Television impacted politics in all of these ways except forcing politicians to be honest because they were speaking directly to the American public on air.
Television gave elected officials and candidates for office an unprecedented way to speak directly to millions. Politicians, when they are speaking directly to the American public, are meant to please the public by speaking what people (or groups) want to hear and not what they really think, there is no honesty in that. And this kind of trend in television has led critics to question the message that is heard/passed.
Studies have shown that since the advent of TV, the American voting public has become increasingly disenchanted with politics. Some argue that the increasingly negative tone of ads and political commentary has driven many to abandon interest in politics.
