The Pervasiveness of Politicization and Its Encouragement Through News

Jack Knudson

jackknudson89@gmail.com

Nowadays, it is difficult to come across a part of our culture without escaping inevitable politicization. Americans have found ways to imbue politics into even the most seemingly nonpartisan of topics, and this is partly an effect of the escalation to a 24/7 news culture and widespread access to information. 

The constant news cycle of modern times has adapted to realize that politics sells. To keep loyal viewers attached to their brand, some major news outlets will add a partisan spin to topics that were previously thought to have little to no bearing on partisan politics.

A recent example is the news coverage of Hurricane Florence in late 2018. The politicization of major geological events is nothing new, as many might recall the influence of politics in coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, during the Bush Administration. 

It is not wrong for politics to be involved in these events. After all, it is the government's obligation to address these emergencies. It is also the media's job, if necessary, to hold the government accountable so that the lives of Americans take number one priority. Both government and news media have had a fair share of successes and blunders during catastrophic times like Hurricane Katrina. However, now more than ever, journalists have to be careful to not fall victim to politicization in this kind of coverage. 

The problem with the politicization of Hurricane Florence was revealed in an article from The Associated Press. The article shows how, three days before Florence hit, The Washington Post criticized Trump's handling of the previous Hurricane Maria. The article then proceeds to display how conservative media outlets, like Fox Business Network, would respond with their own sharp criticisms of their liberal media counterparts. 

Gabriel Williams, a professor of atmospheric physics at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, said in the article that this kind of fighting sends the wrong message to those hit by the hurricane and distracts from the real message, which should be to protect American lives. 

Again, while holding the government accountable during these events is important, politicization should not override the media's priority of ensuring factual, nonpartisan reporting to keep people safe. During sensitive times like when Florence hit, putting a political spin on coverage to attract viewers should be looked down upon. 

                         

     Photo Source: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/hurricane-florence-flooding

                                                              

Similarly, climate change is another issue that is met with heavy politicization. A recent study from the University of Kansas, analyzing over 37,000 news articles from 45 countries from 2011 to 2015, found that media coverage of climate change in richer countries focused on the political implications, whereas coverage in poorer countries was more focused on framing climate change as an international issue that needs to be solved.

In addition, the study found that coverage in the richer countries would often be framed in the style of debate or arguments rather than policy proposals to solve the problem. The press release of the study said that the authors "also contend that richer countries framing the issue as political reflects that climate change skeptics in those nations gaining more media prominence and the efforts of multiple groups trying to politicize the issue, influence media agendas and policymaking." 

Furthermore, due to the information revolution spurred by the inception of the World Wide Web, much of the public is now more comfortable constructing opinions based on the things they see online. This leads to the acceptance of politicization in news, which could become a dangerous trend if it continues. The divisive nature of politicization has already been shown as Americans have started to bicker more over issues like climate change and sports, using political beliefs as weapons of choice to win an argument. Perhaps, they might even fall back upon their favorite online articles or news channels to support their side of the arguement. The truth is, while news has certainly helped in making people more politically active and knowledgeable, it has also made them more politically insular. 

The most topical example of politicization within the public realm has to do with COVID-19. This issue of public health has turned into a back-and-forth debate over the wearing of masks in public. Like climate change and natural disasters, the COVID crisis has gone political, as many choose to wage a war of words based on political beliefs.

Journalists who are just entering the profession, or will in the near future, need to recognize that the field has to face the dilemma of politicization. They must prepare for the reality that the American public has a strong personal attachment to politics. Knowing this, though, they must also prepare to report the truth, knowing when it is right or wrong -necessary or excessive- to imbue politics into a topic.