Notes

Thesis:
Television has had a positive impact on presidential elections due to the presentation of televised debates, the spread of candidate propaganda, and more accessible information about the candidate themselves.

Source Analysis:
The source is a list of the different televised debates b/w candidates from 1960-1996. It shows the ratings of the debate and how many ppl watched it. The list shows that millions of Americans watched the debate and in some yrs, 1960, 1976, 1980, the ratings were very high.

Body Paragraph:
Since the year 1960, televised debates have played a big role in presidential elections which can be seen as a positive impact to the voting process. It allows the American people to better understand the views of the candidate which then leads to a better and more educated decision at the voting booths. As seen in a table showing the ratings and views of the presidential debates from 1960 to 1996, the number of homes that were reached in the 1960 election between Nixon and Kennedy was 28.1 million people. A staggering number by itself, but one that would be surpassed in 1980, during the Carter and Reagan election where the number of homes reached grew to 45.8 million. (The Source) In the America Constitution itself, it says that the people have the right to be informed about the government and the policies that will be changed. So, subsequently, the more people informed about candidates and their policies, the more viable the elections will be. After all, the United States is a Democracy that is run by the people, so having more people understand positions better can only affect the election positively.