International Research Journal of Social Sciences_____________________________________ ISSN 2319–3565Vol. 2(12), 29-34, December (2013) Int. Res. J. Social Sci. International Science Congress Association 29 Effects of Exposure to Mainstream Media in Changing Political Behavior and Party Affiliation a Case Study of University of Gujrat, Pakistan Zahid Muhammad Bilal, Sarah and Hassan Syed Ali1 Centre for Media and Communication Studies, University of Gujrat, Post code 50700 Gujrat, Punjab, PAKISTAN Leadership and Management Studies, National Defense University, Post code 4400 Islamabad, PAKISTANAvailable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 28th October 2013, revised 10th November 2013, accepted 1st December 2013 Abstract This research reveals the role of mainstream media in Changing Political Behavior and Party Affiliationamong University of Gujrat students. The students of University of Gujrat devour media for different purpose as well as political information. Mostly students’ use television for political information most because it is attractive and famous medium nowadays. For this survey research conducted to investigate the media effects on changing behavior. Results explore that media have a power to change the voting behavior of viewers and it also persuades them towards new political parties. Media present issues to its audience with an effect that public forms opinion according to media’s emphasis on issue. Keywords: Mainstream media, political behavior, party affiliation, exposure, perception, students. Introduction This study emphasizes on the role of media in Political behavior change and political party affiliation among students.The mass media play an influential role in aiding collective interests in youth that further help to encourage more public and political action as compared to othersMany studies have shown that media play a significant role in shaping public perception on political issues as election campaign are going on in Media spaces. News media are more progressive and it gives mostly coverage to political discussions. According to some studies media are central to politics today due to immediate and instant dissemination of political issues. In general, mass media means, means of communication, newspaper, radio, film, television, and internet designed to reach the masses and tends to set standards, ideals and objectives of the masses. Political information is one of the important elements of political participation and also essential to assess the political consciousness of citizens. In order to make an electoral and political decision people should be aware of political candidates. The purpose of this research is to widen the role of mainstream media (newspaper, radio and television) on the political issues. This research is an attempt to study and observe the role of students on political issues through the survey method. Young people today only measure which is better than previous generations of community service. Students are most important part of society who has potential for the development of country in political and socioeconomic fields. Moreover, students are considered educated individual of society. Political activity predicts that it was probably good to involve young people in the political process presenting the interesting issue through mass media. In this study researcher will focus on the youth awareness in political issues and their interest in politics. Political issues and usage of different media, is the debating issue now-a-days. As political issues are constantly discussed and it seems that the media take on the field of politics. Thus, in this new context seems the media is more gradual. The mass media was seen as a key source of political knowledge4-5, youth political engagement was steeper. Research on political socialization has shown that attention to the news is related to political knowledge, attitudes and policy discussions. Iyengar and Kinder believes that the priming is the ideas that help people evaluate politicians based on the subject covered by the media. The media should expose the reality of people, but without any negative impression. The mass media shape public opinion and attitudes of society. Media provides with a wealth of information and makes people think about it. Mainstream media are the suitable choice for conducting this research because they are considered reliable and people depend on them for information and politics is an important pillar of a country. Media and politics both have a complex relationship and what impact these two elements create on nation building and on country progress in under consideration. This research is an attempt to study the role of different media outlets on behavior change and political party affiliation among University of Gujrat’s students. Media outlets transmit information to the public by different publications and broadcast and telecast channels. Different media outlets that will be focused under this study will be newspaper, radio and television. Under this study it will be noticed and observed how they present political news and discussion and what the medium has influence on the audience. How that medium holds the attention of its audience and how they influence audience on political issues and what effects does these media outlets create in the minds of its International Research Journal of Social Sciences____________________________________________________ISSN 2319–3565Vol. 2(12), 29-34, December (2013) Int. Res. J. Social Sci.International Science Congress Association 30 audience and which medium is mostly considered reliable among students and how they consume political news. McComb and Shaw describe agenda setting functions in their book The emergence of American political issues, both are of the opinion that both publisher and broadcaster play an important role in the decision and publishing daily news. This research will answer these questions in-depth. It will bring out the reality how adolescents look into political issues and what they think of them. Objectives of the Study: i.To explore exposure to mass media contributes in changing voting behavior. ii. To gauge which media outlet is more effective in changing voting behavior of University of Gujrat students. iii. To explain students affiliate themselves with any political party. iv. To determine mediademocratic culture among university of Gujrat’s students Research HypothesisH1: Whether Pakistani media is changing and setting voting behavior of students/not? H2: Whether Pakistani media promoting democratic culture among students/not? H3: Whether Pakistani media help to change the party affiliation of students/not? Literature Review: Klapper in his book The effects of mass communication have argued that research had shown the mass media to be normally not a necessary cause of the effect public. Instead, it functions as a reinforcement of existing values and attitudes and the effects of media have been generally regarded as mediated by the interpersonal and personal experience. He also revealed that there were certain conditions under which mass communication could greatly influence society more