Once you weave through all the zaney graphics, it is clear how the media is at least partially responsible for projecting their own views onto their unsuspecting audience. One thing's for certain - the number one job increase since the beginning of election season is undoubtedly those who create special effects for television. New American citizens must wonder if they are watching a Presidential race or the Super Bowl.

Journalists have been replaced with pundits who draw conclusions from speculation of news, often in an attempt to project the leanings of the network they work for. While it is easy to mention the king of slanted coverage, FOX News, it would be short-sighted to not point out the cheer leading taking place on networks like MSNBC and CBS. Depending on which network you watch, however, there has been one universal truth this election season - some candidates just can't get a fair shake.

If anyone watched the debate at the Reagan Library, they may have noticed a trend in the way Anderson Cooper moderated the debate. John McCain and Mitt Romney were permitted to banter back and forth, eating up time and preventing Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul from being heard. This is a clear example of how networks are weak at predicting races, typified by the fact that Romney has since dropped out of the race while Huckabee continues to battle. At the time, CNN likely felt that Romney was a force to be reckoned with, but they were wrong. And Ron Paul, the black sheep of the Republican family but a candidate that has more grass roots support than any candidate from either party, was shown the same respect FOX gave him when the network excluded him from their own televised debate. Seeing a trend here?

The media has ceased to be the voice OF the people, becoming the voice FOR the people. This is detrimental to the political landscape as it quietly muzzles free choice by shining a spotlight on a view that does not reflect the opinions of every day citizens. Rather, the media has become a caricature of itself, promoting narrow ideas, specific candidates and parties in an attempt to influence the voting public. Print media is also behaving in this way, and the blogosphere continues to be a web of pontification and saturated musings; but it is television where the majority of voters gather their information, and most are asking one question when they tune in...

What time is kick off?

Learn more about this author, James Di Fiore.
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