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Media Influence On Presidential Elections

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Although television has made presidential campaigns more public and accessible, the media has negatively impacted the focus of elections. Instead of being centered on political issues and platforms, elections now focus on personal scandals of the candidates. Because the media aims to increase viewership, networks must sensationalize stories and scandals. When television was first invented, it was revolutionary because it was available for a “wide geographic distribution” of people (Source A). Technology has become increasingly accessible and widespread since the invention of the television. In the last few decades, technology has progressed exponentially. Citizens are no longer limited to getting news and entertainment from the radio of television. Now the internet plays just as big of role in providing information to citizens. Television networks have more competition than ever. Even television is becoming obsolete. The television ratings for presidential debates peaked in 1980 and have been declining ever since (Source D). Many Americans no longer have cable TV service because they can watch shows and movies on Netflix and get …show more content…
The media mainly focused on Hillary Clinton’s email scandal for a significant portion of her campaign. Donald Trump was also in the spotlight for his many controversial comments concerning women and minorities, such as when he referred to Mexican immigrants as rapists. Stories about Clinton’s emails and Trump’s remarks were aired over and over again for days, overpowering the candidate’s statements about their plans for office. These stories took center stage because of their dramatic appeal to the public. Since citizens are constantly bombarded with stories and information, television networks face the challenge of catching the public’s attention which is more elusive and fleeting than

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