Gatekeeping and Press

Gatekeeping is defined as the way information is filtered for publication. Gatekeeping occurs at all levels of the media structure, from a reporter deciding which sources are chosen to include in a story to editors deciding which stories are printed, or even covered. The easiest way to get around Gatekeeping is by the Internet.



I don't think that Gatekeeping is right. I think that the whole point in freedom of speech is so that the reporters can get their point across like they want it. I never realized how big Gatekeeping was and how big of a role it played in today's society.

The Presidency and the Media

The media plays a huge role in the way the President is viewed by the world. The media will either be for or against a President either making or breaking them. If a President or Presidential Candidate tries to control what is said by the media the more they bad mouth them. The media is always all over the President, it is almost like they monitor his every move.


During election time the media really works overtime in covering the candidates running for office. The media can destroy a candidate before the race ever even gets started or they can make the candidate. The media will dig up as much information as possible to use in their attempt to get the person they want in office. I believe that the media has the greatest affect on who wins an election, simply because their viewers listen to them and believe in what they are saying.

Blogs Role In political campaigns

Blogs are quickly picking up and more people or reading them. In a study done by Pew an estimated 16% of U.S. adults are now blog readers. Blogs have great potential to change the political landscape but the writer seems tho think that many are jumping ahead in using them.

Websites these days are a must have but it is still optional weather or not they have a blog. Where blogs give a more personal view of the candidate they are still in the future. The website is more important and it is better to get the website right than worry with the blog.

News Coverage of Political Campaigns

The News Journalist will cover campaigns in order to get information about the "race" to the public. They use what is called polls to keep up with who the viewers are supporting the most. Journalists tend to report small changes from one poll to the next as a display of actual change in voters' preferences rather that as a reflection of the survey.

The news will tend to get behind one particular candidate and push for them and in my opinion try and persuade the viewers to back the same candidate. They will start focusing more on the "race" than on the actual issues and platforms that the candidate support.

Political Campaign Debates

Political campaign debates are face-to-face encounters of the candidates televised in some way. Campaign debates unlike other campaign events reach large audiences. The debates have normally all been shown on the telivision but recently the debates have been taken to a new level and some are being broadcast over the internet using youtube.


It is important that the candidates do these debates. The debates are a way for all the candidates to be on one stage discussing their goals and agendas of the election. If a candidate decides not to do a debate then it makes them look bad and not interested in what the voters are wanting.