Media and the Presidential Election

I know the situation in our country seems a bit bleak, but God’s grace is sufficient.

My household and my church were divided over our recent election. (Divided in our opinions, not in our demeanor.) I would say, conservatively, it was a 60/40 split. Most of the church supported McCain, as was the case with my family. This lack of agreement and difference in opinion led to many spirited discussions. Thankfully, for the most part, we were able to maintain our tempers and debate in a respectful manner. I wish I could say the same about the media.

The media’s bias single-handedly whipped this country into a frenzy over the election. With the misinformation and negative spin that the (so called) news agencies fed to the public about both candidates, we’re lucky that we didn’t have rioting in the streets on Tuesday night. If it sounds like I’m exaggerating, let me explain. I’m a media and marketing professional who teaches in a private college specializing in the communication and broadcasting field.

Over the last three months, I had my class analyze three decades of Presidential Political campaigns and the media's coverage. What we found was shocking! There has always been a rivalry between the political parties, but as the media became more entrenched in the electoral process that rift became a gapping, ever widening crevasse. We are no longer living in the days of non-biased reporting by trustworthy news anchors. The importance is on the shock value of a story, not it’s accuracy. The days of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite are long gone!

My point, as longwinded as it may seem, is simply to say, “don’t believe the hype!” Things may seem bleak, but it is never as bad as the media reports. There is plenty of Good News in this world, but that doesn’t sell, so it is hardly ever reported. God’s grace is sufficient! If we keep our eyes focused on Jesus, His plan will soon be revealed. I really believe that we are moving into change! Maybe not the political change that some have spoken about, but a transformation is coming. As more of us embrace the God with-in us, we will be the change that happens to this world. For years there has been an imbalance! The darkness has outweighed the light, but I believe that is slowly changing. Every day I see people turning away from the worldly to embrace the Godly. We will prevail! We have Jesus! His love abides and His grace is sufficient.