contemporary scholars have been content to take the perspective of limited effect, perhaps in response to the most extravagant claims of a powerful and dangerous mass media made earlier. Since then there have been developments in other areas that led to a paradigm shift in communication research and renewal of the idea that the media have powerful effects10. Newspapers have historically been a fairly reliable source of political knowledge (Chaffee and Frank, 1996)11. Stromberg (1984-2004)12 after analyzing the survey responses of American national election studies found that local newspapers are the leading provider of political information on people, because local newspapers are better informed about their representative home. Newspapers are considered an important source of political information, as writers and editors, sometimes to discuss issues including the political talk shows and other political debates are missing. It shows another aspect of a dimension that draws the reader's attention to it. These issues are discussed in detail in magazines. Reading magazines and newspapers how the voting behavior of people affected. Moreover what they look on issues after reading newspapers and magazines. Stromberg12 found that the radio has improved the situation ofthe vote in rural areas. Some of what is known and remembered in the modern campaign can be attributed to the spread of radio. Studies have shown that when there are political discussions on the radio, listeners become more active. Radio listeners are interested in political discussions, especially in rural areas. News Radio was at best a side note of numerous studies on political participation, perhaps because television has usurped the best part of the informative role of talk shows and radio news11. McCombs and Shaw13 believe that the media set the agenda for political discussion and political debates, talk shows and debates that influence public attitudes toward specific issues. At this stage of the media is the only source that is easily accessible from all walks of life in television, radio, newspapers and the Internet used by people for information on updates to political events every time. Media affects people's perceptions and policy discussions. Media forms of public behavior toward an issue and are essential to highlight certain attributes of the issue. The way the media provide coverage of a particular topic, the new policies that help people make decisions and perceive what is important to them. The theory of the development agenda describes a powerful influence of the media and it has the ability to tell us what the important issues are. Baran and Davis14 explain that the theory of framing look closely at the idea of how people look forward to a question of making sense of everyday life. The basis of the theory of framing is that the media focuses attention on certain events and then places in the area of service. This field of service may have an impact on public beliefs, attitudes and behavior by connecting a particular meaning or interpretation of a question. Framing theory refers to how something is presented (in the framework) affects the choices made by gens. Cette idea is important because it is contrary to the central notion of rational choice theory. The media drew public attention to certain issues which is the agenda setting initial thought. These themes change the attitudes and beliefs of a person and force them to think according to the agenda set by the media. A framework has a power to produce an effect on the power of collecting new audience, this kind of scheduling, not only think what to think but how to think. Kinder and Sanders15 suggests that managers use both embedded devices both in political discourse, which is equal to the concept of mass media frames and that the internal structures of the mind is equal to the individual frames. Under the agenda setting and framing theory, people always strive to make the most rational choices possible. Thus, rational choosers should always make the same decision when given the same data. According to Fairhurst and Sarr16 framework consists of three elements: language, thought and foresight. The language helps us to retain information and actions to transform the way we perceive situations. To use the language, people International Research Journal of Social Sciences__ Vol. 2(12), 29-34, December (2013) International Science Congress Association must have thought and reflected on their frameworks and that other. Leaders must learn certain circumstances. Being able to do so foresight to predict the possibility of coaching. we must plan to be spontaneous17. McComb Maxwell and Donald Shaw developed implementation in terms of 1968. Over 350 studies been discussed in the world since that time. research focuses on if the media decides what discussed as a society. Maxwell believes that our subjects. Maxwell suggests that the media think that where McComb believe how we think function of setting the agenda of mass media the mass media as it has the ability to perform among individuals. MethodologyBy keeping in view the nature of the study survey suitable because through this method opinion media outlets in Political behavior change and among students gathered and analyzed. Survey used to explore the consumption patterns of UOG students for information on political issues. Fellegi18 Collection of information through systematic manner in which all units of interest population well defined and assembles such useful concise form. The survey is a study that to collect data from each sample. While, sample university of Gujrat’s students. The researcher according to stratified sampling. In which researcher target audience into two strata Social science science. The researcher took equal respondents stratums. However,in this study there are two key Independent variable and Dependent variable. variable is Media outlets whereas dependent variable behavior and Change and party affiliation motives. Media; Television (Political news and political shows etc. Radio; Political discussion and news. includes Political News, Columns and Editorials. Behavior Change and Party Affiliation; Exposing information through television news, discussion reading editorials and columns of national and listening political programs on radio and also by participating in elections, attending the political and meetings. Results and Discussion Figure-1 shows that 22% of both males and females the newspaper for political information. 76% females like to watch television. While, female are 2% more than male for political information. Sciences__ ______________________________________ ________ Association own interpretive learn to self regulate in so had to have the coaching. In other words, developed the program studies have already time. McComb his what topics should be that the media choose media control what we think about it. The media has an impact on perform cognitive change survey method was opinion about different and party affiliation Survey research method different media of issues. According to an organized and interest and concept of information into a that will be helping sample size took from researcher took 100 students researcher divided the science and natural respondents from both key variables that is variable. The independent variable is political motives. Mainstream political issues and talk news. The newspaper Editorials. Political Exposing of political discussion programs, and local newspaper, also political interest political processions females like to read 76% males and 74% female radio listeners information. Figure - What is your preference for political following media Figure - Do you think your medium for satisfying your Figure-2 is about the satisfaction population from the medium that information. 