We’ve all, at one point in a U.S. history or government class, learned that there are three branches of government: Legislative, which is where bills are written into law; the executive, which oversees and enforces said laws; and judicial, which discusses legal issues and court cases. However, people often overlook a crucial factor within the political landscape: the media and press. In the Youth and Government program, many people usually interpret media as playing a secondary role to the other more direct and hands-on branches, such as the legislative. However, the media section of the program is just as important and necessary as the debating sections as it reports and overviews the entire conference’s activities while promoting more of the youth to become more involved within the political state of contemporary society.
Media is a crucial medium for communicating the different procedures and processes of the conference, and because of this, delegates in media act as outlets for expressing the program’s inner workings. The Pew Research Center states, “Social media [plays] a crucial role in news consumption.” Therefore, participating in this section merits greater benefits than others, such as waking up much later than their fellow delegates (but don’t tell my section leaders) and freedom to go nearly anywhere throughout the venue without repercussions. In an interview with Esmeralda Rios, Texas YG Media Co-Editor in Chief, she stated, “[she] loves the freedom that media gives us… we can come up with our own stories.” These greater accessibilities allow delegates to comprehend and grasp the other sections and activities, thus effectively reporting general overviews and more specific events, such as youth governor elections.
Furthermore, media delegates are the only section that explicitly promotes the young generation to become more active regarding their community’s current political issues. “Media is a great tool that can inform audiences, offer new perspectives, and even influence decisions,” states Esmeralda Rios, Texas YG Media Co-Editor in Chief. Through writing blogs and creating social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, media delegates can productively and efficiently promote the Youth and Government program and highlight the importance of political awareness amongst the youth. Overall, media may present as insignificant amid the expressive debates of Legislative and Judicial; however, media portrays the fundamentals and complexities within the Youth and Government program.
Written by: Kenneth Pham