By Samay Saxena

Traditional media outlets influence over voters receiving information about candidates is no longer prevalent in our current society.

As of last year, Pew Research found that 18 percent of US adults get their information about politics from social media outlets which is higher than the percent of adults who get their information from cable television, radio, or print newspapers.

As technology continues to evolve, society has seen an increased shift in voters use of traditional media outlets. According to the Pew Research Center, between 1993 and 2002, viewership dropped 46 percent for nightly news, 54 percent for news magazines, and 26 percent for local news. This data is correlated to the emergence of new forms of media such as comedy shows, social media platforms, and late-night talk shows

Entertainment in media appeals to voters as many are not captivated by the traditional news they receive from CNN or MSNBC.

Social media outlets such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook also present candidates the opportunity to reach millions of more voters than compared to traditional media outlets. This ability to talk to the masses has resulted in the transition from traditional media to new entertaining media.

Samay Saxena was a student in Campaigns, Candidates and Current Elections, an honors course at St. Bonaventure University.

Categories: Jandoli Institute, Media, Politics