Political Communication and Interest Groups Discussion 99 unread replies.99 replies. Forum Instructions Each student must post (1) substantial initial post with a minimum of 250 words by Wednesday of each week before 11:59 PM. All posts and replies must contain at least (2) professional references, one may be the course textbook, properly cited in the current APA format. Late discussion posts are not accepted in this course. The student must also reply to at least (2) classmates using a minimum of 75 words per reply by Friday before 11:59 PM. All replies in the discussion forum should enhance the discussion. Non-informative messages posted in the discussion forum will not be counted towards the required number of replies for that topic. Discussion Topic Choose ONE of the following topics to address in your initial 250 word post. 1. The media, especially elite newspapers, are highly influential in shaping public opinion. However, it is shown that the media can be influenced by the personal viewpoints of authors, as a study concluded that most journalists tend to be liberal. Based on this, what role should the media play in shaping public opinion? Should it be completely unchecked, or should the government censor the media in some instances, especially in matters of national security? Is media freedom even necessary in a democracy? 2. Why are fewer Americans interested in the news? What is the effect of an uninformed citizenry on the health of American democracy? What should be done to re-engage the public? Use these questions to help students understand the important role that media play in helping to create an informed public. Direct the discussion toward the need for a free press in a democratic society to perform this role and how the corporatization of media has made this more difficult. 3. Interest groups use a variety of approaches to advance their goals, including violent protests, appeals to the public, approaching the judiciary, approaching lawmakers, and demonstrations. Which approach would most likely be the best to use for an interest group that does not have much money to spend to advance its goal? Why is the chosen approach superior to the other approaches? 4. Interest groups are at the core of every democracy, but many insist that they may do more harm than good to the political process. In which ways do interest groups actually hurt or stifle the political process? Does this make interest groups undemocratic? Support your answer with examples.