The Media and Elections

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how Patterson posits that the role of the media in elections has shifted from that of reporter or even news analyst, to playing the role of "go-between" between voter and candidate. He suggests that the media has come to dominate people's access to the politicians and their views and in the process has colored what the voters hear, changing the very nature of American elections.
We live in a capitalistic society, and it is not the media's job to discern the truth or falsity of any politician's actions or statements. Patterson concludes that responsibility for interpreting what they read and hear ultimately falls on the voters' shoulders.

From the Paper:

"Patterson points out that media coverage of politicians tends to be negative. This in itself might not be bad, as voters need to know about serious problems in a politician's stance, and it is important to evaluate the character of the people we put in power. However, Patterson reports a bias in this pattern of reporting. As a candidate is perceived to be a likely winner, positive reports in the media tend to rise. As a candidate is perceived to be a likely loser, negative reports in the media tend to rise (pp. 118-120)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Patterson, Thomas E. Out of Order: How the Decline of the Political Parties and the Growing Power of the News Media Undermine the American Way of Electing Presidents. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993

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• Article Review # 121946 : "Media and Politics"

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