ABSTRACT
In a democracy, a strong and independent public voice depends on the existence of a free media that represents the diversity of viewpoints in society. Citizens learn about politics through personal experiences and conversations with others, but most of what happens in the world is viewed indirectly through the reporting of the mass media. More than any other source of communication, the news media shape the considerations that people use to understand and evaluate political events and conditions (Iyengar & Kinder, 1987).
