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Does Media Shape Public Opinion?
| Article
# : |
10215 |
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Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
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| Issue
Date : |
8 / 1986 |
1,420 Words |
| Author
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William Livingstone
William Livingstone is a writer on media and public policy
based in Washington, D.C. |
Since the Sandinista victory over General Anastasio Somoza in July 1979, the media have actively charted Daniel Ortega's rise to power and the growing military threat Nicaragua poses to neighboring democracies. The question arises naturally as to what influence the media have exercised in the debate on Nicaragua. Have daily editorials that have pilloried President Reagan's policy of containment in the Western Hemisphere swayed public opinion? What has been the impact, if any, of television newscasts showing Nicaraguan soldiers mobilizing for war, images which are reminiscent of Vietnam?
The rules of foreign policy debate have been altered by technology. In the past, discussions of our relations with foreign governments were conducted primarily by officials in the Department of State and the White House, with only minimal public discourse. Few members of Congress had the necessary expertise or inclination to contribute to the making of foreign policy. The media reported on the announcements of the president and secretary of state, often voicing dissent, but with minimal influence compared to the power they wield today.
From the moment Reagan entered office, the eye of the camera has doggedly traced the growing conflict in Central America. The advent of minicameras and portable satellite uplink stations now makes it as easy to broadcast live pictures from downtown Managua or the jungles in El Salvador as it is to receive a video picture from across town.
It is no wonder, given the recent developments in broadcasting, that the polemics of American foreign policy are hotly debated daily on television. When high U.S. government officials
... (1995 of 8706 Characters)
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