Political elections are seen to be very important to every country, so in the agenda setting, media gate-keepers tends to rank it very high and show on prime time to attract audiences. Attractive pictures, figures and larger fonts are adopted in order to around public awareness. The images of candidates are all depends on how media shape them and the way of reporting. Public opinions will then form after audiences receiving different kind of information from media. In a certain extent, I believe the effect of media in political elections is influential to voters. Media has bias in transmitting the message and thus attract different group of political elections voters. In advertisements of elections, the quantity, use of words and variation of targeted voters can affect voters’ selections in political elections. Yet, accumulated believes and value system is not easy to change under the perceived predisposition. The selective perception and selective retention set limits towards the effect of mass media.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Agenda setting of media in political election
3. Political position and bias of media
4. Media effects - public opinion is form
5. Counter argument – pre-deposition of voters
5.1 Selective perception
5.2 Selective retention
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the influence of mass media on political elections and public opinion formation, analyzing how media framing, agenda setting, and inherent biases affect voter perception, while also considering the psychological limitations caused by voter predispositions.
- The role of media in setting political agendas and shaping candidate images.
- Mechanisms of media bias and its impact on audience perception.
- Psychological factors, specifically cognitive dissonance, in political decision-making.
- The limits of media influence due to selective perception and selective retention.
- Case studies on comparative media coverage (e.g., USA and Hong Kong).
Excerpt from the Book
AGENDA SETTING OF MEDIA IN POLITICAL ELECTION
The agenda set for political elections are mainly daily news programs or partly mediated talk shows formats and televised debates. This kind of television presence is based on professional news management, spin control, camera-ready scripted event marketing, strict message discipline and impression management. Often, candidates are not given enough time to say all they prefer, instead they are focusing on some points and defeat opponent. Candidates only have five to eight chances to talk in a debate and almost one third of time was taken up by introductions, questions, and commercial breaks. Moreover, the above events are called “pseudo-event” which is purposely making up to giving out certain kind of impressions to viewers. Pseudo event often served some purpose for publicity, attention seeking and create noise from the crowds, and these can be seen mainly before elections. For example, President Bush in a 2004 television spot accused Senator Kerry of “engaging in a level of doublespeak that makes most voters wince.” An ad for Kerry in that campaign declared that he possessed “strength of character, toughness, good values.” Throughout these kinds of shows, politicians always presented themselves charming and as smart as they can in front of the camera. Dress up, delivering tones, personal aim presentation took up essential role on targeting the voters thus helps gaining supporting.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section introduces the significant role of media in shaping public opinion and influencing political elections through agenda setting and image construction.
Agenda setting of media in political election: This chapter analyzes how televised news, debates, and "pseudo-events" are used by candidates for impression management and publicity.
Political position and bias of media: This chapter explores how TV channels often exhibit reporting biases that influence audiences, supported by case studies of media outlets in the USA and Hong Kong.
Media effects - public opinion is form: This section discusses the relationship between message transmission and audience response, highlighting the importance of persuasiveness in mass communication.
Counter argument – pre-deposition of voters: This chapter examines the psychological constraints of media influence, specifically focusing on how personal beliefs limit the impact of political messages.
Selective perception: This section explains how audiences filter information to minimize cognitive dissonance and reinforce their existing value systems.
Selective retention: This section discusses the tendency of voters to remember messages that align with their own beliefs, particularly among less politically engaged demographics.
Conclusion: This final section synthesizes the findings, noting that while media plays an active role in elections, its effectiveness is strictly moderated by voter predisposition and background.
Keywords
Political Elections, Mass Media, Agenda Setting, Public Opinion, Media Bias, Voter Predisposition, Cognitive Dissonance, Selective Perception, Selective Retention, Political Campaigns, Television, Impression Management, Media Influence, Voting Behavior, Political Communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research?
The work explores the extent to which mass media influences political elections and shapes public perception of political candidates.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include media agenda setting, the nature of media bias, the psychological barriers to media influence, and the concept of voter predisposition.
What is the main research question?
The paper asks in what ways media affects political elections and contributes to shaping public opinion regarding political candidates.
What scientific methods are utilized?
The author employs a literature-based analytical approach, synthesizing communication theories and referencing case studies from the USA and Hong Kong to evaluate media effects.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the mechanisms of television media, the role of political advertising, institutional media bias, and psychological theories like cognitive dissonance in political contexts.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include political elections, media influence, public opinion, selective perception, and cognitive dissonance.
How does "pseudo-event" affect the political landscape?
Pseudo-events are intentionally orchestrated media moments designed to create specific impressions and gain publicity, often sacrificing substantive policy discussion for image management.
What is the impact of cognitive dissonance on voter behavior?
Cognitive dissonance leads voters to filter out or ignore information that contradicts their existing values, which significantly limits the persuasive power of mainstream media campaigns.
How do media outlets in Hong Kong demonstrate political bias?
The text contrasts "Wen Wei Po," which supports the government and the "New China," with "Apple Daily," which maintains an anti-government stance, illustrating how ideological framing dictates news coverage.
Why is the influence of mass media considered "uncertain"?
Because of individual predispositions, selective perception, and selective retention, the actual impact of media on election results remains variable and difficult to measure definitively.
- Quote paper
- Joyce Ho (Author), 2009, Media affected political elections and shaping public opinion, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/201666
