What has more power: The government or Media?

[illinialex24]

If the media can cause healthy people to think they are fat because they see a super skinny model on television, then I'm sure it can change people's opinions on other things.

It almost changed my opinion about the runoff election he had he in GA Tuesday.

That wasn't the media's creation though, they just mirrored our own preconception of beauty and took it slightly to the extreme which caused people to freak out even worse than they already were. The government can force you to sell your property at substandard rates if they need it for developing something they want and your property is in the way. The media can't do that.

 

[IDK]

You think the government influences voting more than the media? Nearly an entire nation of opinions are generated by biased media. I think I posted it in an earlier reply on page one that I am a bit tired of how I can't get unbiased news. What with MSNBC for the left and FOX for the right. While the government can only propose and pass laws, the media can easily persuade people to view a specific way, and overthrow those laws. In turn the people are then angry at the government officials who proposed and passed the laws.

 

[illinialex24]

You think the government influences voting more than the media? Nearly an entire nation of opinions are generated by biased media. I think I posted it in an earlier reply on page one that I am a bit tired of how I can't get unbiased news. What with MSNBC for the left and FOX for the right. While the government can only propose and pass laws, the media can easily persuade people to view a specific way, and overthrow those laws. In turn the people are then angry at the government officials who proposed and passed the laws.

The government though shapes our views profoundly because to some extent it controls the media. Take a look at the Iraq War and you'll know the government can have huge influence, even if only temporary, but it allows them to get elected once more.

 

[~Infinity~]

Basically its like an field. The media have an far territory range. The government however must watch their step or they will be ambushed by the people and the media. Do you remember the scandel that just happened in the senate yesturday? The governer of illinois, was trying to sell off Barack Obama's senator seat. The media caught wind of this fast and now he will face 2 years of jail for every bribe he accepted.

 

[FishkeeperTimmay!]

Government will always have the most power.

Why?

Because any government can go authoritarian on you. So long as the military is behind it. Or, they can do it slowly over time, as the US government has done, both in the past and recently.

Media has a powerful effect, but can't control anything. Vietnam was a great example. The war was perceived as bad almost from the beginning by media. The entire youth of the nation jumped on board. An entire CULTURE was born from the media. But, even with that much momentum, what changed? Vietnam lasted for YEARS. It changed hands quite a few times before it finally came to an end. Media won the public, but the government still got what it wanted in the end.