Media Influence on Public Policy Essays - 1861 Words

Policymaking is a political process which is affected by various social and economic factors (Hofferbert, 1974) and media systems play an integral role in shaping the social context in which policies are developed. Through the media, citizens learn how government policies will affect them, and governments gain feedback on their policies and programs. Media systems act as the primary channels between those who might want to influence policy and the policymakers controlling the scope of political discourse and regulating the flow of information. Textbook policymaking follows an orderly sequence where problems are identified, solutions devised, policies adopted, implemented, and lastly evaluated (Mazamanian Sabatier, 1989). In reality,†¦show more content†¦This effect does not refer to the sole influence of CNN on policymaking, but rather on the power of global media networks to determine political processes through selective coverage of certain issues. This is particularly important, as most of the public rely on the media for access to foreign policy information (Brown Vincent, 1995). Gilboa notes that: â€Å"The [CNN] concept was initially suggested by politicians and officials haunted by the Vietnam media myth, the confusion of the post Cold War era, and the communications revolution. Despite evidence to the contrary (Hallin, 1986), many leaders still believe that critical television coverage caused the American defeat in Vietnam. Since then, many have viewed the media as an adversary to government policies in areas such as humanitarian intervention and international negotiation.† (Gilboa, 2005, p. 37) To determine whether the media has the power to influence policymaking, Robinson (2000) devised the ‘policy media interaction model’ (See Table 1), using the theoretical framework of press state relations in the United States outlined by Hallin (1986). This model was applied to a number of US humanitarian interventions, which took place in the 1990s. The results showed, that critical reporting by the media with a strong pro-intervention frame had a ‘strong’ role in shaping the US government policies when policymakers were uncertain about their actions but a ‘weak’ role when government policiesShow MoreRelated Media Influence On Public Policy Essay1847 Words   |  8 Pagesprocess which is affected by various social and economic factors (Hofferbert, 1974) and media systems play an integral role in shaping the social context in which policies are developed. Through the media, citizens learn how government policies will affect them, and government s gain feedback on their policies and programs. Media systems act as the primary channels between those who might want to influence policy and the policymakers controlling the scope of political discourse and regulating theRead MoreThe Agenda Setting Model Can Guide The Public Opinion And Mass Communication1464 Words   |  6 Pagessetting. The agenda setting model can guide the public opinion and mass communication about some social or political issues. Different with media effects model, the media effects more like to telling people how to think, however, the agenda setting model is successful in telling people what to think about. In a general way, agenda setting theory was constructed in the environment of traditional mass media, and the purpose is to study traditional mass media. About the visual agenda setting, the particularRead MoreEssay on The Creation of Public Policy1178 Words   |  5 Pagesdecides to create public policy through the interaction of the branches, the influence of political parties, and the effects of media. 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