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1. Media and Political Opinion
UNIT 3
TYBAMMC

2. Political Opinion & Media
Political Opinion
Political Opinion means what the people in general think about the political events happening around
them. These are mainly the opinion of person relating to government, or the conduct of government, or
related to political parties, or public policies.
As Politics are controversial topics the political opinion formed by the people on political events are also
sometime controversial in nature.
To form political opinion the people generally depends on the political news and political opinion leaders.
Also the political opinion of the people (polls) forms a major share of the political coverage of the media.
On the other side
Media
Media holds a very significant role in democratic countries. Media influence the way social and political
events are seen and evaluated. Free and diverse media is the safeguard of a healthy democracy. Media
has critical functions in keeping the citizens informed about their socio-political surroundings. Also, the
media discourses shape the political perceptions and political preferences of the citizens. So it becomes
essential for individuals to be informed correctly in order to vote for both domestic and foreign policy
issues.
Video # 1 How to Form a POLITICAL OPINION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ialvsCFTMXs

3. Why it is important to have Political Opinion?
Is it only limited to election?
Discussion

4. What is the most contentious/
controversial political opinion
currently forming in India, in
your opinion?
Discussion

5. How Media contributes to Political Opinion formation
The role of media in the political opinion formation can be analysed using the Agenda Setting &
Framing theory of the Media.
The agenda setting role is known as one of the most influential roles about the media’s
political influence. Media many times forms hidden alliance with the political parties and tries to push
the political parties agenda through their news content.
Framing theory on the other hand states that interpretation of the news on different issues
is very significant in reflecting political discussions. In other words framing is a mechanism through
which certain parts of reality are picked and some other parts are not picked by news-makers. It could
be said that frames draw attention to some perspectives of reality at the expense of other perspectives.
By using framing tactics, news directly shapes the masses’ perception of political events and in this
regard, political outcomes are generally shaped by the media representations of specific political
events.
“Today, media actors most of the time serve the
interests of ruling elites and politicians in the society.”

6. TV news channels, radio and newspapers are major sources of political content in India.
These Parliamentary channels, in addition to the news channel, are the main source of political content.
Sansad TV has replaced the Lok Sabha and Rajya sabha TV
It was launched on 15th September 2021
Lok Sabha TV was launched
in 2006. The first Parliamentary
channel of India.
The RSTV was launched
in 2011
Video # 2 Sansad TV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qQSv9m6iUA

7. When it comes to radio, the News Services
Division (NSD) of AIR is the primary source of
political content.
The NSD of AIR plays a significant role in disseminating socio-political and economic information across India.
It puts out over 500 news bulletins daily in 82 languages / dialects (Indian & foreign) for the duration of
over 52 hours from its headquarters in New Delhi and 44 Regional News Units (RNUs) across the country.
Video # 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0CZFqWJaOs

8. Political News/Talk Shows
Political talk shows are based on politics. By raising current political issues such news programmers
tries to create political awareness among the people of the country. Political talk shows also have
potential to bring people closer to the political process and to change the public opinion about politics.
Witnessing the potential of political talk shows in shaping the political opinion these days many political
party members and leaders willingly participates in the talk shows to give explanation about their
viewpoints on numerous public issues. They also appear on political talk shows to promote and
enlighten the public regarding their political agendas.
This has also lead to the culture of political party spokesperson in India. Political party spokesperson
are member of a political party (at any regional level of the party structure) who is charged by the
leaders of the party with communicating the party's position on specific issues/ event.
Eg. Sambit Patra of BJP, Alka Lamba and Gaurav Vallabh of Congress
Other news channels' political news/talk shows, in addition to Sansad TV, are major sources
of political content consumption through which citizens shape their political opinions.
Video # 4 Sambit Patra And Gourav Vallabh's Fierce Debate On Leaders' Degrees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZEwFoM7z4E

9. Political News Talk Shows
The Lallantop’s Neta
Nagri is one of the
most popular political
show on politics in
India. Sansad Me Aaj
is it’s another program
based on the sessions
of Parliament which is
also popular.
Seedhi Baat is a
programme telecasted
on Aaj Tak channel of
India Today group. This
show is hosted by the
senior journalist Pabhu
Chawala
Aap ki Adalat is an Indian
Television show hosted by
Rajat Sharma.
We the People of India
is news program of NDTV.
The anchor of this show is
Sarah Jacob.
“Talk shows play very important role in raising political
awareness. Their role cannot be ignored in political
sector. Due to these talk shows masses know about
their political leaders, their activities and also judge
who is right and wrong, and who should be appointed
for leadership for next time.”

10. Whose voices are heard, who speaks for whom, and what role does the host
play in facilitating political discourse on political talk shows?
Comment on this in 250 words based on your observations after watching
any one episode of any of these TV shows.

