The media's role as government watchdog has vanished in today's over saturated media environment. With more choices for the consumer on where to get their news, the media presentation of political campaigns has abandoned reporting just the facts and tilted the election process towards entertainment. The mass media fail to provide the voters with substantial policy platforms from the candidates and instead focus on their latest slip ups and gotcha moments caught on tape. The election process has become a contest to see who can avoid the media feeding frenzy following the slightest gaffe on the campaign trail. Candidates hire teams of specialists to present a positive image without ever having to take a stance on the issues. The media no longer presents the positions of the candidates because it is assumed that the public is not capable of understanding the issues and making an informed decision. Today the experts tell the public who to vote for so the public doesn't have to think about it. Character ads replace policy ads and the media treat the voters like small children that couldn't possibly comprehend the tough issues facing the next elected official. The infantilization of politics has dangerous consequences when the voters are not given the option to make an informed decision. It has the more serious consequence of disengaging voters and turning the polling booths into ghost towns on Election Tuesday.
Discussion Questions:
- Where can voters go to get policy information from candidates in order to make an informed decision?
- What useful information can voters gain from the media's coverage of political campaigns?
- Can voters make an informed decision from just using mainstream media, or is individual effort to acquire outside information necessary?
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