Media and Elections: What About The Public's Responsibility?

"In the Cross Country Times, the managing editor, David Burton, gave examples of candidates who won by one vote. 'In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England; in 1649, one vote caused Charles I of England to be executed; in 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German; in 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union; in 1865, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment; in 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes the Presidency of the United States; in 1876, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic; and in 1923, one vote gave Adolph Hitler leadership of the Nazi Party.' ONE VOTE!" MO

"It is necessary for the people to define the role that the media should play, especially on the point of trust. The people must call for better, fairer, more trustworthy coverage." PA

"The only way the media will learn to keep their nose out of affairs that are immaterial to the (public's) health and welfare is if the people protest. Instead of remaining inactive, (if) the people who deep down oppose this violation of basic privacy and . . . they wish to hear only what is necessary and pertains to the topic at hand (such as who is the better candidate for a particular office) (they) need to band together and boycott the newspapers, television, radio and any other means of communication." NY

"People should get educated on the issues. They should become in tune with what effects them. Instead, the people sit back and let the media decide what issues are important for them. The people no longer take an active part in their lives. This is not the way our state of affairs should be, but unfortunately, it is." MD

"There are some aspects which admittedly must be revealed about the lives of the candidates; however, the media too often takes these too far by dramatizing events which ordinarily would be insignificant to the ability of the person in office. . . The public is not given credit for making its own assumptions about the candidates in elections based on factual information given to them. The public understands that candidates are real people and that they too make mistakes, but that these mistakes are not the sole defining characteristic of them as people." OH

"We must all decide for ourselves. And until we the people band together and shape up the media, its trend of sublimation, distrustfulness and manipulation will continue." PA

"Wherever there is gossip, no matter how malicious, people are there to devour it. If the American people want to know the facts and only the facts about political candidates, they should let the media know that they do not want manufactured lies. Perhaps if the American people boycott fraudulent publications, the media will be forced to stop building falsehoods and focusing on candidates' private lives. If we, the American people, do not ask for this rubbish, the media will not produce it." VA

"To be honest. . . I also believe that the media would not feed Americans such garbage if we did not eat it up. Our society is nosey and the media knows it." AR

"Not only do people need to quit buying sensational articles but, they need to let the media know that they want more comprehensive coverage. The people need to send petitions to the media letting them know their complaints. Otherwise, the media feels it is doing its job." IL

"The reader/voter must utilize his own power to reason, while making use of the information provided by the media." MA

"Are the media's actions merely a reflection of our own warped values and perverse infatuation with the illicit details of candidates' lives? Do we ourselves represent the failure of the media by encouraging its exploitation of the truth?" VA

"The most powerful voice is still the consumer. I think that if people want a change they need to stand up and say what they want. Maybe they could ask for longer political stories stressing plans and policies rather than the very day happenings of the campaign trail. We cannot elect Presidents on the basis of how they conduct themselves in a second grade classroom. " PA

"Part of the problem with the media's extreme influence on the public is the fault of the public itself. People in today's society have become dependent on the media . . . It is important voters know exactly where candidates stand on important issues. They could obtain this information by contacting the candidates' campaign headquarters or reading pamphlets provided by the candidates. . . .

If people do not do research before voting, they are being irresponsible and abusing their right to vote. When uninformed people vote, they make choices that are not wise. This affects everyone's future. People should take responsibility for their vote and hold it as a sacred right they should be grateful to have." CA

"The first thing that must be done before anything else will work is that people have to start caring about their country. Once that happens, no problem will be insurmountable. Changing this system of ours is a very big challenge, but Americans have never shirked from a little bit of hard work." IL

"It is possible that if the public demanded more of the media they would discourage the media from producing biased material that seemed more like gossip than news. For example, if someone discouraged one of the gossip informers at my school to stop spreading rumors, they most likely would." PA

"One important way that voters can change the system is to get involved. It is not just enough for the American people to complain and hope that someone will do something for the country." VA

" . . . all voters should gather all the information that they can possibly obtain, weigh what they think to be the truth, and make their own intelligent decision before they enter into the polls to cast their vote on election day." OH

"Although the media can be quite (an influence), we as citizens hold a great responsibility for drawing our own conclusions. We must seek the truth and act upon it and not rely so much on what our favorite reporter says. We must look at both sides of an issue and prevent narrow-mindedness. Only then will we no longer be prisoners of the media." KS

"In the recent election, although polls disclosed the highest voter turnout in years, still only a fraction of the existent number of registered voters bothered to cast their ballots. If we genuinely want to make a change in the practices of the media, we need to begin with a look at our own personal prerogatives. Then, and only then, will this country be able to arrive at a solution that will prove beneficial to us all." VA

"The basic citizen would rather be told what is going on as opposed to reading and ciphering the message that is being given." PA

"It is impossible for a human being to be totally objective. Journalists should try to be honest, fair, and factual. It is the job of the American public to use different sources. Consumers must weigh, check, and compare these sources. Although the media does have a role in our government, a true democracy demands the help of informed, intelligent citizens." MD

"It is the voter's job to distinguish between biased reporting and non-biased reporting." OH