Final answer:
The statement is true as media often prioritize entertainment value over substantive political coverage to attract larger audiences. Coverage tends to focus on drama and strategies rather than policy issues, with media events used to guide the narrative. This trend reflects both profit motives and the influence of consumer preferences in the consumption of news media.
Step-by-step explanation:
The query posits that media outlets prioritize coverage with strong narratives or entertainment value over comprehensive political coverage to attract larger audiences. This assertion is true. The modern press often highlights the spectacle and drama of elections, focusing on campaign strategies, gaffes, and polls rather than in-depth discussions of policy or substantive issues. High-profile examples such as Donald Trump's coverage during presidential elections illustrate the trend towards shallow reporting. Television news prioritizes strategies and blunders, while newspapers concentrate on polling data, often at the expense of a richer understanding of candidates' positions and intentions.
Politicians seek to manipulate media attention through staged media events, ensuring coverage of their preferred narratives. Moreover, the quest for profits can lead media outlets to eschew challenging political issues in favor of content that pleases advertisers. As a result of these practices, news coverage can become homogenized, while, conversely, consumers can also self-select media that fits with their existing worldview, further limiting exposure to a variety of perspectives. Given the need for revenue, media coverage may sideline in-depth government affairs and policy discussions, leading many to turn to alternative sources such as social media for more substantial information. Concurrently, congressional actions often garner little media interest unless they already resonate within political circles. Despite criticisms, the interplay between media strategies and public preference continues to shape how electoral campaigns and political issues are covered and perceived by the public.