How Did Television Influence Presidential Elections

Since the 1960’s, television has had a major influence on United States presidential elections; however, this influence has been mostly negative. While the introduction of the television allowed an abundance of people to get more information on elections and provided, “. . . a new, direct, and sensitive link between Washington and the people” (Source A), it had also started a shift of the focus of a president’s effort during his or her campaign. Television also has an influence on public opinion-meaning that the public will often believe what they hear from a well-known reporter or celebrity, regardless of its validity. People who are interested in politics have increasingly been turning away from it due to its often disillusioned view of the world. The introduction of television has had a negative influence on presidential elections because of the shift of focus of a candidate’s efforts, the discouragement of becoming invested in the political scene, and the propagation of bias and misinformation. First, the advent of television has shifted the focus of a presidential candidate’s effort. The American people, rather than judge a

The television allowed for people around the country to get involved in politics, and while it did just that, it had several negative effects on politics as well. Both what people look for in a candidate and what a candidate’s effort to convince voters changed - imagery had become more important than the subject matter. Celebrities and reporters were able to directly influence the opinions of the American people. Television still has a large impact on politics today and, while improved, still suffers from many of the negative effects it created when it was