As the elections are approaching, everyone is getting use to seeing campaign commercials. Do you enjoy these 30 to 60 second commercials? Do you learn about candidates through their advertisements? Or are you more like me, and want to change the channel as fast as possible?
All thanks to the invention of the digital video recorder, my household, and many others enjoy the luxury of skipping right through these annoying political campaign advertisements along with every other commercial.
Former FCC Chairman,NewtonN. Minow said, “we are nearly alone in the democratic world in not providing our candidates with public-service television time. Instead we make them buy it – and so money consumes and corrupts our political discourse.”
Minow believes if we offered candidates time on television to run their commercials free it would be a different process. The advertisements would actually teach the viewer and would not have to be so “catchy” in hopes of gaining attention; they would be to the point and effective. I question if this would be the case. And would there still be so many campaign ads negatively portraying opponents?
Sadly enough, I believe our society has become accustom to seeing all these advertisements that during election time it does not even faze people. It is devastating to hear how much money is being invested into unwatched commercials.
Minow also thinks our communication system would be better if society committed to 6 goals over the next 50 years. Do you think setting goals will change the direction of communication? His goals deal with freedom, commitments to communication, public airwaves, and health care. While I think his motives are great, it is difficult to say if “goals” would solve the problems within our communication system. I think we need big steps of action.
I can’t even imagine what communication was like 50 years ago so it is difficult to picture the next 50. Just in my simple 21 years of life, the booming of technological advancements is amazing! I wish I was more excited for the future of technology and communication, but truthfully, I am nervous. I like our world plain and simple; without political commercials, but I think the high-tech life is just making it rather confusing.