Politicians Use the Media to Shape Public Opinion

Introduction Politicians use the media to help shape public perception, especially on a topic like drugs. Media coverage not only can influence what the public deems important, but also can shape the public’s view on a given topic. It may have been recognition of this that led Ronald Reagan to launch his â€Å"War on Drugs(2011) Since the beginning of the â€Å"War on Drugs† negative coverage of marijuana has only increased. For example, in 1996, Bob Dole claimed that Bill Clinton, his opponent in the U.S. presidential election, condoned the use of marijuana, and, conversely, media coverage positively depicting the marijuana use increased the following year when the federal government announced it would find a study to explore using marijuana for medical purposes. (2011) At the height of the â€Å"War on Drugs† political leaders and the media stressed the link between crime and illicit drug use, as well as an attempt to influence people to refrain from drug use for public health reasons.(citation) The message today is quite different. Fourteen states now having medical marijuana laws and two have made recreational marijuana is legal. This reality is likely to change the tone of the articles. The media is how leaders send policy issues to their constituents. Each state featured in this paper has its own stance on marijuana. (2011) The Media and Groups Boydstuns (2013) research examines media as a news generator with a powerful role in distributing public attention. Media shapesShow MoreRelatedThe Media: A Powerful Voice1088 Words   |  4 PagesThe Media is a powerful voice listened to by millions of Americans, as well as billions of people across the globe. For decades, the media has been an influential instrument in the political realm. 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