The Impact of the Media
In what ways can the media affect society and government?Reporter and commentator Walter Lippmann noted that citizens have limited personal experience with government and the world and posited that the media, through their stories, place ideas in citizens' minds.The media can also place pressure on government to act by signaling a need for intervention or showing that citizens want change.Media Effects and Bias
Concerns about the effects of media on consumers and the existence and extent of media bias go back to the 1920s.The media's primary duty is to present us with information and alert us when important events occur.These ideas become part of the citizens' frame of reference and affect their decisions.This information may affect what we think and the actions we take.