Television as an Influence on Public Opinion

Of all the forms of media, television has the strongest influence on public opinion.
Describe a specific situation in which television might not have the strongest influence on public opinion. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has the strongest influence on public opinion.
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New mass media technologies of the twentieth century have transformed the way in which the media communicates information to the public. The written medium (e.g., newspapers and novels) served as the main conduit of mass information until the advent of the radio. In the mid-twentieth century, the television brought information by means of audio and visual imagery and thus, had more possibilities of attracting audiences and influencing public opinion. In the late twentieth century, the Internet has served as a groundbreaking form of information transmission. While the television is limited as far as sharing information relative to the internet, the former probably most influences public opinion worldwide. While the internet is readily available in developed nations, such as the United States, it still has yet to reach poorer nations around the world.

The internet has displaced the television as far as information provided to users. In essence, the internet has made our world smaller by allowing people to communicate easily with other web users and thereby influencing public opinion. While most people in the United States have access to the internet, the rest of the world still lags behind due to the unavailability and costs of the technology (i.e., access to computers, monthly subscriptions). On the other hand, more people around the world have access to television. Once the rest of the world gains access to computers and the internet, people will become more dependent on information from the internet (rather than the television) due to the diversity of sources and interactive nature of the technology. Because of the wide range of news available from the internet, public opinion may be more diverse in nature. Television, however, offers limited channels for news, thereby influencing public opinion from a few points of view.

Even in developed countries, such as the United States, the ability of the internet to influence public opinion can be limited depending on demographics. For example, younger people tend to be more technically savvy and derive news from the internet. Older people who did not use the internet during their formative years may not be inclined to search for information in the internet and may rely on old fashion mediums, including television and print news. Furthermore, those having a higher socioeconomic status are more likely to be influenced by the internet due to having personal subscriptions and access through cell phones. Less wealthy people have to visit public libraries for access to the internet and instead have the television more readily available.

The Internet, in a sense, subsumes the television by making available almost all shows that appear on the television. That is, one can find most television programs on the Internet---news casts, movies, episodes, etc. However, most people in the world do not have access to the Internet and/or the technical knowledge to use it. As of this year, television still has the greater influence on public opinion. But as technology advances worldwide, the rest of the world will someday discover the unlimited potential offered by the internet.--thereby forming personal opinions from the variety of information absorbed.