Interactions Between Media and Politics: A Comprehensive Analysis

1856 Words4 Pages

Before beginning to speak about the complex interactions between the media and politics, we must understand what politics and the media are. Media is the sum total of all the different forms of mass communication such as television, radio, newspapers and the internet (Dictionary.com, 2016). Politics is the activity through which people make, maintain and amend the general regulations under which they exist. Politics has been viewed as the art of government or as ‘what concerns the state’; as the conduct and management of public affairs; as the result of conflict through debate and compromise; and as the production, distribution and utilization of resources in the course of social being (Dictionary, 2016). Conventionally, politics has narrowly …show more content…

The media has set forth certain expectations like good looks and good character, the public might not acknowledge the fact that they too look for those certain things in candidates but they do, even if it is unintentional because that is what the media has literally taught the people to do so. Until November 1997, it was never admitted that the lobby system even existed (Barnett and Gaber, 2001). However, recent reforms have meant that any information given during the briefings are now attributable to the Government. The lobby system shows just how a powerful media affects modern politics. Even on victory Blairites were only too aware of the media presence. David Cameron’s photo was photo shopped to show him wearing a poppy but provided the 'perfect ' photograph to the eyes of an expectant electorate. Here was the new Prime Minister supporting our nation (Perraudin, 2015). One might say that such behaviour is merely camouflaging the truth. If such methods can be employed to idealise democracy, then they can also be used to destroy it because they distort reality. Democracy is based on an open society, not one that needs to be, and is, manipulated. The use of an image-maker was not a concern for prime ministers like Churchill, Attlee, and …show more content…

On the contrary, media agents believe adamantly that politicians are representatives of an electorate and, in light of this, they maintain that it is their duty to uphold democracy. It is only through the identification of hypocrisies within the government that democracy will survive. It is possible to argue that the press does go some way to provide an extension of the checks and balances of our government, but this must always be seen in the light of their own personal agendas which is to sell papers and make money. The role of the media in modern British society is huge and its effects on politics are vast. Despite all its flaws and political biases, it provides an invaluable service to the nation in that it reminds us that we have a fundamental right to speak our own beliefs and to know what is going on in government. However, this could be described as an idealistic view because the media is as much the tool of the government as the government is a tool of a media. Both are driven by the force of power and money (Marxism) and therefore liable to corruption (Jones and Norton, 2010). What we read is often misconstrued for a certain effect, whether it be to sell papers or to gain support for a political party. As long as the complex relationship between politicians and media is

More about Interactions Between Media and Politics: A Comprehensive Analysis

Open Document