Public Opinion

Twitter. Facebook. Instagram. Repeat. Living in the twenty-first century gives people many ways to connect to each other. They can learn about new events, share their opinions, or tell about their day. People now depend on information to keep their lives moving with activities like work, school, traveling, and other regular events. Not only does the media inform the general population, it also tries to persuade and tries to shape the general opinions. The media does this in different shapes and forms like through the internet, television, newspapers, radio, and magazines.
Public opinion is known as the attitudes shared by many people about the government and politics. Although it is difficult to be defined, the way people express their views is how public opinion is identified. Things like voting statistics, editorial comments on the television and radio, internet blogs, and paid advertisements can be ways people express their views. Elections are known to be an important and informative way to indicate public opinion because election day is one of the most popular day for people to express their opinions.
Interest groups also measure public opinion. They are known as private organizations whose members have the same views or opinions about what the government should do about a particular matter. They use lobbyists which are people who persuade and inform all different branches of the government about their opinions and views as an interest group. Lobbyists are hired and paid by interest groups to get what they want. Interest groups also use letters, telephone calls, and e-mails. The media also is a way to measure opinion, however it also shapes it.
Public opinion is also measured by public opinion polls which are devices that c...

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... the average twenty-first century person’s life, it can be said media is a big part of their life. Everyday media is used to help get the person through the day. Why would it be said that media does not influence the people? Using the media informs everyone about different events. Without knowing it, when you are finished reading a magazine or weblog, you have already determined a stance on a certain topic. Is it bad that the media can put this must influence on the people? Although there is a lot of propaganda used in situations like these, the only way the population can be informed is through media. Without it, the public could not be educated in daily events.

Works Cited

Curtis, D. A. (2012). Mass media influence of society. Retrieved from http://www2.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/Courses/ResourcesForCourses/Media&Soci ety/MassMediaInfluenceOnSociety.html