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American Government Lecture Three (view source)

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the media

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This year there were commemorations of Constitution Day around the nation, often led by congressmen. Why? Because the U.S. Constitution is the longest governing document in the world, and the single biggest reason for the greatest prosperity this world has ever known: the United States of America.

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== The "Media" ==

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"The media is what really runs this country" is a phrase you may have heard more than once. The "media" refers to the small group of people to decide what appears on television and in newspapers, and to a lesser extent radio. The internet is not considered part of the "mainstream media," because the internet is not controlled by a small group of people as television and newspapers are.

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The "media", strictly speaking, is a plural term but it is often used in the singular, as in "the media tells most Americans what to think." Critics of the media view it as a single entity, though it includes several different news channels and about a half-dozen major newspapers.

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Most politicians spend much of each day worrying and wondering what the media will say about them. The media forced President Nixon to resign in 1973; the media have incited wars such as the Spanish American War; and the media completely destroyed the credibility of certain elected officials such as Vice President Dan Quayle.

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The media can make enormous differences in the success or failure of businesses, entertainers, and even some sports athletes. Many people hire "publicists" to create positive media stories about them.

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A politician disliked by the media has a difficult time winning an election, while a politician promoted by the media is likely to win. When virtually every major newspaper endorsed Democrat James McGreevey for governor of New Jersey in 2001, then he easily defeated the more conservative, and better qualified, Republican Bret Schundler. Why did New Jersey newspapers prefer McGreevey? Because newspapers have liberal positions on issues like abortion and marriage, and McGreevey had those liberal views. (Later, after election, McGreevey abruptly resigned from office. But the media never would allow Schundler to be elected as governor.

== "All Issues Are Political Issues" ==

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