Sensationalism
This media strategy is employed by mass media through editorial bias. The topics and events in the news stories are often overhyped with the intention of increasing readership and viewership numbers (Dye, 132). As a media strategy, sensationalism includes reporting on matters that are generally insignificant. Events that do not have any impact in the society are also discussed. In doing this, the journalists offer a biased perspective, presenting the news in a tabloid or trivial manner to get the attention of other people. In most cases, this is against the standards that guide professional journalism. In practice, this has happened in several occasions (both in print media and live broadcasting). Recently, KCBS ran a story of how politicians employ different tactics to increase their popularity. Such tactics included faking harsh relationships among each other so as to keep the public in alert and watchful to what could happen next (Soha et al. 231). Whereas this information is not overly insignificant, there is doubt whether it meets the threshold required to be given special attention during broadcasting. However, the manner that it was presented connotes that a very serious issue was being discussed. This was, however, a strategy of media coverage.
Socialization
During elections in the United States of America, most TV stations use the socialization strategy. This strategy entails the media manipulating the listeners and viewers to acquire political attitudes and beliefs. The interaction between the media and the listeners (viewers) plays a significant role in shaping the opinion different people may have (Dye, 221). Media coverage concentrated more on the social environment and the family structure. Through voter education, the media are able to give the citizens a good background of the situation on the ground. This strategy is commonly used during election periods to encourage voters to make a wise decision. Journalists always ignore it after the elections are over in favor of other strategies. KNBC television used this strategy in most cases to attract viewership and audience. I most cases, the television channel provided information about the manifestos of the politicians and what their plans for America were. It also broadcasted the presidential debate so as to give the citizens to understand what each aspirant stood for. The socialization strategy employed by the media is more informative as compared to all other strategies.
Horse-race strategy
This strategy is so-called because of its resemblance to the act of covering a horse race. In essence, it includes analyzing the polling data according to the public perception as opposed to the policy of the candidate. In such situations, media coverage always concentrates on the differences between the candidates (Lavrakas, 87). The similarities are always ignored. Branding this type of media coverage as ‘horse-race’ connotes the acceptable framework for analyzing the candidates to better understand them. Horses are not judged by their skill or speed, they are judged in comparison with the speed of the competitors. The wins and losses a horse gets determine its public perception. Similarly, in elections, this is the case. Candidates are perceived not according to their potential, but according to the end-result. This strategy is negative in nature. However, it shows the standings of a caucus or a poll. It major weakness is its inability to display the weaknesses and strengths of the politicians in question. KABC television is notorious in employing his technique. In the last elections, the television channel concentrated on this strategy to attract viewership. Voters are always interested in understanding the differences that the leaders have among themselves. A thorough analysis of such differences always attracts the viewers.
Feeding frenzy
There is evidence that shows how the media use the feeding frenzy strategy to ensure intense coverage of a topic which is of a great interest to the nation (Dye, 224). Although commonly used in politics and election periods, this strategy has been used in other types of journalism. Analysts argue that in practice, media houses manipulate their reporting in such a way that they report about certain themes consistently. Their main aim is to educate a certain journalist to the extent that they can thoroughly and intelligently discuss the issue in question. As such, the themes are referred to as ‘feeding frenzies’. During the last elections, this strategy was used by almost all media houses. It gives new journalists an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the relevant skills.
Peace Journalism
This is a type of journalism whereby the reporting style seeks to (deliberately) de-escalate he issue by focussing on conflict transformation. In such reporting, the journalists approach the political issue from a resolution angle. In doing this, the journalist always tries to analyze the original cause of the issue in question and what the intended result is. In politics, this strategy is used. The journalists seek to understand what motivates the candidates to vie for the prospective positions. By so doing, it is possible to understand the real goals of the candidate and the extent to which they can be trusted by the electorate. This strategy has faced constant criticism because of its nature of departing from objectivity. The strategy seems to be overstepping the journalism bounds and adopting other mechanisms. The strategy was used after elections to unite the citizens to accept the winner and engage in nation-building activities. Most media houses used this strategy.
Selective exposure
This strategy has consistently been used by various television channels such as KABC. The strategy refers to the process through which media houses select certain types of news at the expense of the other forms. In such a case, the media covers only the information that is relevant to promoting their goals (Oppenheimer, 98). Such information should tally with their biases for it to be screened. On the other hand, any contrary information to the goals of the media house is ignored and not reported on. The major d this strategy has is that it goes against the professionalism required for journalists. The citizens who form the viewership have the right to information and as such, they ought to be given a chance to understand whatever happening within the country. It is a narrow-minded strategy of media coverage which has received severe criticism. This strategy is employed by media houses that are partisan. At times, they end up taking sides, hence the necessity of not exposing the strong points of the other party. The KABC television, for instance, is democratic-affiliated. It has always preferred to positively report on democratic issues at the expense of the Republicans.
Agenda setting strategy
The agenda setting strategy in media coverage entails giving attention to specific issues at the expense of others (Dye, 198). This is very common in elections where the media reports about the information that they deem important. By doing so, media coverage determines the topics that will be discussed by the citizens. Agenda setting also forms the basis of legislation and public debates. Despite this big role, it is worth to note that media coverage does not give media houses an absolute power of setting public agenda. Their role is to spread the available information upon which the members of the public analyze it and determine its validity. The rules of journalism require responsible journalists to always come up with the relevant information which covers public interest. Failure to do this may put the public in a situation where they do not understand what is going on. Agenda setting is always practiced by every media outlet. The management comes up with what they think should be covered and be screened for the citizens t see. This strategy is used at all times, whether it is during elections or not.
Issue Framing
This strategy of mass coverage entails how the media frames the issue at hand. The media plays a significant role in determining what is up for discussion. The rights to broadcast and update the citizens on the important things happening all over the world and within the country mean that they receive wide coverage. This gives them the ability to sway the perceptions of the people, including the neutrals (Dye, 165). With this information, media houses can dictate issues that are discussed and the weight attached to them. The manner in which they frame the issues dictate the perception that people will have. As such, this strategy is always in practice. Issue framing is practiced on a daily basis. This is the reason as to why every media house frames their issues in a different way.
Works Cited
Dye, Thomas R. Politics in America. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1997. Print.
Lavrakas, Paul J. Polling and Presidential Election Coverage. Newbury Park, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1991. Print.
Oppenheimer, Bruce Ian. U.S. Senate Exceptionalism. Columbus: Ohio State UP, 2002. Print.
Soha, Matthew, and Jeffrey S. Peake. Breaking through the Noise Presidential Leadership, Public Opinion, and the News Media. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford UP, 2011. Print.
