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The median voter theorem asserts that in a voting system where the majority determines the winner, then the outcome is determ
The median voter theorem asserts that in a voting system where the majority determines the winner, then the outcome is determined by the median voter. The main assumption underlying the theorem is that voters put the candidates in a one-dimensional spectrum and that there are two main parties in the election. The United States has the Republican and Democratic Party as the two main political parties in competition; hence the median voter theorem is applicable in this case. Using this strategy, a candidate tries to identify the median voter in their area and appeal to them so that they can get the maximum number of votes and consequently win.
When moving from a primary to a general election, candidates can sometimes change their position as they try to appeal to more voters. The reason for this is that the general election has more voters from diverse backgrounds and with different beliefs. In a primary election, it is easier to determine if the median voter is liberal or conservative, although people usually have varied opinions depending on the issue at hand. However, at the general election level, they have to appeal to more people hence they can change their position or express it differently. Bernie Sanders was one of the presidential candidates in the 2016 election. Most of his policies resonate with the median voter; hence I would say that he followed the median voter. Bernie behaved both ethically and strategically. The middle class makes up the majority of voters and by appealing to them, he appealed to the median voter. Ethically, he addressed many of the issues facing the majority of voters which he has always championed for since his early years.
The Media
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The Media
Media simply refers to the excessive amounts of information that is transmitted through television, radio, and other types of mass communication. This includes the stories and images that are pushed out by any form of media outlet. The messages that are being relayed by the media can vary greatly depending on what type it is. For example, a story about a car accident would have a much different effect when it was told on Facebook versus in an article for USA Today. Furthermore, no matter what type of media it may be, people tend to misinterpret what they hear or see from outlets and take those messages at face value without doing any independent research themselves (Market Business News, 1).
Digital media such as the Internet allows for a direct connection with the source of information, which gives people more insight into the matter. “Media” can refer to a variety of things, for example writing, the mass communications system in society, an individual’s life outside of work, or a way of thinking about social problems. Media effects can be divided into two types: direct and indirect. Direct media effects occur when exposure to media causes changes directly related to what is being presented in that medium. This is also referred to as mediated or interactive effects.
There are various issues that arise with the media, but tis post is only going to focus on two here: ethical issues and intrusions with privacy. The media is divided into several different categories, such as forms of advertising, mainstream news and editorial opinion, film and television programming, radio broadcasts, and social media. These types are almost always regulated by a set of rules which must be met in order for them to use open spaces for their marketing. In regards to privacy issues that arise from this unregulated medium; there has not been much research done on the subject so it is difficult to come up with a concrete definition or policy. However, what we see is an increasing number of individuals who are trying to establish terms concerning how an individual’s privacy should be protected online.
Media’s ethical issues arise from a number of different aspects. There is the issue of financial gain, in which case the media will usually remain objective in order to avoid any conflict of interest. However, there are other areas that ethical issues can arise from, such as product endorsement and advertisement(Rao, Akash, 30). An example of an ethical issue drawn out by this is when the media takes an interest in certain brands or products because they are being endorsed by someone in the public eye. Another example is when news producers seem to get more pleasure out of showing pornographic content rather than things that truly matter like, politics or current events.
The main ethical concern that arises from the media relates to privacy. With the use of social media and internet to communicate, people no longer feel safe at home. Because of this, people are using social media as a way of finding out what’s going on in the world or even just checking up on themselves. For instance, a Facebook user took to Twitter in an attempt to find out if there was a local news station broadcasting his home. While there is an ethical issue here, it’s important that we look at it with more than just our own interests in mind (Rao, Akash, 34). Although we wouldn’t want anyone spying on us while we are doing something personal, other people want this same access too. Because of this, there shouldn’t be a hard set of rules put in place that can prevent the public from what they want.
Work Cited
“What Is Media? Definition And meaning”. Market Business News, 2022, https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/media-definition-meaning/. Accessed 11 Mar 2022.
Rao, Akash. “Ethical Issues with Social Media Business Practices: Motivation, Consequences, and Character Formation.” (2021).
The Media Dependency Theory
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The Media Dependency TheoryThe media system dependency theory also referred to as media dependency theory was advanced by two individuals in the mid twentieth century and the proponents were Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin Defleur. The theory is believed to have emerged in 1976 with its main arguments based in classical sociological information that suggested that the media and those who consume it could not be studied in isolation of the larger social systems in the society. The theory is used in explaining the links that exist between the mass media, individuals’ consumers of the mass media and the existing social systems in the society. The media system dependency theory is based on the hypothesis that, ‘the more an individual depends of the media in meeting their needs, the more the media becomes useful in that individual’s life, and hence the more influence the media will have in defining the lifestyle of such a person.’
