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Role of Mass Media in Politics

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Role of Mass Media in Politics
Role Of Mass Media In Politics

In this discussion I call upon two movies as examples and evidence to examine the role of mass media in politics. The two movies I will use for this basis are The Candidate and All the Presidents Men. Today, the art of governing a society seems to be much dictated or prescribed by what the assemblage of the citizens of the United States say or express to the mass media. Thus, the government and politicians listening to and acting upon our very wishes and desires. Or looking at this in another point of view; The mass media relays to us as citizens the news or information about the administration as conveyed or set forth by the administration as the "truth". I believe that the majority of the populace would tend to agree more with this second point of view. The government or politicians of this great country try to appear to have the semblance of truth or honesty in all of it's endeavors. And sometimes it does. However, on occasion within its own discretion, the media investigates and tries to inform us by the televised news, major newspapers and (large) radio personalities of cover-ups, conspiracies and or wrong doings by our so-called leaders. Are we always told the truth by the mass media? By the government? By the media speaking for or as directed by the government? Or has the line between truth and lies been so badly blurred in politics that we will never know what truly goes on in our political system? The two movies examined, both play in some way on the function of the mass media in American politics. We can see how much and how heavily we rely on our televisions, radio shows, newspapers and now the Internet to communicate to us the latest breaking news, political campaigns, slandering, commercials for politicians running for office, debates, presidential addresses, cover-ups, conspiracies and information that can take down an entire administration. This shows that in all the

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