page_title: Politico-media complex
section_title: Role of television in United States presidential elections
hierarchical_section_title: Politico-media complex / Television / Role of television in United States presidential elections
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo of the second of the four presidential debates held during the 1960 presidential election. This debate took place in Washington D.C. at NBC's WRC-TV studios on October 7, 1960. Original caption&#58; "WAP-100713-10/7/60-WASHINGTON: This is a general view of the set for the joint appearance on TV by Sen.John F.Kennedy(at left podium)and Vice President Richard M.Nixon(at right po&#173;dium)from NBC studios 10/7. At center rear is moderator Frank McGee,of NBC. The four news men who asked the questions are,LTR: Hal Levy,of Newsday; Alvin Spivak of United Press International; Edward P.Morgan,of ABC; and Paul Niven,of CBS. UPI TELEPHOTO rtf"
context_page_description: The politico-media complex is a name given to the close knit, systematized, symbiotic-like network of relationships between a state's political and ruling classes and its media industry. It may also encompass other interest groups, such as law, corporations and multinationals. The term PMC is often used as a pejorative, to refer to the collusion between governments, individual politicians, and the media industry, in their attempt to manipulate rather than to inform the general public.
  The idea that the media has profound impacts on the polity of the nation state, democratic or otherwise, is not a new one and hardly controversial. Election campaigns spend significant sums in the media and oppressive regimes nearly always seek to control the media as it is a very powerful means of persuasion. Prior to Chomsky's propaganda model, George Orwell noted: "All the papers that matter live off their advertisements and the advertisers exercise an indirect censorship over the news."
context_section_description: The mass media have always influenced the political process, but never more so than with the innovation of the television. As it is the most popular means by which voters obtain information on candidates and the news in general, television is a powerful means by which political groups can influence the public.
  This transformation started in the early 1960s when newscast programs were extended to thirty-minute programs, which allowed for greater news coverage and capacity. This expanded time slot also allowed more focus to be given to presidential candidates, and network news soon became the center of national politics coverage. Because newscasts were national, aired political campaigns were able to impact viewers across the country and spread influence nationwide.
  Rick Shenkman analyzes the media's impact on politics in his book, Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter, and observes that American voters have gained significant political power over the last 50 years, though they are more vulnerable to manipulation as their knowledge of politics and world affairs have decreased. He also claims that "politicians have repeatedly misled voters" by "dumbing down of American politics via marketing, spin machines, and misinformation".
  By prioritizing news stories, the news media play a significant role in determining the nation's political reality; they provide the political information that will be regarded as fact and indicate to viewers how much importance to attach to each topic according to how much air time they dedicate to a given issue and the emphasis they place on it. For example, television news can offer cues on topic salience by deciding what the opening story on the newscast will be or by altering the length of time devoted a story. When these cues are repeated broadcast after broadcast, day after day, they may be able to effectively communicate the amount of importance broadcasters want each topic to have.
caption: John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in the first televised presidential candidates' debate. 1960.
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