The Media's Election

THE MEDIA'S ELECTION
[SOURCE: AlterNet, AUTHOR: Mark Weisbrot]
The major media plays a much bigger role in the formation of our national politics than most people realize. The media helps define and choose the issues, and acts as gatekeeper in setting the limits for political discussion and sometimes even candidacies for public office. The most media-savvy candidates know how to play within the media's rules, and use them to their advantage. The media can also veto candidates. The media does much more than directly influence the opinion of voters. Most donors, politicians, institutions and other important political participants will not waste resources on a candidate that they think is unlikely to win. They often look at how the media treats a candidate in order to make this decision. If the media does not take a candidate seriously or is obviously hostile to him or her, these potential supporters will look elsewhere. Sen Obama has played the media like a violin, and unless he stumbles, it should carry him all the way to the White House.
http://www.alternet.org/election08/77972/