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

"Many foreign countries do not allow free elections; the leader is appointed because of his social status or his rank in the military. Other countries allow elections, but there is only one political party running. It is our duty as American people to research and listen to nonbiased coverage of all the candidates from each political party and choose the one that is the most qualified, whether it be a man or a woman, a white or a black." OH

"It is (the public's) fault that the media has (so) much (persuasive) power. Americans are always looking for the easy way out and have found it very (convenient) to let the media do the work of finding out what the candidates are about. With this release of responsibility and labor also follows the release of being able to know the (true) facts and (the ability to vote wisely)." NY

"Two-thirds of the American population claim that watching TV is the best option available in following national campaigns. Every American needs to critically evaluate what is reported and realize that what they view is just one piece of a much larger puzzle." IN

" If the people let the media control public opinion, then there is really no need to waste time and money on an election; the media can simply choose the candidate they see as the best." MO

". . . the up-close and personal life of Bill Clinton. . .was presented to all of us on a platter and served on the 5:00 p.m. news. We sat there much like vegetables and took in what was given to us. . . It is only right to take part of the blame for what the media has become. . .Though I knew that it was amoral for the media to report on such a topic, I didn't turn off the television when I found out that Bill Clinton had numerous affairs. Did you?" PA

"The media should not be blamed for giving the people what they want to read or hear. The papers who have the juiciest headlines are many times the leaders in amount of copies sold. . . the blame does not rest on the shoulders of the journalists, but on the shoulders of the American public." OR

"In small towns people can help promote candidates of their choice by word-of-mouth." IL

"The best we can hope for is each one of us to take it upon himself to search and seek out the truth on his own. Each and every system, good or bad, starts with just one person, good or bad." MO

"America was founded on the principle of free thinking. Our (Founders) believed that a man who could think for himself and form his own opinions, not based on others' views, was a man of greatness. . ." OH

"My advice to the public is not to be so easily influenced by phony stories that are not pertinent to the times and issues at hand. Instead the public should look at the candidates for who they are, not what they used to be, and their ideals. The candidates and their plans for the future are more important than the trivial issues that fill up space in the media." TX

"The American public is to blame for headlines about a candidate's past love life, drug experimentation or cheating. We do exactly what publishers and editors want us to do. We often buy newspapers with ribald headlines and tune in to television and radio shows presenting titillating stories. Wide public response increases the profit of the media and ensures that there will be more reports.

In addition, the public responds to, and therefore encourages, horse race reporting, or lengthy stories on the relative popularity of candidates." NY

"It is more convenient to glance at the headlines posted in grocery store tabloids than to judge a candidate through personal investigation of his policies." MO

"The public knows how to read the media and the politicians better than most . . .critics acknowledge." MA

"The public must realize that what they hear, see, or read may not always be totally substantiated." MD

"Americans must demand that they be exposed to the issues facing our districts, states, and country. How? They need to do their own research on the issues and the candidates - investigative reporting - which, granted, is very time-consuming. Yet, when one's future is what is at stake, maybe it is time voters took time to do just that. Before the various media sources will seek to change their role, Americans must first change their behavior and be self-informed." IN

"Although all the heat is upon the media, who is really to blame? The American public should be more concerned with issues and what a candidate stands for instead of personalities and listening to the negative ads, which (encourage) the media to show more." KY

"With help from a little touch of reality, people should realize the absurdity in blaming the media for anything. What we, as Americans, should focus on is continuing to educate people by allowing them to think for themselves.

If such a task can be accomplished then people will grow and learn how to deal with and interpret the media. They will realize that the media is not a source for opinion but rather one of many sources that helps to develop a similar or different opinion of their own. The only source for opinion that a person holds is sitting right on top of their shoulders." TX

"So what is the solution to this whirlwind of potentially useful or potentially poisonous information? The answer lies in the intelligence of the American public. The consumer, the voter, the average Joe must pay closer attention to what the candidates say rather than to what the media says about the candidates.

When the candidates' words are not enough, then the public should turn to the media. The public must keep a close watch and an open mind . . . a close watch to be able to correctly interpret the media's coverage of the candidates, and an open mind to judge for themselves the truth. . . far too (many Americans) are too busy or impatient to take the time to (become)reasonably educated on where the national candidates stand." IL

". . . perhaps America has had too much of a good thing; we don't appreciate or acknowledge our right of free speech. We have always had it and it has never been taken away. The solutions have to come from the people. If the government proposed federal standards for the media, people would scream and shout censorship and nothing would be accomplished. The people must chose to make a difference. . .

Remembering that the media makes a living off of people's interest, think of what could happen if thousands of people boycotted the media's stronghold on politics. The media would be forced to change, or at least alter its political strategies.

Another solution, and this is elementary, people should not believe everything they see or hear. Question the source of information. Question the bias." OK

"I think that it is time for voters to show an interest in what is going on in this country. We need to take action and let the media know what we want to hear. We want to know where candidates stand on issues, not what they did in college twenty years ago." KY

"It is easy to target the media for shaping the American voter. Although the media does have some impact, the public must reform their thinking. . .

The impression that candidates make through their television commercials may have some influence on the American public, but this type of coverage and the results produced cannot be blamed on the media. Each candidate is capable of advertising how he or she wants. This can be an education process for the voters. It is a powerful way to transmit issues. The repetition and simplicity of the presidential spots leave almost no room for misunderstanding. If the campaign ads do determine a voter's choice of candidate then the blame should be placed upon the lazy and incompetent voter, not the media. . .

The American voter must inform himself or herself more than just by watching election commercials. To become an informed voter one must read articles from news magazines and pay close attention during debates. By doing this the voter will be able to make educated choices stemming from his or her knowledge." KS

"We the readers and viewers are still the biggest problem and must try harder to select the material we read and watch." IL

"We need voters who will take the time to look for those lost candidates. We need voters who ignore the scandals and concentrate on the issues. We need voters who read the Inquirer and the Sun-Times instead of picking up the Enquirer or the Star at the checkout line.

We need voters who will tolerate educational coverage instead of entertaining coverage. . . Voters should be more discriminating and careful in their absorption of news. Maybe media coverage can be improved.

The best way to do this is by altering the audience. The news media gives its public the type of news it likes to watch. We have to want to watch in-depth, quality news. Then the media will change to suit us." PA