Politics and MediaThe media can reasonably be expected to gather facts and report news fairly, accurately and responsibly. The American public depends on the media for much of its information. “The role of the press in American politics has become a major source of debate and controversy in recent years” (Davis, 1). The question raised in this article is: "Do the media present the news fairly, accurately and completely?" » The short answer is no, the long answer will be examined throughout the following essay. This essay will examine the media, its influence, and its effects on politics and government. “Public Occurrences” was the first newspaper to appear in colonial America. This publication begins the history of the media and its effects on politics and government in America. The newspaper was banned shortly after its publication and its editors arrested. Without the protection of the First Amendment, newspapers were unlikely to survive; especially if they criticized established authority. The first successfully published American newspaper appeared almost fifteen years later, in 1704. It was called the “Boston News-Letter.” Several other newspapers were put into circulation in colonial America, and just before the Revolution there were twenty-four newspapers in circulation. Articles in colonial newspapers were a major source of political pressure to shift public opinion from reconciliation with England to full political independence. Thus began the story of media influence in America and its effects on American government and politics. The number of newspapers printed in America continued to grow, and by the end of the Revolution there were approximately forty-three newspapers available to the public. They played an important role in informing the public in the political affairs of the young nation. In 1791, the Bill of Rights guaranteed freedom of the press. Protected by the First Amendment, American newspapers played an important and influential role in local and national politics. Newspapers were originally a luxury reserved for the wealthy and the literate minority. It was during the era of Jacksonian democracy, in the 1830s, that newspapers became widespread. This resulted from the invention of the “Penny Press”. It was now possible to sell newspapers for a penny a copy... middle of paper ... facts and report the news fairly, accurately and responsibly. He concludes by affirming that even if the media report the information, it is not always fair and accurate. Yellow journalism, the Nixon-Kennedy debates, and advocacy (broadcast) journalism demonstrate the media's influence on government and public opinion. In a democracy, any attempt to regulate media influence will conflict with the constitutional protection of the First Amendment. The antidote to an overly influential media is an educated public. Works CitedCoulter, Ann. “Ann Coulter on Liberal Bias in the Media.” Interview with Katie Couric. Today. BNC. WNBC, New York. June 26, 1994. Davis, Richard. The press and American politics. New York: Longman, 1992. Graber, Doris A. The Power of the Media in Politics. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Inc., 1990. Goldberg, Bernard. Bias. Washington DC: Regnery Publishing Inc., 2002 Kelly, Michael. “The Myth of Media Fairness.” New York Post December 21, 2002: 17.Streitmatter, Rodger. Mightier than the sword. Colorado: Westview Press, 1997. White, Theodore H. The Making of the President 1960. New York: Antheneum Publishers, 1961.