The media system dependency theory is based on the relationships that exist between the society, media and the individual persons. The understanding of these relationships is important in understanding how the theory is applicable in reality. The first relationship is between the society and the media. In creating an effective relationship between the society and media, proponents of this theory believe that the critical issues involved are accessibility and availability of media channels to the society. The media dependence developed based on societal systems varies significantly from one societal system to another based on the different economic, political and cultural setups that exist. For instance, many people across the United States currently depend on social media platforms as source of information due to the easy availability of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. When it is compared to less developed countries where internet penetration is limited, people are likely to depend on the mainstream media especially radio and internet as a source of information.
Another relationship that is involved in the media dependency theory involves the relationship between the audience and the media. The relationship that is developed between the media and audience determines how useful the media is likely to be to the people based on the opportunities that exist to the people as a result of the relationship. The relationship between the media channels and the audience determines how the people use the media and it is different across different media systems. The more relevant the information provided by media systems to the audience the higher the dependency of the audience on the media system hence the stronger motivation for people to seek information from the media system. This therefore increases the probability of the media system to impact more on the people and the audience becoming larger.
In the media dependency theory, there is the relationship between the society and the audience. Proponents of this theory argue that the society in which audiences are determines the media consumer’s needs and reasons for using it. The society is also essential in the relationship as it is responsible for the creation of values, knowledge systems, norms and rules and regulations that guide media access, availability and use. At times, the social systems within a particular society can perform functions of the media through the modification of the norms, knowledge, values and laws that regulate the conduct of people. The society within which a media system is found determines what the media can offer to its audience. For instance many people across the United States have preference for technology and automobiles and this shapes what media outlets provide to their audience. If the media does not provide what the audience prefers, they are likely to lose viewership hence low influence on the audience while the media that focuses on audience interests is likely to get more viewership hence more influence on the behavior of its audience.
The developers of the media dependency theory, Ball-Rokeach and DeFleur identified the three needs that they believed shaped the importance a person associates with a media at any particular moment. The first need they identified is the need for people to get an understanding of their social world or simply for surveillance purposes. The two believed that people value any media depending on how useful it is for them to get an in-depth understanding of their social world. This was based on the fact that the media is used by many people as a way of surveillance of their surroundings. People who are interested in sporting activities become attracted to media channels that provide them with news on the sporting activities they develop dependency on such media compared to media channels that focus on political news that they might not be interested in.
The second media need that the developers of the media system dependency theory believed determine how useful a media is to people is based on the need and desire by people to act effectively and meaningfully. This is also considered the social utility aspect of the media to users. The media dependency theory holds that if people realize that the media is able to guide them to act effective and meaningful, they get attracted to that media channel and become dependent on it. This increases the chances that the media will influence how people will act. When people find a media source reliable in providing them with the necessary information that they need to make meaningful and effective decisions, they will develop dependency on such media. For instance if the public realizes that CNN provides reliable information when it comes to impending natural disasters like the tsunami or hurricane, they develop a reliance on CNN reporting on natural disasters.
The media dependency theory proponents argue that the media becomes relevant to the audience depending on how it is able to help them escape reality when it becomes unbearable. People are often attracted to media channels that allow them to evade the harsh reality and escape to their own imaginary environment commonly known as fantasy-escape.
The media is important in influencing people during times of conflict or social change, as it is an essential source of knowledge and information on the topic. The media influences agenda setting, by allowing the public to get the information that they need. When the needs of the people are high and people find it difficult to achieve them, more people turn to media as a way of meeting their needs hence there are higher chances for the media to have influence on them. This has been defined as the social and solitary play when individuals find media as a way of relaxing and evading troubling circumstances. For instance, people who find it relaxing to watch a movie when tired or bored are liked to be dependent on a media that allows them access to relaxing content like movies and sporting activities. During hurricane Katrina, the US public relied on media reporting to get updates on the situation. Most of the information that was available to the public was only limited to media reporting and this created a sense on dependency on the media.
Media system dependency theory is essential in driving multi-disciplinary studies. It has been used as a theoretical basis for understanding various relationships that have developed between the media, society and individuals over the years. Such relationships explain the interrelationships that exist in the society and how they are shaping it.