MANILA -- The media has become a decisive factor in electoral politics in democracies throughout the world. I would even argue that it is impossible to find a democratic country today in which a candidate could win a majority without using the media. Whenever political parties or candidates campaign, their image in the media is a major concern.
While the supremacy of mass media in democratic political contests is not new, the way politicians make use of the media to get their message across has changed over time. Political communication strategies, to a great extent, are technology-driven -- and depend on the accessibility of specific media to the targeted electorate.
While media availability differs from one country to another, in most parts of the world television plays the dominant role in political campaigns -- followed by radio and the press. Radio programs are of particular importance in less developed countries where not every household can afford a TV.