Assessing the Role of Local Television News in Elections: Stimulating Involvement or Indifference

In examining the news media\u27s role in the American political system, Robert Entman argued that while the media can wield the power to alter public policy and cripple presidencies, they have not been able to harness that power to serve democratic citizenship and promote government accountability as free press ideals demand. The problem, as Entman and others have noted, lies in the conflict between the need to maintain the profitability of news organizations and their ability to inform citizens adequately about policy problems and solutions. This conflict is particularly strong in the coverage of politics and elections