What do you think of when you think of a presidential election? Initially, I think of foreign policy, taxes, healthcare, etc. However, all that came to mind in this year's election was emails, Twitter, and media coverage of the candidate’s latest trash talk. While I think the media does provide us with some useful information and interesting points to think about, in this election, they did less than a subpar job of informing us about the real issues at hand. Every time I turned on the TV, it was not about what these candidates would be able to do for us, but more of what they were saying about their opponent that would deem them an unfit candidate.
Because of the media’s biased views, they saw Donald J. Trump as a reality TV star with no chance of winning the election. With his crass comments, controversial views, and unclear ways of how he would implement change, he was favored in media coverage. Then, Hillary Clinton’s email scandal surfaced and stole the spotlight. Needless to say, these topics took priority in covering the media’s agenda rather than the candidate’s plans. With the constant fluctuation in media coverage, it became unfair with each party getting a larger amount of air time than the other, ultimately influencing voter’s opinions.
Given that the media is no longer just TV, radio, and newspaper, this problem will only get worse with the influence of social media. There are specific processes that go into getting something published in a newspaper or broadcasted on the radio. With social media, all it takes is the click of a button to get your opinion out in the open. This sense of urgency is both good and bad; it’s a simple way to campaign and express political views, but it also presents the opportunity to misinterpret messages as well as leave room for fake news to be spread and shared.
So, what does this mean for future elections? The media will continue to cover whatever gets them ratings; after all, that is their job. Asking for them to change what seems to be set in stone practices seems reasonable, since as viewers, readers, and listeners, we demand the truth. However, to ask this is extremely unrealistic. News stations will continue to be biased with their facts and the stories they cover, such as CNN favoring the Democratic Party and Fox News favoring republicans. That said, it is up to us to educate ourselves and listen to the facts that the candidates present to us during debates, conventions, and rallies and determine what we find to be the truth.
Ultimately, the media has played a roll in instilling divisiveness into our society today. Too often in this election have we seen cases of bigotry, racism, and abuse on both ends of the spectrum. Part of being educated is being accepting towards other people’s opinions while being able to move forward. As a media/communications major, I also see the benefits of using media in an election if used properly. As a future journalist or broadcaster, I want to be the one to bring professionalism, integrity, and fact back to the industry, but I can’t do it all alone. If change is what we are asking for, then we must be the change we want to see. We can’t wait another four years to start. Instead, we must unite as one in order to make a true impact for the better.
