivity and biasness could adversely affect one candidate. Wilson (2019) outlines that the over-politicization of important aspects of society can adversely impact the discourses that people have.
Conclusion
As an important measure of democracy, the press freedom acquired in the last, which has enabled it to control how organizations conduct different activities and the general way in which the society operates and makes decisions. Media virtually affects every aspect of the society, including politics, political decision-making, the portrayal of the marginalized group, and improvement of political literacy, among others. With various avenues of media, especially social media continues to expand, the impact it will have in the society will be expected to increase too.
References
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Bernoff, J. and Charlene, L. 2008 “Harnessing the Power of the Oh-So-Social Web.” MIT Sloan Management Review 49, no. 3: 36-42.
Calderaro, A. (2018). Social Media and Politics.
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Car, P. R., Pluim, G. W., & Howard, L. (2018). Engagement with the Mainstream Media and the Relationship to Political Literacy: The Influence of Hegemonic Education on Democracy1. In Democracy 2.0 (pp. 65-81). Brill Sense.
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Sanyaolu, P., Sanyaolu, O. C., & Oni, O. (2017). The Importance of Media in Politics. Research Gate Open Access Journal: DOI: 10.13140/RG. 2.2, 33223.
Sobel, Russell, Sanjukta Roy, and Nabamita Dutta, 2010. “Beyond Borders: Is Media Freedom Contagious?” Kyklos, 63(1): 123-133
Wilson, M. R., (2019). Media Government Interactions in the United States. Global Media Journal, 17, 32.
