In the past, television was the only media source, and even then, viewers were limited to a small number of channels. The media has advanced tremendously over the years, affecting the political knowledge and participation of people all around the world. Today, people have the ability to obtain political information from three major types of media: broadcast media, print media, and the internet. The media is important because it primarily focuses on the issues that affect voter turnout. The media chooses how to portray issues, which can alter what political facts the people know and affect how they see the candidates. In the article, “News vs. Entertainment,” Markus Prior notes that as media choice continues to grow, the gap between the ignorant …show more content…
Candidates are using the media to their advantage to reach out to voters and mobilize supporters. Youtube is extremely beneficial for candidates and plays a big role in the campaigns this season. It is being used to target individuals based on their location. Twitter is influential as well. For example, Donald Trump tweets things like what he is doing and who he is meeting with. But, he’s also contributed to a number of foolish and offensive tweets from his Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump: “It’s freezing and snowing in New York--we need global warming!” “Isn't it a shame that the person who will have by far the most delegates and many millions more votes than anyone else, me, still must fight” “Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he illegally stole it. That is why all of his polls were so wrong any why he got more votes than anticipated. Bad!” Surprisingly, this not only gains attention, but it has gained Trump supporters (as it has to other candidates as well). Apps like Snapchat and Instagram dedicate a portion of their media to the 2016 election as well. They place sponsored campaign ads in between videos/images and even offer live political coverage. The “Discover” tab on Snapchat is full of the latest political news, and has been one of the most useful ways to spread political awareness to young