Final answer:
Political parties, interest groups, advocacy groups, and individual politicians use media to influence public opinion and elections. Public opinion polls serve as strategic tools in politics, and the media plays a key role in framing political discussions. The balance of power between the media, politicians, and the public continues to evolve with the utilization of new media channels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Entities that try to shape public opinion using all forms of media to campaign for or against opposing candidates and policy issues include political parties, interest groups, advocacy groups, and individual politicians. They utilize media strategies to promote their messages, shape public debates, influence voter perceptions, and swing elections in their favor. The media acts as a gatekeeper, framing discussions, selecting specific images and videos, and essentially influencing social policy and election outcomes. As a result, there is a continual interplay between the media's influence on public opinion and the public's actual control over political narratives.
Public opinion polls play a significant role in politics, as they are often cited by politicians to justify their positions on various policies. Indeed, public opinion polls are strategic tools used by candidates, political parties, and interest groups to promote their causes or establish positions within campaigns. The media also serves as a public forum for debates, policy advocacy, and campaign ads. Furthermore, politicians have learned to effectively use the new media to bypass traditional media channels, directly reaching out to the public, and controlling their own narratives.
While there may be some balance of power, the media's role as a gatekeeper often tilts the scales in several ways, effectively influencing what topics become prominent in public discourse and policy consideration. Individuals, while interested in political debates, largely express their influence through voting or limited political engagement, yet some become more active policy advocates. The dynamics between the media, public figures, and the public at large continue to evolve with the rise of the new media and direct communication strategies employed by savvy politicians and groups.