Effect on Political Views Due to Media

James Cantrell
Com-126
9-04-2011
Tammany

            Effect On Political Views Due To Media

                          Media and politics are by no means, a new subject. Media, in various forms, has been

          used to deliver political messages, since the days of President Roosevelt's “Fireside Chats” In

          this paper, we will examine the effects of the mass media on political views.

                    Seventy percent of Americans believe that there is a great deal of bias in news coverage.

        (Pew 2004).   This should come as no surprise, as one may flip through the various news channels

          available today, and hear the same news topics being delivered with slightly different twist.

        ( UC Berkeleyy News)   George Lakoff, UCBerkeleyyprofessorr and author says” Conservatives have

        spent decades defining their ideas and carefully choosing their language with which to present

        them.” (Lakoff 2007)   Of course, this is done on both side of the aisles. Statistics, and facts

        on any issue may be presented in such a way, to lend credibility to the quoting party of interest.

        Lakoff goes on to say “ Language always comes with what is called framing. Every word is

      defined relative to a conceptual framework. If you have a word like “revolt”, that implies that a

        population is being ruled unfairly, and that they are throwing off their rulers, which would be

        considered a good thing. That is a frame. ( Lakoff 2007)

                    Language is very powerful!   If   I am running for an office, and let's say I am in the ABC

        party   and in one of my campaign speeches I say, “ Do what is right and cast a vote for the

          American People.” My implied point is obvious.   Now of course this is not going to sway all

        voters, but it definitely has the potential or at least plants a seed that a vote for the other side is... [continues]

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