The Media’s Impact on Congressional Elections

Abstract

This research analyzes the impact of the media on congressional elections. It began by analyzing the initial relationship between newspapers and political parties and concluded with an examination of the relationship of between the modern media, television and internet-based news coverage, and political parties. Through the analysis of the various ways newspapers, television, and more recently, the internet, play a role in electoral strategy and outcome, one can gain a stronger understanding of the relationship between political parties and elections. Our research indicates that the media impacts elections by agenda-setting, providing a platform for candidates to mobilize the electorate and solicit donations, and affecting voter attitudes through increased access to partisan coverage. Although the media positively impacts elections by facilitating grassroots organization and acting as an intermediary for the electorate and political information, the media’s influence includes negative impacts. Our research explored these negative impacts by examining how the media’s influence has evolved. Although both print and modern media are no strangers to partisanship, television and the internet facilitate Americans’ ability to choose what kind of coverage they want to hear. Often, this coverage is not informative and caters to the biases of the viewer. Although catering to one’s biases is an essential part to the successful sales pitch a candidate’s campaign staff, it has negative impacts for voters. Since the modern media encourages selective exposure and facilitates confirmation bias, it can be characterized by a lack of substantive political information, increased polarization, and oppositional hostility.