Essay #9 The Influencing Media

DATA for 2009 

Viewer’s Ages and Frequency of Viewing of Network Nightly News: 1974 and 2002 Combined

1974                  frequently (%)                    rarely (%)

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18-29                  45                                                  13

30-44                  50                                                 12

45-64                  68                                                  8

65+                      71                                                  5

2002                 frequently (%)                    rarely (%)

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18-29                  19                                                  22

30-44                  22                                                17

45-64                  40                                                  11

65+                      53                                                  8

        A policy agenda is a set of issues, quandaries, or subjects that get the attention of the people involved in policymaking. These are quandaries that people inside and outside the regime are paying great attention to, for example recent national policies have fixated on the economy and its regulation.

        The national news media engages in agenda settings by raising awareness, providing information, drawing attention, and demonstrating the importance of consequences of a problem. The media is a tool of communication to the general public and for general audiences thus it depicts government actions and issues in a general sense so that it is easily understood and the effects of the government's actions are widespread knowledge.

        The primary reason the president has an advantage over Congress in gaining media attention is because the president is one person with central power whereas the Congress is composed of many members who divide the attention. The president acts as a figurehead for the government in which citizens look up to. Despite party and political differences, the president is commonly believed to be a person that can be trusted and listened to.  

        Young people view less TV news that older people, older people view more TV news than younger people. This is true because older people tend to have a greater interest in politics and government affairs. Older Americans understand how the government affects them and that by playing a role in government such as voting is of great benefit. It is also true that people in all age categories viewed less TV news in 2002 than they did in 1974.

        One implication for presidents in their use of the media to promote their objectives to the public is the presidents must rely on alternative media to gain the attention of the public. Today media is found in a vast number of forms such as newspapers, TV, radio, magazines and more. This complicates media dispersal however allows for a greater number of americans to access media in one of its forms.