Interest Groups and Media
Table of Contents
This section covers the following topics
- The types of interest groups and how they influence the government
- Political Action Committees (PACS)
- The role of the media with government
Section Summary
Interest groups play a major role in politics, from the campaigns to the daily activities of government. They provide crucial research and opinions that shape policymakers’ decisions on public policy. The main work of interest groups is lobbying. Along with interest groups, political action committees (PACs) are a way for individuals and interest groups to support a candidate with financial contributions. The media is a linkage institution between voters and the government, and the government has learned how to work with the media to its advantage.
Interest Groups
Types of Interest Groups
Interest groups are organizations of people who share common political goals and aim to influence government policy. There are many different categories of interest groups that attract varying numbers of people.
- Some of the largest interest groups are business or professional groups like the American Trial Lawyers Association.
- Labor groups like the AFL-CIO
- Gender-based groups like the National Organization of Women (NOW)
- Single issue-focused groups like the Sierra Club, the National Right to Life Committee, and the NRA
- Religious interest groups like the Christian Coalition
- Civil Rights focused groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Lobbying
The main work of interest groups is lobbying, which is seeking to influence public policy. Lobbyists are people that work for specific interest groups and lobby on behalf of the group. Lobbyists focus on gaining the trust and attention of government officials.
Contrary to popular opinion, the main task of lobbyists is providing research and specialized information to the policymaker. The lobbyist can... Sign up to continue reading Interest Groups and Media >