11. Political commentary
Political Commentary often appears in news
contexts but is also frequently in opinion sections in
newspapers and in special programs/ shows in
broadcast media.
The political commentary has similarities to both
news and views pieces in the media; like editorials
and debate articles it expresses opinions, and like
news articles it focuses on current events.
Political commentary is a journalistic genre in press, radio, television, and Internet where
journalists analyze or discuss current political events.
Political commentators do evaluate parties or candidates but not with the intention of changing public
opinion in a certain political direction.
The political commentary is nowadays a prominent feature of election campaign news.
Political commentary has high chance to end up into a controversy and is often characterized by the
lack of a recognizable code of ethics.

12. Clipping from Financial Express, Date: 1st April 2020

13. Political Satire on Indian Television
Video # 6 Political Satire show Tippani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OZct4zL9YU
Video # 7 Political Satire show Poll Khol
https://news.abplive.com/tv-show/poll-khol/poll-khol-with-shekhar-suman-
sarcastic-take-on-political-leaders-using-jinnah-s-name-1512675
Political satire is a complex form of political discourse
that is evident in democratic media systems across the
globe.
It is the result of the right combination of humour and
political analysis.
The main challenge of political satire is to strike a
balance between humor and apt political analysis.
The prime aim of satire is of course the entertainment
but the broader aim is to expose the absurdity and
hypocrisy.
Political satire, like other forms of political content, has
the ability to influence the political opinions of its
audience.

14. Political Cartoons column in Newspaper
A political cartoon is a cartoon that makes a point about a political issue or event.
Such cartoons play an important role in the political discourse of a society that values for freedom
of speech and the press.
They are a primarily opinion-oriented medium and can generally be found on the editorial pages of
newspaper and other journalistic outlets, whether in print or electric form.
Political cartoons support the editorial (ideological) position of the publication in which they appear and,
in some cases, conform to the proprietor's political and social views.
However, in contexts where diversity of opinion is encouraged and journalistic freedom is valued, the
cartoonist is usually free to take a stand on issues that may be at odds with the editorial orientation of
the newspaper or magazine.
In both cases, political cartoons remain a powerful means of political communication and are capable of
shaping and altering the political views of the people.

16. THE COMMON MAN
A famous political cartoon character
popularly know as
“The Common Man”.
It was created by the iconic cartoonist of
India Mr. R. K. Lakshman.
For over five decades from 1951, his daily
cartoon appeared on the front page of
The Times of India under the headline
"You said it".

17. From the Cartoons column of

18. 5 Jul 2022
From the Cartoons column of

21. Politoons Series (Animated video based on politics)
So Sorry of India Today
Started in Aug 2013
Video # 10 So Sorry UPElection2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTWx-lRBOcE
In politoons political parties generally shares a comic space in the animated version. It leaves a
memorable impression on the mind of the audience. Making the use of the entertaining & fun elements
the creators of the politoons silently and strategically tries to alter the political opinions of the viewers.

22. Teekhi Mirchi of India TV
Video # 9 Teekhi Mirchi UPElection2022 #BJPVsSP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyIlelLt8Mo
So Sorry” solves the
problem of getting the news across to the public in an
interesting and dynamic way,
reaching through language barriers and age groups

23. Political Magazines
Political Magazine through its commentary and
analysis of the political issues are effective in forming
political opinion. The cover of the magazine has much
importance as it is the preview of the magazine.
Where cover picture helps in grabbing the potential
reader’s interest and in so doing, serve the function
as both advertisement and argument .
Also the importance of image in magazine cannot be
disregarded. They form an important element of the
visual communication.
There is a complex interplay of written text, images and other graphic elements that
combine into visual designs by means of layouts.
The use of magazine covers as political rhetoric.

24. of Political Parties
Media Coverage

25. Media Coverage
What comes to your mind when you see
the term “Media Coverage?”

26. Media Coverage
1. When we say media coverage basically we are referring to the
media content at the core and also to the denoted time and space depending
on the nature of media outlets (print or electronic).

