Cultivation Theory and the Presidency

Posted on behalf on Katelyn Bermudez:

American culture is completely saturated by drama. The political process and office of the presidency is an area which has not escaped this reality. Since Washington’s first inauguration the media has been overcome with a strong interest for the president’s personal life and what the position entailed. Naturally with that interest and the advancement of technology, movies and television shows about the president were to be expected.

There are of advantages about the presence of these shows. An increased interest in the presidency and American politics in general can help people become interested in the governmental system. Donnalyn Pompper pointed out in The West Wing: White House Narratives that Journalism Cannot Tell, that these fictional dramas allow certain aspects of presidential life to be demonstrated that journalists are not able to share in a news story. “Scripts aim to tell “not what happens, but to reveal how it happens.”(Pompper 4). The issue however with shows such as the West Wing are that they create false expectations and beliefs about the American political process and set standards for current presidents that may be impossible to attain.

For example Pompper states that “the fictional oval office inhabitants consider public service a worthy, noble pursuit, and they work there because they hope to do good, not because of personal ambition.” (Pompper 4) If these expectations are seen by viewers and the cultivation theory is applied, Hollywood then sets unachievable standards which can lead to unhappy Americans and low approval ratings.

As Rick Shenkman editor of HNN points out, “badly as Hollywood often presents the presidents, it has had an enduring impact on how we see them, how they behave, and even, in a few cases, on who won…Hollywood's depiction of American presidents is by and large a record of failure.” (Shenkman)

It will be interesting now to see how the current presidency will be portrayed in the future. As such as historical president, Obama will always be respected and seen as an important figure as the first African American President. This fact about him should be respected and demonstrated. That being said though, it will be interesting to see how much that role becomes demonstrated in Hollywood. Also I wonder if it will overshadow elements such as his low approval ratings and policies which have passed. Like any predecessor only time will tell. (http://hnn.us/articles/1749.html)