Media Influence On Politics

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Influence; it is an essential force inherent to all decisions, mindsets, and values. Sometimes influence, be it intentional or not, is easy to uncover, but other times it goes unnoticed despite the great impact it can have. Influence can come about in many forms, be interpreted in multiple fashions; it all contributes to the idea that the roots of influence are not always necessarily clear. This is increasingly the case with the effects of the Canadian media on politics as more people continue to consume additional media on additional platforms at additional convenience. Essentially, it is easier to consume media than it has ever been before. On the aggregate, the Canadian media is able to impact a larger audience while inducing additional influence on Canadian elections as a consequence of a meager regulatory board resulting in media corporations holding too much influence in Canadian elections.
There is no contestation to the idea that the overall use of new media technologies is going up. It is widely acknowledged that the use of both traditional and new media in Canada is exceedingly high; 95% of Canadians watch TV, 86% listen to the radio, 78% read newspapers, and 94% use the internet in some form. However, there is some contestation to the direct impact of the Canadian media on politics in Canada given the platforms they currently hold; it is argued as a chicken or egg scenario. Some analysts argue that increased contact with political material is likely to result in an increased level of political engagement, but others argue that those whom are already politically engaged will look to obtain additional political material. There is also some question as to whether or not the Canadian media does have a direct impact on Can...

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...nce that media holds on Canadian elections. This is far from the ideal scenario and against the proposed measures of the CRTC, but until there is a shift in media regulation, news networks will continue to uphold the power of pre-election favourites. While, in the end, the pre-election favourite will not always win, if they continue to gain additional stimulus as the result of Canadian media then it will ultimately begin to render the policy-heavy period prior to elections useless. In that realization the Canadian media is essentially restricting the entirety of the democratic process. Whether or not they know it or seek to acknowledge it, Canadian media outlets hold far too much influence in the Canadian electoral system as it stands today. Without changes to the status quo, who is to say how exactly the media will disrupt the democratic process in the near future.

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