Introduction
Policymaking is a crucial political procedure that depends on socioeconomic variables while shaping the future of the intended society. Media is directly associated with policymaking because it dwells on the potential effectiveness of proposed solutions and sets the tone for the given policies in the first place. This is why many political programs are based on media communications, highlighting the importance of developing a positive relationship with a strong societal force, such as the news (Jones & Wolfe, 2010). As a messaging channel between policymakers and civilians, media sources tend to be underestimated. The ability to control the scope of political campaigns and various flows of information turns mass media into one of the most dangerous enemies of adequate policymaking (Plunkett, 2019). The rationale behind this assumption revolves around the fact that policies are often adopted based on societal reactions to how the data were presented and not the policy itself. Thus, media bears a negative connotation to policymaking due to its omnipresent influence.
Local and Statewide Policymaking vs. Media
Overall, policymaking can be considered a rather fluid process that can be affected by more variables than mere media communications. Certain areas of advocacy become stronger with time, overriding some of the fields that could be important to the majority. The influence of media on policymaking at the state level was addressed in Plunkett’s (2019) discussion on how the governor’s race in Colorado. He considers elections a new pay-to-win game that shows one more time how true journalism slowly fades. Rigorous research is replaced with credited articles that do not reflect the actual state of affairs in the given area. The fact that many individuals lose their chance to express themselves and treat the audience to the truth is inferior to the cost of advertising and its attractiveness. Thus, electability is currently affected by the best-funded candidates and not the ones who are experienced or pragmatic enough (Plunkett, 2019). It can be stated that local events tend to remain contingent on the influence of media.
Federal Policymaking vs. Media
Looking at the issue from a different angle, it is also crucial to validate the impact of media corporations on policy outcomes. According to Jones and Wolfe (2010), the attention cycle keeps decreasing, making it harder for the public to distinguish the truth from pre-paid articles. Established federal policymakers might not have enough authority to go against newsmakers with a pristine reputation, as it would hinder the policymaking process even further. Hence, lopsided journalism quickly becomes the new trend because the general public expects the most popular newsmakers to be the main source of a truthful broadcast (Jones & Wolfe, 2010). The misleading nature of modern news contributes to manipulation opportunities attained by newscasts across the nation. At the moment, the risk of deploying an ineffective federal policy is much higher than even a decade ago because clear public support is harder to achieve nowadays.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it can be argued that the influence of media on policymaking is inadequate. From huge electoral campaigns to everyday news, the media seems to be too disposed to supersede candid information for the sake of pursuing its objectives. This is a serious challenge that also makes it harder to ensure that news articles look realistic and align against public consent and opinion. In many ways, contemporary media is adjusted to initiating debates and disagreements instead of providing policymakers with accurate sources of evidence. Policy agendas become too contingent on the information presented in the media, which makes it almost impossible to track down fake data and eradicate issues related to policymaking.
References
Jones, B. D., & Wolfe, M. (2010). Public policy and the mass media: An information processing approach. In Public Policy and the Mass Media (pp. 35-61). Routledge. Web.
Plunkett, C. (2019). When local news dies, so does democracy. ted.com. Web.