While reading the news today on NPR I came across this really neat radio clip from the program All Things Considered. The broadcast is called: When TV Changed Politics: Adlai Stevenson vs. Dwight Eisenhower back in 1952. I think this ties in perfectly to the topics of our class and is particularly interesting to hear some of media advertising back in the 50's as compared to now. Listen for the "Ike jingle" and other little songs that the campaigns used. Stevenson also says he believed that campaigns were meant to be education for the people and the candidates themselves. He said what he meant and gave the people the truth, bluntly ("I don't like taxes...") and said he wasn't going to make promises, but was going to try his best.
I feel especially this campaign now is based on false promises and both candidates, moreso McCain, avoided major issues, dancing around them.
I think that as TV really started to become more popular, so did campaign ads and propaganda, and perhaps this is what really began to take away from the "meat" of the campaigns and the importance of hearing the candidates beliefs and plans for the country, not just their jokes and arguments about the other candidate. Although media and TV itself are great resources, I think some things need to be re-evaluated on how it is used.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I heard that too yesterday on my way home from work!
I especially liked the part about the hole in his shoe soles and what that meant to people.
He sounded completely refreshing and honest, I agree.
Post a Comment