THE MEDIA COMPLETELY RELIABLE?
Media is chosen as the prime source of information by most voters during the elections. Media has now become part of our everyday lives. We get informed through the radio, television, newspaper and internet. The Internet has played a key role in the media evolution. It opened the concept of social networks, such as, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. It has made information available at all times.
The Presidential election is one of the most, if not the most, important decision that the United States citizens make about our country. It is the decision that will mark three years of improvement or decline the way the country is ruled. In order to make the best decisions, the voters must have access to all the information necessary to that will help them decide who the next president will be. It is without doubt that the media plays an important role in the elections. As a result, media is used by both, voters and political parties as a source of information.
The role of the media has been to inform voters on political parties and the electorates. However, the question remains on how much of the information distributed by all types of media regarding the elections is legitimate. Hundred of citizens don’t realize that a lot of the information being delivered to them may be biased. Citizens tend to rely blindly on the stories the media tell without questioning or having the need to question it. According to the Media Research center, the media bias tipped the scales in favor our now reelected president, Barack Obama, during this past presidential election.
The Presidential election is one of the most, if not the most, important decision that the United States citizens make about our country. It is the decision that will mark three years of improvement or decline the way the country is ruled. In order to make the best decisions, the voters must have access to all the information necessary to that will help them decide who the next president will be. It is without doubt that the media plays an important role in the elections. As a result, media is used by both, voters and political parties as a source of information.
The role of the media has been to inform voters on political parties and the electorates. However, the question remains on how much of the information distributed by all types of media regarding the elections is legitimate. Hundred of citizens don’t realize that a lot of the information being delivered to them may be biased. Citizens tend to rely blindly on the stories the media tell without questioning or having the need to question it. According to the Media Research center, the media bias tipped the scales in favor our now reelected president, Barack Obama, during this past presidential election.
Citizens forget that media can be easily manipulated by the political parties or the media itself. People must keep in mind that not everything they read or hear is true. Candidates are being discussed on a daily basis in the newspapers, social network sites, radio and news channels which complicates things. Sometimes too much information proves to be difficult for voters to really take the time to discern which of these media sources are biased or manipulative, and which of them are not but, luckily most people are starting to realize that the media is not that reliable.
Thankfully, there are various ways people can prevent being manipulated by the media or influenced by it when voting for a candidate during the presidency elections. A lot of the voters make the choice of the next president for various reasons. Some of them deal with family and peer influence. They do not see the various options of getting informed or cannot differentiate a non biased news forum from a biased one. The electorate needs to be a little more educated on the elections. There are different ways to protect your decision from biased influences. The main one being research.
Researching is one of the many mistakes people make when receiving information. Most people do not research and/or verify that the information they are given by the different media sources is true. People need to realize that taking the time to verify the information handed to them can make a huge different on the way they think and/or make a decision.
From my personal point of view, I think people need to understand that even though the media is a good way to get informed, we should never rely on it solely to make a decision or let it influence it. Voters need to make sure the decision they are making is truly what they want and what they think. Do the citizens need to questions everything the media tells them? Without doubt they should. People should always verify the legitimacy of any type of information delivered, especially when it comes to making an important decision.
References
Morales, L. (2012, september 21). Gallup. Retrieved from Gallup: http://www.gallup.com/poll/157589/distrust-media-hits-new-high.aspx. Retrieved December 5 2012.
Researching is one of the many mistakes people make when receiving information. Most people do not research and/or verify that the information they are given by the different media sources is true. People need to realize that taking the time to verify the information handed to them can make a huge different on the way they think and/or make a decision.
From my personal point of view, I think people need to understand that even though the media is a good way to get informed, we should never rely on it solely to make a decision or let it influence it. Voters need to make sure the decision they are making is truly what they want and what they think. Do the citizens need to questions everything the media tells them? Without doubt they should. People should always verify the legitimacy of any type of information delivered, especially when it comes to making an important decision.
References
Morales, L. (2012, september 21). Gallup. Retrieved from Gallup: http://www.gallup.com/poll/157589/distrust-media-hits-new-high.aspx. Retrieved December 5 2012.