Media: From News Coverage to Political Advertising

The frenzied news coverage during a political election is unstoppable. Political ads also bombard you from every source–websites, TV, radio, and print. Then there are the memes, links, and video clips that show up through social media. Are these just annoyances, or do media messages actually shape an election’s outcome? News outlets, campaign staff, and even members of the public use many forms of media for different purposes: to explain candidates’ platforms, to explore issues, to expose controversy, and more. Some messages are biased, while others try to be balanced. Examine opposing viewpoints on some of the key issues involving media’s role and consider for yourself what power media has to influence the election process.