Mass media, political messages and advertising
Summary of experience
Candidates campaigning to succeed outgoing United States president Barack Obama have been using mass media and advertisement to relay important political messages in a bid to appeal to the electorate. The policies advanced by these candidates have sharp ideological differences. The most radical candidate who has caught my attention is the republican front runner, Donald Trump. Mid last year, Mr. Trump surprised the world when he made public his policy on immigration. The candidate declared that once he is elected president, he would put an end to the problem of immigration (Bymmes, 2015). He observed that most of the crime carried out in the United States is committed by illegal immigrants who lack documentation. Trump added that one of the measures to stop immigration would include construction of a wall along the US border with Mexico. He outlined plans to cut unfair trade with the southern neighbour. Trump’s immigration policy and apparent hatred for immigrants irritated the NBC which officially cut the relationship with the politician. Nevertheless, the irrationals and insensitive comments by Donald Trump has increased media attention as the race for the White House shapes up.
Personal reaction
In my opinion, Donald Trump’s comments amount immigration throughout the electioneering period has not pleased millions of Americans. The United States has a history of diversity. It is a history made of millions of former slaves who were driven by their masters to work in the plantations and factories in America. These people came from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds to form the United States of America. I believe that America’s strength has always been contingent upon her rich diversity and resilience in the face of adversity. This proposition was tested in 2001 when the nation was united in wake of terror attack that led to the death of thousands of US citizens. In this regard, political communication and rhetoric should not be seen to divide the country. Rather, the communication should be premised on the values that bring Americans together. Donald Trump could be right when he mentioned that the perpetrators of crime are immigrants. However, problems of immigration may best be solved by formulating policies that would regulate the influx of immigrants into the country. It may also involve strengthening the criminal justice system to firmly deal with issue of crime. I strongly believe that what Americans require is a leader who has demonstrated sufficient capacity to deal with diversity. Donald Trump’s remarks are intolerant and grossly undermine the gains that the country has made throughout her journey towards emancipation.
Scholarly analysis
Studies have elucidated the centrality of mass media in the political development process. Iyengar & McGrady observed that individuals who seek various political positions must utilize the news media. The author’s cited the declaration of victory of Al-Queda by former US president, George Bush, and Schwarzenegger’s announcement as indicators of the political reliance on the news media. Most democracies around the world places emphasis on the public perception on the leaders who aspire for office. These leaders can only be known to their voters when they are exposed to the highest possible media scrutiny. The authors argue that campaigns do not necessarily influence the outcome of a political process. Instead, the influence of media on the campaign period is instrumental to politician’s success or failure. Thus, the decision by the NBC to cut links with Donald Trump could negate his chances of becoming president. Political communication can also be expressed through advertisement. On his account, Chang observed that advertisements contain comedy, humour and memorable music which are appeal to the consumers. Thus, the consumers of political communication may be influenced by the emotional appeals in most political advertisement.
References
Bymmes, J. (2015, June 29). “Trump: NBC ‘stands behind Brian Williams,’ not people who
tell it like it is. The Hill. Retrieved from http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/246471-trump-nbc-stands-behind-brian-williams-not-people-who
Iyengar, S., & McGrady, J. (n.d). Mass Media and Political Persuasion. Print.
