The Reflections On The Political Functions Of American Media

Since the foundation of the United States, mass media were regarded as the throat of American government and exerted great influence. Traditional media, such as newspapers, broadcasts, magazines and television, are of vital importance to American society and to the lifestyle of American people. In the political field, media also have crucial functions. And these political functions of media are strengthened with the emergence of the new media, such as the internet and mobile phones.This thesis aims to analyze the political functions of media based on the materials of the 2008 U.S. presidential election. In retrospect, media played an important role in American politics. Candidates would utilize all kinds of media during the presidential campaign so as to get support from the voters. In 2008, Obama's campaign team utilized the new media and attracted extensive attention worldwide. This thesis concludes that with the advent of the digital age, the political functions of media are strengthened and are taking on some new characteristics.Chapter one illustrates the basic theories in media studies, including political economy approach and the media theories of Stuart Hall. All these theories lay a solid foundation for further researches on the political functions of media. Following is the presentation of the role of different media in American politics and the distinction between the traditional media and the new media.Chapter two takes the example of 2008 U.S. presidential election to analyze the function of media in setting political agenda for the public. Based on the detailed information about the news reports in both the traditional media and the new media, it shows how the Obama's campaign team utilized media during the 2008 U.S. presidential election.Chapter three devotes to the presentation of the enhanced political functions of media in the digital age. In addition, media conglomeration also affects the quality of the news.Chapter four envisions the future development of media in American politics. New media will redefine how people live their lives. The trend of media convergence and the utilization of social media will have extreme impact on American politics. And the application of Habermas's public sphere theory in the internet will affect the formation of public opinions.In conclusion, along with the rapid development of information technology, the utilization of new media will have significant influence on American politics. From making campaign plans to promoting political policies, the political functions of media are strengthened in the digital age. And the trend in new media development will raise new requests for American politics and American media industries.