27. Political Event
Media Coverage
Media Content
Media
Content/Product
Goal is
simply to
sell more
newspaper
Goal is to
keep
the people
informed
and aware
Media Consumption
Media Coverage of Political Event
Agenda
Setting
Theory
Propaganda theory
of Chomsky
Framing
Theory
Gatekeeping
Theory
Two step flow
Theory
Uses & Gratification
Theory
Selective exposure,
selection & retention

28. Nature of Coverage
Media Coverage of Political Event
Negative Media Coverage & Positive Media Coverage
Biased( favoritism) & Unbiased (impartiality)
(Nature of media coverage is not the media’s priority but the profit is, profit in
terms of high TRP, Advertisements, media agenda, immunity etc.)
Volume of Coverage
Extensive Media Coverage & Limited Media Coverage
Media Hype Pack Journalism
The tendency of journalists
to work
together, arrive at a
consensus, cover the same
stories from same
perspective and use the
same news sources.
It describes a ‘news wave’ that
occurs where
a certain topic of the moment
receives overwhelming and
continuing news coverage from
all media at the same time.
Eg. Shushant Singh Rajput suicide case &
Gyanvapi case
Homogenous
Content
No variation
In news source
Excess/‘self-inflating’
Coverage
(Follows the issue for
long time)
News Wave
(allegations, speculations,
denial, interpretation etc. )

29. Media Coverage of Political Parties
1. The media focuses on large-scale political events and ignores the minor ones. In this way, the media
indirectly benefits the party with more resources while ignoring the party with fewer resources. This adds to
the belief that money counts in elections which is not good for the health of the democracy.

30. 2. Regional media have far greater influence than national media in framing political issues and shaping
political opinion on a regional scale. The variety of languages is what gives regional media its weight (in
terms of media reach). Aside from language, the regional media's reporters and editors' knowledge and
understanding of grassroots politics makes their stories far more relevant to the local population.
However, significant political issues debated by national media do percolate down to regional media,
where they are discussed from a local perspective in local context and visa-versa.
Eg. News 18 Lokmatt, ABP Maaza, TV 9 Marathi, Lokshahi, Jai Maharashtra have far more influential than the
national media like Times of India, NDTV, Republic in forming the political opinion at regional level.

31. 3. The media has ‘favorite political personalities’ in every party whom they constantly cover. As
a result, the voter begins to see the party through the eyes of only a few party members,
limiting their overall understanding of the party.
E.g. Mr. Narendra Modi, Mr. Amit Shah, Mr. Yogi Adityanath & Smriti Irani from BJP
Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Shashi Tharoor & Prinka Gandhi from Congress
Mr. Arvind Kejriwal & Mr. Manish Sisodia from Aam Admi Party

32. 4. As the attention of the media is centered around the well-known personalities, the
grassroots’ workers of the party are generally ignored.
Student wings of political parties in India
NSUI ABVP
CYSS

33. Young political leaders of India
Tejasvi Surya
of BJP
Tejashwi Yadav of
Rashtriya Janata
Dal (RJD)
Aaditya Thackeray
Shiv Sena
Hardik Patel,
BJP
Raghav Chadha,
AAP
However, in the past 3-4 years, the Indian media has started doing political stories focusing on
the young political leaders, which is no doubt a good sign when it comes to representation.
Video# 2 Will Young Leaders Make An Impact In Indian Politics?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4tEg0SxfKY
Video # 3 Do young dynasts appeal to new gen voters or are they also practising outdated politics?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twRNd0fA_o&t=121s

34. 5. Ideologies and manifestos of parties not covered.
Party manifestos help detect discrepancies between the promises that were made in the run-up to
previous elections and their fulfilment in the year of the elections under consideration. Undoubtedly,
failure or achievement in delivering on the commitments is an important yardstick with which to assess
the manifestos and the parties. But hardly any detailed and constructive discussion happens in the
media on this matter. The media covers manifestos superficially rather than thoroughly analyzing them
and providing useful insight to the general public, which would aid them in making political decisions
(voting) and questioning the government.
(Note: Political parties are not legally obligated to fulfill their manifesto promises).

37. 6. More importance given to speeches and inflammatory comments of the politicians.

38. Discussion
1. Do people read and vote based on the content and quality of
manifestos?
2. Is coverage priority and newsworthiness same?

39. 7. Power struggles in parties get a lot of coverage. Impact of the power struggle not covered.
8. Political Organizations : Organizations which do not contest elections but support a party E.g. VHP,
RSS (support BJP),Kisan Sabha (supports CPI) get attention only for some violent agitation, or when
they take a stand not consistent with their party.
9. Furthermore, there is a growing trend of paid news in political coverage. Political parties/politicians
pay media outlets for opinion polls with statistically debatable results, interviews with
(political)candidates that are extremely flattering or soft, and stories that are published word for word
from the press release.
E.g. Arvind Kejriwal was spotted speaking with a journalist and asking him to highlight certain parts of
his interview. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan was accused of paying a Marathi
newspaper to run advertisements that appeared to be news. Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister
Narottam Mishra has been accused of paying for 42 news items that read more like advertisements
highlighting him as a good candidate.

41. Write about the Niira Radia Tapes Case in 100 words.

42. The media in India is highly politicised, as evidenced by the Radia
tapes controversy in November 2010, when it was discovered
that Nira Radia, a political and business lobbyist, was part of a
large nexus of politicians, businessmen, and journalists who
manipulated news. News had become a business in India,
especially since political news was essentially paid to advertise.
Most news channels, newspapers, media outlets, and publishing
houses are owned or controlled by politicians from various
political parties.