4 % both males and females the medium that they are used for males and 42 % females are satisfied political information. 26 % males and with their medium of political information However, 12 % males and 16 % females their medium of political information. females are more unsatisfied with information. ________ ____ISSN 2319–3565 Int. Res. J. Social Sci. 31 - 1 political information among the media outlet? - 2 for political information is your needs? of the needs of the target that is used for political females are more satisfied with for political information. 52 % satisfied with their medium of and 36 % females are satisfied information to some extent. females are not satisfied with information. 6 % males and 2 % with their medium of political International Research Journal of Social Sciences__ Vol. 2(12), 29-34, December (2013) International Science Congress Association Figure-3 Do you ever think to change your affiliation political party when media expose Figure-3 shows that whether the target population change their political affiliation with any political they expose to media. 10 % of both males and agree that they think to change their affiliation party after exposing to the media. Whereas 34 % females are less agree about the thinking affiliation with any other political party after media. And 40 % males and 30 % females agree about changing of affiliation with any political exposing to the media. Whereas 12 % males do not agree about thinking of changing political party after exposing to the media. Figure-4 Do you think exposure to Mass Media contributes changing voting behavior? Figure-4 represents the changing of the voting target population after exposing to the media. Sciences__ ______________________________________ ________ Association affiliation with any expose it? population ever thinks to political party when and females are more affiliation with political 34 % males and 30 thinking of changing after exposing to the agree to some extent political party after and 28 % females affiliation to any contributes in behavior? voting behavior of the media. According to the graph 14 % males and 18 % females exposure to mass media contributes behavior. Whereas 64 % males and that exposure to mass media contributes behavior. And 18 % males and 10 extent that exposure to mass media voting behavior. Figure - Do Pakistani media persuade your political party? Figure-5 is about the Pakistani media minds of the target population towards According to the graph 14 % of more agree that Pakistani media persuade new political party. Whereas 50 % less agree that Pakistani media persuade any new political party. And 14 % agree to some extent that Pakistani towards any new political party. Whereas females do not agree that Pakistani towards any new political party. Figure - Is Pakistani media promoting ________ ____ISSN 2319–3565 Int. Res. J. Social Sci. 32 females are more agreeing that contributes in changing voting and 62 % females are less agree contributes in changing voting 10 % females agree to some media contributes in changing - 5 your mind towards any new party? media as if it persuades the towards any new political party. both males and females are persuade minds towards any males and 44 % females are persuade their minds towards % males and 20 % females Pakistani media persuade their minds Whereas 20 % males and 22 % Pakistani media persuades minds - 6 promoting democratic culture? International Research Journal of Social Sciences__ Vol. 2(12), 29-34, December (2013) International Science Congress Association Figure-6 demonstrates whether Pakistani media democratic culture or not. 6 % of both males strongly agree that Pakistani media is promoting culture. Whereas 30 % males and 40 % females that Pakistani media is promoting democratic 20 % of males and 40 % of females agree to Pakistani media is promoting democratic culture. hand 34 % males and 10 % females do not agree media is promoting democratic culture. And % females more disagree that Pakistani media democratic culture. Figure-7 Which kind of political news do you prefer media?Figure-7 is about the different kinds of political population like to consume on media. According % males and 4 % females like to consume local While 42 % both males and females of the target to consume national news on media. 18 % females prefer to consume international whereas, 38 % males and 32 % females prefer kinds of news. Discussion: This study represents that students Gujrat like to devour different media outlets information as well as political parties but the common, popular and interesting medium Television consumer’s rate is higher because higher consumption rate. And mostly University students likes to consume television for political Media has created a frame and within that information media are conveying people are rely. Entman (1993)19 suggested that frames in identified by the presence or absence of key images, sources of information and sentences Sciences__ ______________________________________ ________ Association media is promoting males and females promoting democratic females are less agree democratic culture. Whereas to some extent that culture. On the other agree that Pakistani 10 % males and 4 media is promoting prefer to consume on political news that target According to the graph 2 local news on media. target population like % males and 22 % news on media prefer to consume all students of University of outlets for political the television is most for this purpose. because of the media’s University of Gujrat political information. that frame whatever are consuming and in the news can be key words, phrases, that provide facts. However, students agree that Pakistani democratic culture. Students also basis of political issues and leaders. changing their affiliation with the the news media. Whereas, students role in changing voting behavior. Gujrat also think that media persuade political party. At the same time when about national news and they always it. While, target population prefers political discussion at the international shows some also like to read editorials political issues and some like to editorial in which they affiliate. ConclusionIn current scenario media probationers anchors, analysts and researchers editors play a central role in the development becomes public agenda after a while. have a great responsibility to bring behavior of consumers. Media contributes development in general public of shape their opinion regarding a particular also political parties. 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