Introduction The purpose of this interview was to examine the role of media in the electoral process, or during elections to be precise. The activities of the media are various, so this perhaps was just by noting and classifying some of the things the media do in elections. The interview was quite entertaining and there were no conflicting views or controversial opinions. The interview was conducted via cell phone while the interviewee was in the comfort of her home. This set a casual and comfortable tone for the interview. The topic for the essay which stood out after the interview was “ELECTIONS AND THE NEWS MEDIA.”
Below is a summary of the interview:
What is Media? Most journalists define media as a channel of communication through which news, entertainment, education, data or promotional messages are disseminated. Broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, telephone, fax and internet are all considered media.
Who are the News Media? News media are those elements of the mass media. Generally focus on delivering news to the public or target public. Print media such as newspapers and news magazines are part of news media. Broadcast news such as radio and television, Internet such as online newspapers and news blogs are all news media.

So what is a newsreel? (follow-up question) Newsreel was a documentary film common in the first half of the 20th Century. This released a public presentation place containing filmed news stories on a regular basis.
What then is online journalism? (follow-up question) It is reporting distributed via the internet. This is the result of many blogs nowadays.
What is the overall aim of media coverage during elections? The media has a role to inform the citizens about the competing political parties and their programs and also candidates. Media also contributes to the formation of opinion of the electorate through formal voter education material. It is important that every candidate has access to media, in particular radio or television. Most voters gain their knowledge about politics via the media.
What is the influence of media during elections? Media and politics go hand in hand. Politicians can successfully manipulate media coverage to get votes. Politicians need media to get the exposure they need to win elections. Reporters are sometimes invited to cover newsless news conferences about the reports on economic plans which could have been running twice a week for six months. Reporters are kept on a leash, they can write about the candidate’s favor of good schools but not his recent sex scandal. The media is sometimes manipulated by the politicians during election periods but have no choice but to cover the people chosen to lead the government.

How do news media impact elections? The media can have an impact on people’s thoughts and behaviors especially during opinion polls. Some people feel that opinion and editorial pieces in the media have the ability to sway would be voters. Many people who rely on the media for accurate information, which includes presenting polling information accurately, can be led to form a position that is not based on the fact.
When does media coverage affect voter perceptions of elections? Elections are not just decisions – they are a way of making decisions, carrying with them as an order, an ethic and etiquette. The coverage the media give elections conveys the notion that they are important. The media reinforce this notion that run repeatedly through their accounts of campaigns and campaign events. That voters have a choice, that a decision at the polls has profound results; that politicians have their ears to the ground and care what voters think and so on and so forth
How strongly does it affect them? (follow-up question)
It encourages more or less unquestioning faith in the significance of the electoral process, and of the Citizens role in it, among a great many people. It is, after all, an almost completely one-sided propaganda that the media are disseminating.
In what segments of the voting population does it affect them? Citizens learn about politics and government primarily from television and newspapers. These media outlets can influence voters not only through particular reports but also merely by choosing which stories to cover. Media can have a sizable impact in shaping the public’s political knowledge, attitudes and behavior. However, despite of the media’s purpose, the media does not work in persuading viewers to change their opinions about an election. In fact more potential voters make up their minds politically well in advance.
How do candidates and the new media interact during elections? Actually, the main goals for candidates are to spread their messages to as many potential voters as possible. In order to achieve these goals, they utilize the media both to clarify and articulate their messages as well as reach many more homes than they would be able to alone. This way candidates spend a lot of time interacting in different ways with the media, keeping it as much on their terms as possible. Reporters also sometimes only report what they are trying to get across especially interesting news about races, so they will stereotype the candidates for fear of missing a lead story and cover the same themes and ideas being covered by other news outlets. Generally the relationship between the news media and the candidates is one of compromise and conflict, in which both sides depend on each other to meet their goals.
How does visibility and tone in the media influence part choice? Most voters are informed about politics through the media especially television. This fact is notably relevant when it comes to political parties since the vast majority of voters do not see the candidates in person. They only hear and see them. Hence, there are obvious to assume that the media has an effect on voters’ perception of parties and their candidates. The media can also have effects on political opinions through the information environment it creates. Parties compete for the media’s attention and ultimately for the voters’ attention. The more media visibility of party leaders increases the likelihood that the masses will vote for a party’s candidate. Voters tend to vote for parties that they have come to know through the media. The more present a party is in the news, the more voters will vote for that party. It is just politics! Political parties can also be presented in the media in a positive or a negative fashion. Therefore, one needs to take the media’s tone into consideration. For the masses who do not make use of the possibility of meeting party representatives in person and, hence have nowhere else to go than the media – the media’s tone must be assumed to be an important one for voters whether one should vote for a party or not. A positive tone toward particular parties leads voters to have more positive evaluations of those parties. The media’s tone toward parties also has an effect on those voters who decide upon their party choice only during the campaign.
How does news get covered? The media covers races that are competitive and the more competitive the race, the better the chances are for more coverage. The media cover specific events which occur during the elections such as debates or the national conventions. The media also values new ideas or stories for their novelty as well as valuing personality. There is always a greater chance of media coverage during elections in which celebrities are running for office. During presidential elections the media is more likely to cover where there is an important or well-known office at stake, such as the president’s office, a governor, or a mayor of a large city like Washington D.C.
Why do you think mass media biases stem from political views of candidates? People who talk with a set of contacts biased in their favor develop an unrealistic notion of what is fair and balanced. Then people who are highly committed, regardless of their specific views such as those who are strong partisans on either side or those actively involved in politics – will perceive a generally balanced news story to be biased in favor of their opponents. Campaign coverage can be biased – newspaper coverage tends to favor incumbent that support the editorial agenda of the paper, while cable television can be biased toward a certain political ideology – but this is as much a reflection of the viewer preferences as the outlets choices.