43. Coverage of Political Personalities
Media coverage of a candidates affects public perceptions, as most
voters did not meet political candidates and relied on media reporting for their impressions.

45. Mr. Narendra Modi (Current prime minister (PM) of India
Politically affiliated to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

46. Mr. Modi is a lifelong member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a
paramilitary Hindu nationalist organization traditionally dominated by upper-caste Hindus.
He presented himself as a humble tea-vendor, the son-of-the-soil challenger to the
Congress's haughty dynasts. He had a very good record as chief Minister of Gujarat
before the 2014 elections. When he was declared BJP prime ministerial candidate he
attracted both national and international attention for the controversies like his handling of
the 2002 Gujarat riots. Despite this Modi won three Gujarat state elections in 2002, 2007
and 2012 and was also credited with enabling Gujarat’s economic progress and
development

47. NaMo
• ‘NaMo’ stands for Narendra Modi, the present Prime Minister of India.
•It was a mediated buzzword generated and disseminated by newspapers and news channels before General
Election 2014 in India.
•NaMo surfaced in the media around the mid of 2013 and continued to dominate headlines till the election in
May 2014.
•Taking the first two initials from Narendra Modi’s name, NaMo tops the chart of mediated buzzwords before
2014 general elections in India.
•It is arguably one of the most successful populist buzzwords that was fed into the public memory in the recent
political history in India.
•This was the first time a political candidate was given a nickname and popularised massively.
•NaMo upheld Narendra Modi’s candidature as the prime ministerial candidate and popularised his political
capability through an easy and catchy nickname.
•In view of multiplicity of languages that Indian voters speak, NaMo is easy for them all to pronounce.
Therefore, it was envisaged as being a rhythmic, easy-to-remember, and catchy household name for Modi.

49. Chai pe Charcha (Debate over Tea)
Political debates over a cup of tea are very popular and can be found
in every part of the country. In line with this, Chai pe Charcha and
Chaiwallah became two highly popular mediated buzzwords in India
prior to the 2014 General Elections. Tea shops are Habermas's
(2002) "public sphere," where political debates take place, political
opinions are formed, and voting decisions are made. Prior to the
2014 General Elections, the media revealed that Indian Prime
Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi worked as a tea seller on the
streets of Ahmedabad as a young man. The BJP's election campaign
team linked Modi's tea-selling background to the country's chai
culture. The BJP's election campaign team linked Modi's tea-selling
background to the country's chai culture. Modi began meeting with
voters in each city, candidly discussing his life and his plans for
India's future.

50. Media Coverage on Chai pe Charcha (Debate over Tea)

51. A tea shop in Mumbai with a Narendra Modi poster

52. Election Catchphrase “Ab Ki Bar Modi Sarkar”
It was also a very popular catchphrase for BJP to
portray Narendra Modi as the next Prime Minister of
the country during 2014 Elections. This slogan meant
the upcoming government would be Modi’s
Government. This was also a slogan where BJP tried to
make Modi’s image larger than the party. The main
allegation was that the slogan made the entire campaign
look like a one-man show.

53. Maan Ki Baat
Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, has launched a
social initiative called "Mann ki Baat." The Prime Minister
began by sharing his thoughts and concerns about public
issues. In this programme common-person issues are
discussed and various solutions and concerns are proposed.
It aired in October 2014, for the first time and is planned to air
one episode every month. This is the first time in Indian
history that a Prime Minister has communicated with the
people through such a platform. To reach out to the Indian
people, DD National, DD News, and All India Radio have all
been used. This programme is constantly covered in various
media outlets, giving Mr. Modi extensive media coverage.

54. Modi Wave/ Modi Laher
‘Modi Wave’ means conditions favoura ble for BJP candidate
Narendra Modi to completely sweep the elections. The term
was coined by none other than Modi’s close ally Amit Shah. In
fact ‘Modi Wave’ was the pivot around which the election
campaign revolved. BJP and its allies rigorously spoke about it,
while politicians from Congress and the rival camp tried to
negate it. Hardly anyone could ignore it; as a result, the
contagious term ‘Modi Wave’ was picked up by media in no
time. The term also gave an impression to many that no
matter what Narendra Modi will have a huge mandate in the
elections and he will be the next Prime Minister of the
country. This also made the position of other political parties
slightly off shoot in relation to Modi.

55. Howdy Modi at the NRG Stadium in Houston
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States in
22nd September 2019 had a star-spangled event in Houston,
Texas. Called "Howdy, Modi", the "community summit" saw
the Prime Minister's trademark address to the Indian
community in America's fourth most population city on
when he visits the country for the UN General Assembly
session. This event was a huge success which gave Mr. Modi
extensive international media coverage.

