The Evolution of Media and Politics For decades, media and politics have been connected at the hips. Politicians leverage media to get their message out to the public, while media uses politicians to gain advertising dollars and viewership. Throughout U.S. history, the media has had a dramatic impact on politics and the country. In the early 1900s, Teddy Roosevelt had to ride a train throughout the country and tirelessly shout his message at large crowds. While political rallies of this nature occur today, ...