Politics and the Media

Throughout the history of the United States, politics and the media have been interconnected. From the beginning, politicians recognized the value of the media in helping to inform the public. Although our nation’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, was often vilified by the media, he believed that freedom of the press was essential to democracy.

From the early days of penny newspapers, radio “fireside chats,” televised presidential debates, and later the emergence of the Internet and social media sites, the media has played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion about government policy and politics over the years.

In a 1787 letter to statesman Edward Carrington, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a...