57. Watch List
1.) Zee news interview with Mr. Modi 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0h_Vn1kRqg
2.)“Aap ki Adalat”an episode on Modi aired on April 12, 2014, broke all TV
news viewership records. According to ratings data provided by TAM, 74
percent of Hindi news television viewers in India viewed the show.
3.) Watch an exclusive interview of PM Narendra Modi on the growing
influence of India in the world (2018).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeqhJos9rsM
4.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Life Story | Chalo Jeetey Hai | PM Modi
Movie | Film |Documentary by Zee News (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20PbA9CBRzM

58. Mr. Rahul Gandhi
Politically affiliated to Indian National Congress

59. Rahul Gandhi was born on June 19, 1970 in Delhi, India. He is a well-known Indian
politician and a key figure in the Indian National Congress (a political party). He is
the son of Rajiv Gandhi, the grandson of Indira Gandhi, and the great-grandson of
Jawaharlal Nehru (all of whom were prime ministers of India). He first entered
politics in 2004, when he was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time. Following
the 2009 competition, he kept his seat. He was appointed vice president of the
Congress Party in 2013 and became the party’s de facto candidate for prime
minister in the 2014 elections. Although he retained his Lok Sabha seat in that
election, his party was belittled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a string of
corruption scandals tarnished Congress’s image. Despite the Congress Party’s poor
showing in the polls, Gandhi and his mother retained their leadership positions.
After Sonia Gandhi stepped down as Congress Party leader in late 2017, he took
over.

60. RaGa
Media depicts Rahul as a typical mama’s boy. Many regard him more as the prince of the Gandhi family
and less of a politician. Media started calling him ‘RaGa’ in the same line as it coined for Modi – ‘NaMo.’
Media Represented him as the leader of Corrupt Party
A decade of Congress-led government had its ups and downs. Apart from poverty, one of the most
serious issues confronting India was corruption, particularly during the UPA-II regime. In this light,
Corruption became one of the most popular mediated buzzwords in India prior to the 2014 General
Election. Coal Gate, the 2G Scam, and black money were three corruption buzzwords. Corruption has
received extensive media coverage and popular support as both— an issue and a buzzword. In fact,
the Aam Aadmi Party was founded on the fundamental tenet of removing corruption from Indian
politics. When Rahul Gandhi officially joined the Congress in 2007, the party had already lost its image
and reputation. In his initial media interviews, when asked about corruption, he did not try to defend his
party and instead tried to distance himself from previous governments' corruption cases. He was also
criticized by media for spending little time in his constituency and rarely speaking in parliament.
Overall, the media portrayed him as uninterested in politics, which caused great damage to his political
leader image.

61. Media also portrayed him as week leader
The media portrayed Rahul Gandhi as a weak leader in the manner of Mr. Manmohan Singh. When
it comes to political speeches, Rahul Gandhi is often indirectly compared to Mr. Modi by the media in
terms of oratory skills. Media by addressing Rahul Gandhi by ‘Rahul Baba’ has often tried to pinpoint
his low political confidence and less political competence (political knowledge, political efficacy,
political interaction & political activity). Also, his not-so-aggressive manner of speech is portrayed in
the media as a flaw.
Pappu Image : Mockery by Media
The media has made a mockery of Rahul Gandhi since he entered politics in 2007. Because of his
lack of political competence, the media began referring to him as Pappu indirectly. In India, a boy's
nickname is Pappu. This name has become synonymous with the dumb personality in recent
years. The name Pappu became a running gag in the Bollywood comedy film "Aur Pappu Pass
Hogya," which was released in 2007. The song "Pappu Can't Dance Sala" added to the popularity
of Puppu jokes in 2008. Rahul Gandhi is partly to blame for this, as he never took any action
against the media and social media users who called him Pappu. This harmed his political
reputation significantly. On the one hand, while the media portrayed Mr. Modi as a strong
personality full of action, Mr. Gandhi was portrayed as uninterested in politics and as an
incompetent politician.

62. Identified as a Dynasty Politician
After his mother, Sonia Gandhi, stepped down as party leader, Mr. Rahul Gandhi assumed leadership of
the Indian National Congress. As a result, the media and opposition political parties like the BJP dubbed
them the Dynasty political party. It happened because Rahul was inexperienced and inactive in politics
when he took over as leader. There were many capable senior leaders in Congress at the time who would
have accepted this responsibility, but Congress did not, which is why it is still criticized today. Mr. Gandhi
was dubbed 'Shahzada' by the media after Mr. Modi used the term in one of his speeches. Mr. Gandhi
has been portrayed in the media as 'Shahazada' ever since he gained political power. Mr. Gandhi has
been portrayed in the media as 'Shahazada' since then, as he obtained a political position in the National
Party because of his "Gandhi" name. Mr. Modi, on the other hand, has always been portrayed in the
media as a common man (Chaiwala), which has helped him gain popularity and sympathy among
citizens.
Rahul Gandhi’s personal foreign trips
Unlike political activities/rallys, Mr. Gandhi's personal foreign trips received extensive timely coverage.
The media has taken a keen interest in Rahul Gandhi's personal life, and has occasionally attempted to
misrepresent him by associating his foreign trips with less seriousness in politics and his upbeat/joyous
personality.

