The influence of Media as a Campaign Services

Generally media have a so close relationship with the political world. Media that have the ability to provide information to the audience, exactly it is needed by the actor to convey a political message to influence the audience. This can be seen from political actor or the part of world politics that appear in political advertisement. In this case media which fully supports the advertisement politic this surely will be very influence for the formation of image of the political actor. According to Brian Mc Nair, described that the political advertisement are displayed by the media will develop the image of political actor.
We can see the examples of political advertisement which made by Prabowo is carried by Gerindra party as a prospective president of Indonesia during the election later in 2009. In the advertisement, Prabowo with Gerindra parties are designed into a loop and support the low economic society. This advertisement is running constantly by the media so that the audience will not be directly affected by what is displayed by the media. Other example is the advertisement of SBY with democrat party in the Kompas was estimated by spending money until 500 million (Gatra, outstanding number 42 Thursday, August 28, 2008). These examples are only a small part of the reality.

Generally media has become a choice to make communication or political campaigns. In political communication, media and political actor is a relationship that mutualism. In this case both of parties receive the same benefits. During this election, the media with the benefit of political advertising that would have a tariff that is not small. What's more with the emergence of political ads that has time duration of the long hours and running on prime time that would have a very special rate. Besides the television, the political actor also advertises in media such as newspapers. In the mass media is no fewer funds spent by the political actor.



The importance of the role of media as a means of effective political communication is now more visible. We as the audience must be understood by itself that the world is surely needed the media to support the political. Because of the media, it does can make easy for the actor to convey the political message on a audience and the easy way to direct to region areas. Besides, the campaign through the media is important because our society at this time is often more active or to consume media, so that the opinion in the community can easily be formed and to be affected. This is in accordance with Hypodermic Needle Theory which means, the message delivered by the media will directly on the target audience that is so that we can not avoid the doctrine of act which done by the media. This theory assumes that we as the audience can be easily influenced and formed in accordance with what is desired by the media. (Nurudin, 2007:165).

The role of the media in political communication is important. And in this paper are examined four important roles in the communication media politics. Like, Media as a means of political communication, the media became a means to perform persuasion, provide information on the political audience, providing opportunities for communities to assess what can be delivered from the media.
First is the media as a political communication. Where are the political actor and the place of purchase or on the spot at a particular time to convey the message to the broad audience (McNair, 2003:94). Media used are various such as cinemas, billboards, newspapers, radio, television, internet and act. The purpose of the advertisement itself is a political as a means to convey political messages from the actor to the audience and of course to get the sympathy.

The Second is the media, in this case to persuasion the communication with the aim that what is presented can affect the audience. Media have an important role in actor's political success to the campaign.
The goal of persuasion it is written by Nuruddin (2007) is:

 Reinforce or strengthen attitudes, beliefs, values, or someone.
 Changing the attitudes, beliefs, values, or someone.
 Ask someone to do something.
 Introducing ethics, or offer a particular value system.

The Third is the media can provide information on the audience. Function of the information is the most important for mass communication. Most important component for the function of this information is the news presented. However, the advertisement is also in some cases have the function to provide information in addition to functions of the other (Nurudin, 2007:66). It means that the media is a lot of information to the audience about what is delivered by the actor in the political advertisements in the media. So that people know about the information they need to know the political actor.


The fourth function of the media is provides the opportunity for the community to assess what the actor say in the political media. So the people can give an assessment directly to the message delivered by political advertisements in the media. This is consistent with the theory and critical theory of satisfaction and usefulness. Because the two theories are describe audience activity in choose, use and scrutinize the media. Of course included in scrutinize what is presented by the media(Nurudin, 2007:191,199)
So the phenomenon in using of media as a means of political communication at this time, basically influenced by the benefits of the role of media as an effective place to deliver information to the society. So the message from the political actor can be delivered more effectively.