Media's Influence

For decades, media has had a great impact on shaping our society and continuously changing our lives as new advancements are made each year. It has given us a shortcut for multiple tasks, making our everyday life easier. The invention of the television caused a shift in the U.S due to the new way information was displayed and has helped us become aware of the world around us. Although there may be mixed opinions on the media 's influence, it has had an immeasurable impact on past events for various reasons. Media has served as a positive influence on in our country’s history in which it informed people about certain news and it was used to promote certain movements or other events.
Throughout the U.S history, media has been the source in which …show more content…
The Kennedy and Nixon Debates were the first few debates that demonstrated the damage that media could do to a candidate 's campaign. Previous to a television debate was a radio debate between both candidates, Kennedy and Nixon. As Nixon sounded intelligent and well-qualified for the Presidency, the people thought that Kennedy didn’t know what he was saying. Those who listened declared Nixon the winner of that debate. Later on was a televised debate. Nixon’s appearance unfortunately did not do him justice as he looked jittery, awkward, and sweaty. In contrast, Kennedy seemed to be a collected, charismatic, and calm character containing the traits desired in a President. In this debate, Kennedy won. The media only captured the worst parts of Nixon, yet he was a very intelligent person who was well-suited for the job. Although Kennedy was a lazy senator, his good-looks and social abilities were highlighted. The radio illustrated Nixon’s qualification for the presidency because no one could see him and therefore no one could judge the way he presented himself. Overall, the television debate did not focus on the intellectual part of the debate, but more of how the candidates presented themselves in terms of appearance. Therefore, media can be considered a negative influence due to its ability to focus in on only appearance rather …show more content…
Media was key component of the Civil Rights Movement and without it, there wouldn’t have been as much progress made. African Americans received harsh treatment from the whites as they performed sit-ins, marches, and freedom rides. Along the way, Martin Luther King and the protesters were reliant on the media attention they got, as it revealed the harsh cruelty of the South, gaining them supporters. The exposure of the violence during the movement is what kept it from failing and helped it gain momentum. King conducted a protest known as Project C in Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama was know to be the most segregated a city in the U.S with the racist police chief, Bull Connor. King’s objective, as usual, was to gain sympathy and support from the people of the United States. But this protest was excessively different. In order to grab the attention of the American public, King decided to send children into the protest, knowing the violence they would receive. Bull Connor brought out the fire hoses and police dogs which were used against the children and horrified the rest of the country. The visuals that were present for the American public sent a ripple effect over the country and soon after the protest, John F. Kennedy drafted a Civil Rights Bill. The success of the protest is measured based off the media attention they received. Without it, Kennedy and the rest of the country would not have