64. Political Coverage & Media Biases
Political coverage is not entirely free of opinion or objectivity as journalists are forced to make decisions
when covering politics, such as whom to interview, what quotes and facts to select and how to interpret
information because of which biases in media content are created. Currently, as we see extreme
polarization in Indian media, the biases in political coverage can be intentional and unintentional. In such a
condition, the people/ reader/ media content receivers must carefully check what kind of political
information they are consuming and where they are receiving from (know the source).
Few media biases are:
•Partisan parties get more coverage E.g. Regional Parties and Caste based Parties
•Conservative and ‘media-friendly’ parties are covered more often.
•Radical Parties (leftist parties such as CPI, CPI (M) are ignored.

65. Media Coverage of Election Campaigns
The media’s role in election campaigns was to inform the
public about competing political parties, their programs
and candidates, give formal voter education material
provided by the electoral management body or their own
voter education material. A fair media had to be objective
in information dissemination by allocating equal
broadcasting time to all competing parties and candidates,
have (voluntary) agreements on fair news programs,
reports, and non-news programs, or debates between
party leaders. The broadcasters should not try to influence
political opinion of the public by giving differential
treatment or coverage to political candidates or parties. In
terms of coverage media should treat every political
parties and candidates equal. However, media
sometimes manipulated by the governing party report in
their favor which is not good for the democracy.
Manipulation could be in the way the program, report or
news is designed.

66. Media is also a platform for Election Campaigns
Political parties and candidates have an explicit right to inform the electorate about their
characteristics, political agendas, and proposed plans. Candidates and parties accomplish
this task through media campaigns in addition to meeting directly with members of the
electorate at road shows and rallies. It is therefore critical to democratic electoral processes
that all candidates and parties have equal access to the media for this endeavor.
Candidates and parties use the media for campaigning in a variety of ways, including
sponsored direct access spots, paid political advertising, televised debates, and the use of
social media. They also hope that the media will cover them because their campaign
activities are newsworthy. Political parties devote significant human and financial resources
to the planning and execution of mass media campaigns.

67. BJP in India

68. Formation and initial years of the BJP (1980-1986)
Atal Bihari Vajpayee established the BJP in 1980. The BJP, as a new political party was
conceptualized during a two-day national convention in Delhi organized by members of the BJS
(Bharatiye Jana Sangh) cadre based political organization on 5-6 th April, 1980. Atal Bihari Vajpayee
became the BJP's first party president. During the 1980s, the BJP succeeded in becoming both a
mass-based and a cadre-based political party. This occurred because, in addition to RSS members,
the party attracted non-RSS members. But it took some time for the newly formed BJP to establish
itself in early 1980s electoral politics.
The rise of L.K. Advani and BJP (1986-1996)
L.K. Advani, a co-founder and one of the BJP's senior leaders, took over as party president in May
1986. As BJP chief, Advani worked to strengthen the party's organization and ideology. In his
presidential address to the BJP's national council in New Delhi in May 1986, he emphasized the
party's ability to provide not only an alternative to the Congress, but also an alternative political
culture. Under his leadership, the party prioritised giving young people a chance. Kedarnath Sahni,
Krishanlal Sharma, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley,
Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, K.N. Govindacharya, and Jaswant Singh were among the prominent
leaders who arrived at the time. As BJP president, Advani backed the VHP's campaign for a Ram
temple on the disputed site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

69. The Ram Janmabhoomi movement,
also known as the Ayodhya
movement, thus became one of
the most pivotal moments in the
BJP's history. Advani, who played a
key role in it with his Ram Rath
Yatra at the end of 1990, described
it as "the most decisive
transformational event" of his
political career. It has had a huge
impact on our society and politics,
as well as our sense of national
identity.

