Media in Electoral Process: An Analysis of Assam State Assembly Elections 2011

Election is one of the most significant exercises particularly in a democracy, wherein citizens participate to elect their representative. For the first time in the history of Assam (Northeast India) State Assembly Election, campaign was carried out in the presence of wide media coverage. This study focuses on the impact of media's coverage of the election campaigns during the last Assam state assembly election held in 2011. It examined the role of media in setting the agenda of important election issues and its impact on the opinion of the people. Attempts have been made to find out the effects of political campaign on the potential voters in view of their political opinion formation and their decision to participate and vote for a particular party or candidate. The study revealed that majority of them has been impacted by the media coverage to some extent and it has aroused them to participate and vote. However, when it came to their voting behavior, it is their personal choice and reasons that matter and not necessarily due to media's campaign.