Media Focus more on the personality than the politician.
'Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain' is a line taken from the Wizard of Oz and is spoken by the wizard to symbolize that it is not the person pulling the strings and levers who is of importance, but rather the effect that one experiences "in front of that curtain". A useful quote to illustrate that which confronts political audiences everyday. What we see and hear with respect to politicians, what we understand by policy or party affiliation is such that we need to question what it is that is actually being conveyed and for what reason? More importantly, as the audience or enquiring social scientist, is it not of consequence to know who the wizard actually is, whether he be the "media" or the politician? In the last fifty years, the media, in its numerous forms, has become a central "social institution." Whether it be through television, newspapers or the internet, the media is the principle means by which information is communicated to us. The media is by no means a definitive source of knowledge, but it certainly is a valuable and practical source by which information, that would otherwise have gone unknown, be communicated to the general public. Political awareness today, for the majority of us, is broug
' Although, there still lies a certain amount of uncertainty as to the veracity of this statement. Celebrity-ism is a profit driven institution who members, both in front and behind the scenes are consumed by image and illusion. Some theorists, such as Baudillard have argued the we have entered a era of postmodernism where our perception of "reality" has become defined by our acceptance of surface features and a celebration of the transient and glitzy. Recently decisions were made to change The Times, a decision said to be based on practicality. In conjunction with the above points, the media as a whole has a vested interest in this type of post modern cultural focus. Therefore, what sells becomes more of a priority than what really matters. The Times, once thought of as the bastion of the English establishment, has changed its format to attract a wider readership, currently 1. Consider that 'in the print world, receipts from sales account for roughly one-third of revenue, with advertising providing approximately two-thirds of operating costs. The public can identify with that image. 'Citizens in a democracy need adequate information to make informed decisions and to take the appropriate political action. Firstly, comprehensive "fact and figure news" is a hard sell for media groups when matched up against "sex and scandal. The well-documented example of the Nixon-Kennedy debate (Kennedy wore make-up and looked fresh and boyish, Nixon refused to and came across as seedy) paved the way for a new generation of politician who were educated as to the importance of media coupled with "art of appearance". Hardly an exact science, but a significant one nonetheless, especially if our conjecture proves to be correct. It left a lasting impression on the minds of potential voters who no longer wished to vote for a man who appeared too old and frail descend down the stairs of the stage. Politicians and the media have always had a mutually advantageous relationship defined by the politicians need for coverage and the media's need to inform their audience.
Common topics in this essay:
Wizard Oz,
Tony Blair,
Sun Recently,
Bernard Cohen,
Clinton Dole,
Bob Dole,
King Live,
,
political awareness,
party affiliation,
successful telling,
post modern,
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Acceptance Essays