70. Between 1990 and 1996, it formed governments in many states and increased its tally in the Lok
Sabha. The Vajpayee-Advani duo relentlessly pulled the party up from its inception to a national
alternative to the Congress. In the 1996 Lok Sabha Elections, BJP formed its first central
government under the leadership of Mr. Vajpayee and dethroned Congress from the center stage
in national politics. However, the Vajpayee government sustained in Parliament only for 13 days as
they failed to prove their majority in the floor test. Again in the 1998 Lok Sabha Elections, BJP
emerged as the single-largest party and was able to form the government once again under the
leadership of Mr. Vajpayee but only for thirteen months. As the Vajpayee government got down to
work, one of its major decisions was to reinforce India as a nuclear power nation. Within two
months of coming to power, it secretly conducted five nuclear tests in Pokhran (Rajasthan) on 11–
13 May 1998. After making India a nuclear power, Vajpayee’s next goal was to pursue peace with
Pakistan. As a result of his efforts, he started a historic Delhi-Lahore bus from Amritsar to Lahore
in February 1999. However, in May 1999, infiltration became a serious issue in Kashmir, leading to
the Kargil war between India and Pakistan.
The golden years of the BJP: The government at the Centre (1996-2004)

71. Even as India managed a decisive victory over Pakistani infiltrators, the country faced another
challenge internally—another midterm election. This was the country’s third general election in over
three years. In (1999 general election) this election also BJP led NDA managed to get the majority. This
time BJP coalition government remained in power for the entire five year term.
The BJP’s lost decade (2004-2013)
In the 2004 elections, the BJP received seven fewer Lok Sabha seats than the Congress. The results
of the 2004 Lok Sabha elections were a complete surprise to the NDA government. Furthermore, it
had lost its position as the largest party in the Lok Sabha, which it had held since 1996. While
assessing its performance in the 2004 election, the BJP identified numerous reasons for this failure.
They cited the issue of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as one of the many reasons for their defeat in the
2004 election. The BJP continued to lose the Lok Sabha General election till 2013.

72. The beginning of the Era of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah
In September 2013, the BJP formally declared
Mr. Modi as its prime ministerial candidate for
the 2014 Lok Sabha General Election. This BJP
Prime Ministerial candidate did not come from a
political dynasty like Rahul Gandhi of the
Congress. Nor was he an inexperienced
politician like Rahul Gandhi. He was a three-time
CM of Gujarat. Since then, this single decision
has transformed India's political landscape.
Grooming famous local leaders worked for the
BJP, and the party won a landslide victory for the
first time. This was only possible because of its
inherent structure, which allowed strong local
leaders to take center stage, which Congress
did not allow.

73. Modi's track record as Gujarat Chief Minister encouraged people to believe in his ability to lead and
effect positive change. The only reason to oppose Modi was the 2002 Gujarat riots. Courts acquitted
Modi of the 2002 Gujarat riots, and Gujarat has been free of all forms of communal violence for the
past twelve years. The BJP's transformation from a minor player in Indian politics in 2009 to what it is
today is the result of a combination of Modi's charisma and Shah's astute planning and strategy, which
resulted in a historic change in the BJP's fate—in just three years, from 2014 to 2017.
Modi’s strong Comeback in the 2019 general Elections
Right at the start of the 2019 general election campaign, Prime Minister Modi established
the narrative for the election in which he was seeking re-election. In the 2019 Lok Sabha
elections, he was well prepared for a 'Modi vs. the Rest' battle. Narendra Modi took the oath
of office as Prime Minister for the second time on May 30, 2019.

74. Democratic Party of U.S.A.

75. Democratic Party of U.S.A.
The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States, with the Republican
Party being the other. The Democratic Party is the oldest political party in the United States, as well as
one of the oldest political parties in the world. Democratic Party is also known as the party of left or
liberals.
Formation of the party
Democratic-
Republicans Party
(In 1824 split in two)
The Democratic
Party
Whig Party

76. Democratic Party in U.S.A.
Founder
It was founded by Andrew Jackson in 1828. Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of US. He was
also the first democrat elected as the President.
Party Symbol
The symbol of the Democratic Party is donkey. The donkey in the Democratic Party's logo is said to
represent Andrew Jackson's opponents calling him a "jackass." "Jackass" is both another word for a
male donkey and a nickname for someone who is stupid or unintelligent. Instead of disputing the
nickname, Jackson embraced it. He started using the image of the strong-willed donkey on his
campaign posters. Later, famed cartoonist Thomas Nast used the donkey in his newspaper cartoons
it has since become a symbol of the Democratic Party in general.

77. 1. Candidates announce their intentions to run in the
Presidential Election.
2. In State Caucuses the registered party members
conduct meeting to decide on their candidate. In
Primaries the political parties hold elections in
states to select a candidate for their political party.
Primaries are regulated by the states to stop
fraud.
3. In National Conventions the delegates votes for
the
nominee.
4. On Nomination Day the party officially announce
the candidate who will finally run for the
presidential election. To win a party’s nomination,
candidate need to win the majority of delegates’
support at the National Convention. Nomination
day is one of the important political event as
candidates gets tickets to contest the election.
After getting ticket the candidates gives the
acceptance speech.

