Politics news is a representation of events and political issues, as well as of individual politicians and collective actors (states, international organizations, national governments, parties, interest groups, social movements, and citizens) and their public discourse. According to conventional theories of mass media and journalism, political news should serve specific positive functions for the adaptation, integration, and operation of a democratic system. These include acting as a watchdog to disclose misbehavior and facilitate citizens’ political participation, and providing information for civic education and enlightenment. Moreover, political news should be objective and independent and provide balance. These normative requirements are derived from fundamental democratic principles and can be best met under conditions of press freedom characterized by the absence of censorship, open access to the media, and plurality of news sources.
The proportion of Americans who rely on TV and local news programming as major sources of election-related news and information has remained fairly stable since 2004. During this period, the number of people who go online for election-related news has also increased. In 2008, six in ten internet users sought out this type of content. Young adults and those with high levels of income or education are particularly likely to do so.
It is important to note that in the quest for objectivity, balance, and impartiality, journalists can run the risk of creating false equivalency — treating two positions as equally valid when they are not. This can be avoided by seeking out and reporting on credible sources that debunk erroneous information, such as the websites of elections authorities that provide easy-to-access factual information on topics like special ballots or voting technology.
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