The Media, Advertising, Public Opinion and Elections (Research Paper Sample)

The Media, Advertising, Public Opinion and Elections
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The media play critical role in informing, educating, sensitizing American citizens on various social, political, cultural and economic aspects of the country. Besides, the media has been source of entertainment (Rozell 2003). It has particularly influenced the political dynamics of a country with a population of over 300 million people. Of great interest is the focus on how the media has influenced elections and activities during the electioneering period. Apparently, many candidates use the media to woo supporters from across the country. Presidential candidates, whether Republican or Democrats, have categorically invested in media to engage the public, sell their policies, and to determine the appropriate strategies to win an election. Thus, the media has necessitated the need by some candidates to reinvent and reenergize their campaigns especially when the previous strategies proved ineffective in steering their agenda (Rozell 2003).
Irrespective of whether print, electronic or the new media, presidential candidates have always invested billions of US dollars towards familiarizing with the people as well as selling their agenda and policies once they clinch the seat (Harris & Tichenor 2010). Through the media, candidates find opportunity to explain various policies they would wish to adopt and implement if they successfully win the elections. Policies range from health care, security, foreign policies and the country’s stand on the increasing wave of terror attack. The media is an effective tool that helps the members of the public to air their views, opinions, and reservations about the aspiring candidates (Harris & Tichenor 2010). In effect, candidates would be in a position to know their rating through the famous opinion polls. Even though such polls only take into consideration a small sample of eligible voters, it is clear that it is representative of the public interest and opinion particularly after examining and scrutinizing the various agendas that candidates are seeking to implement if they emerge victorious. During the 2008 general elections in the United States, aspirants for various elective seats spent over $5 billion. Over $1.3 billion went to presidential race alone. This clearly indicates the intensity and magnitude of the presidential race especially considering that presidential hopefuls would traverse all the states in attempt to sell their policies as well as familiarize themselves with the people (Harris & Tichenor 2010).
In all the presidential campaigns, the media was certainly the bridge that linked the candidates together with the people. Apparently, candidates spent about 40 percent of the total campaign expenditures on production and airing array of advertisement on television, print media, radio and the Internet (Bardes et al 2010). Besides, candidates had to spare a considerable amount out of their campaign kitty for consultancy purposes through the media. Although the media has emerged as a propaganda tool especially for candidates whose main aim is to tarnish the name, misrepresent and negatively influence opinions of the public about their rivals, it has also played a vital role of informing and educating members of the public on matters of great importance to the country. The media has particularly been instrumental to the process of shunning hate speech, ethnic tension, and racial discrimination during electioneering period (Bardes et al 2010).
By September 10, 2012, the NPR confirmed that the President in conjunction with the Democratic National Committee raised $114 million where as Romney and the Republican National Committee raised $111 million (Woodward 2007). These figures apparently show the cost and worth of US elections especially at the highest level, the Presidential race. During the 1984 elections pitting Reagan and Mondale, advertising emerged as key to familiarization and selling of policies to the cities from across the United of America. The Tuesday Team created the ads for President Reagan’s reelection. The campaign team for President Reagan wanted a little creativity away from the obvious 1980 ads (Woodward 2007). They thought it wise to reinvent their campaign strategy by spending on ads that would more effective and memorable, ads that could woo voters into accepting his bid for reelection. The outcome was stupendous and an inspiring series of picturesque that Americans commonly referred to as “Morning in America”. According to Rogers Aisles (a Television producer and Nixon campaign consultant, 1968) television is no gimmick thus, no presidential candidate will ever clinch the highest seat in the country without presenting themselves well on it (Woodward 2007). He attested to the realism that the television (an electronic media) is effective for presidential candidates to woo voters by simply presenting their ideas so well. However, Adlai Stevenson (Democratic Candidate, 1956) warned about the idea of merchandising candidates for high office claiming it is ultimate indignity to the democratic process. He likened the idea of candidates presenting themselves on television to breakfast cereals (Woodward 2007).
The country is awash with media programs, which includes news, opinions, and entertainment. By watching news on television, reading in newspapers, or listen to radio, the citizens get prompt information on trending news, events, accidents and incidences within and outside the country borders (Bimber & Davis 2003). In addition, the media provides avenues through which the public air their views and opinions about various issues affecting the nation. The issues include social, cultural, political and economic developments of the country in the wake of globalization. Today, the new media has completely revolutionized public opinion and views on matters affecting them as well as the country in general. Through the Internet, citizens from different parts of the country express themselves freely when they give their opinions and reservations on various activities that the federal government, state government and the local government have initiated in attempt to improve livelihoods of the people (Bimber & Davis 2003). In particular, members of the public have special interest in the way the government seeks to implement it foreign policy in the wake of insecurity in America as well as security of its citizens living abroad (Bimber & Davis 2003).
The people have mainly capitalized on social networking sites such as Facebook, You Tube and Twitter to express their ecstasy and reservation about the government’s economic plans. During the 2012 elections, the Internet played fundamental role in keeping the public abreast with very development during the election period (Wayne 2012). Even the presidential candidates used the social media platform to sell policies and sanguinely win their hearts in the run up to the elections. Apparently, the presidential candidates have complete control over their images in the area of electronic media among other forms of media. For instance, television sets, cell phones, computers and television commercials have provided the candidates with opportunity of to not only protect their images but also vend their agenda as well as policies to the people (Wayne 2012). Policies range from health care, security, foreign policies and the country’s stand on the increasing wave of terror attack. The media is an effective tool that helps the members of the public to air their views, opinions, and reservations about the aspiring candidates. In effect, candidates would be in a position to know their rating through the famous opinion polls. Even though such polls only take into consideration a small sample of eligible voters, it is clear that it is representative of the public interest and opinion particularly after examining and scrutinizing the various agendas that candidates are seeking to implement if they emerge victorious (Wayne 2012).
Television commercials employ tools of film making in addition to script, visuals, editing, and performance as a strategy to distill candidates campaign themes into a few powerful images. In essence, radio, newspaper and television ads elicit emotional reactions and inspire support for particular candidate (Gumbel 2005). Interestingly, the ad raised doubts, speculations and misgivings about his opponent. Although the commercials reflect the techniques and approach of the times, in which they were created, the critical strategies as well as messages have always remained the same over the years. Researches indicate that the Living Room Candidate contained more than 300 commercials. The commercials belong to presidential election since 1952 (Gumbel 2005). Apparently, Madison Avenue advertising executive (Rosser Reeves) convinced Dwilight Eisenhower that short ads played during the TV program I Love Lucy. In effect, such ads could reach more voters across the country than any other forms of advertising owing to the popularity of the TV program. Such kind of innovation has since had considerable impact on the way presidential elections were conducted. Kennedy campaign produced ov...