78. 4. Election Campaigning– Presidential Debate
Presidential Debate is also very important political
event the US election. The debates are conducted
by a NGO Commission of Presidential Debates
founded in 1987. In every election 3 debates for
President and one debate for Vice President is
conducted. By this NGO
4. Genera Election/ Election Day (winner takes all)
5. Electoral College Votes/Election
Total members/ electors (435+100+3= 538)
6. Counting
7. Inauguration Day

80. Election calendar
March/April/May (Spring of 2019) – Candidates announce their intentions to run.
June 2019 - June 2020 – Primaries and caucuses
Late May to Mid September 2020 – Presidential Nomination Conventions (including
those of the minor third parties)
September- The party makes official announcement of the Candidates
September end to and November beginning 2020 – Election campaign (Presidential
Election Debates)
29th Sept 2020
15th Oct 2020
22nd Oct 2020
November 3, 2020 (Tuesday after the first Monday) – Election Day
On Election Day people elects the members of the Electoral College
December 14, 2020 (Monday after the 2nd Wednesday) – Electors cast their electoral
votes to elect the President
Wednesday January 6, 2021 – Congress counts and certifies the electoral votes
20th January is the Inauguration day

81. Election & Media in US
Since the election in the United States is a lengthy process, the role of the media becomes critical in this
situation. People are kept up to date on the election through media coverage. The media is extremely
important in informing the public about the running candidates. It informs voters about the election
process and keeps them informed of important election dates.
The announcement of one's presidential candidacy sets the tone for the rest of the election campaign. As
a result, coverage of the announcement of intention becomes critical for the candidates. Furthermore,
overall coverage of the campaign, particularly of the Presidential Debates, is crucial coverage for both
political parties and voters. Extensive coverage of the Presidential Debate, as well as subsequent
analysis by the media and political experts, helps voters make an informed decision.
In addition to covering the Presidential Debates, the media conducts multiple polls before and after each
debate to track changes in voter attitudes and preferences. They have ongoing stories about the poll
results. The results of polls also assist political parties in the ongoing evolution of their campaign
processes and strategies. The media as well reports on the candidates' false claims and facts stated
during the debates. In this way, it continues to serve as a watchdog.

83. Media coverage of 2016 US Presidential Election

84. Media coverage of Presidential Debate

85. Pre Presidential Debate– Media Coverage

86. Post- Presidential Debate– Media Coverage

87. Clinton’s News Coverage
Clinton's coverage was markedly different from Trump's. As previously stated,
she received far less media attention than Trump during the convention
period. Her coverage mix also differed from his (see Figure 9). Horse race
topics—polls and projections—took up a larger portion of her coverage, while
the substance of her campaign received far less attention. Her policy and
issue positions received only one-third the coverage given to Trump's—4
percent versus 13 percent.
Trump’s News Coverage
In regards to the news topics, Trump's coverage differed slightly from that of
preceding nominees. He certainly received the standard amount of horse race
coverage for a convention period. Nearly a fifth of his coverage was devoted to
polls and projections of his chances of winning. His policy and issue positions, on
the other hand, received more attention than usual, accounting for one-eighth of
his coverage (see Figure 6). His personal life and character drew an unusual
amount of media attention. They accounted for 8% of his coverage, which is
higher than usual.

88. Tone of Trump’s Coverage, by News Outlet
Trump convention coverage was negative in most of the news
outlets we, including those that usually back the Republican
nominee. The Washington Times gave Trump the most
favourable coverage, but it was three to two. On Fox, his
coverage was two-to-one negative to positive. With a
negative to positive ratio of seven to one, the Wall Street
Journal was the most critical of the eleven news outlets. On
ABC World News Tonight, Trump's negative balance ranged
from three-to-two negative to nearly seven-to-one negative.

89. Some news outlets did give Clinton favourable
coverage (see Figure 11). ABC, CNN, the Los Angeles
Times, and The Wall Street Journal all gave her
positive coverage a 10 to 21 percentage point
advantage over negative coverage. Positive and
negative reports were nearly evenly balanced on CBS
and in The Washington Post. USA Today, The New
York Times, NBC, and Fox all gave her mostly
negative coverage, with ratings ranging from 10 to 20
percentage points. The Washington Times, a
conservative publication, was a clear outlier, with
negative coverage of Clinton outnumbering positive
coverage by 62 percentage points.
Tone of Clinton’s Coverage, by News Outlet

90. Must read (Media coverage of 2020 election)
A Tale of Two Elections: CBS and Fox News’ Portrayal of the 2020 Presidential Campaign
https://shorensteincenter.org/patterson-2020-election-coverage/
Media coverage of 2020 US Presidential Election