As the political landscape becomes more polarized and Americans grow less trusting of experts and media institutions, the role of commentators in the public discourse has become critical. Political commentary is a form of social analysis that can be found in many forms including newspapers, television shows, podcasts, blogs and even satire. The function of commentary is to analyze and critique political events, policies, leaders, and social issues in a way that stimulates debate and discussion.
A good political analysis should be based on research, which includes an examination of primary and secondary sources. It should also consider the perspective and bias of the writer as well as the audience. It is important to be aware that although many people may not think of themselves as political commentators, everyone who follows politics and explains their views to others does so in some way.
Despite the goal of political analysis to provide insight into the reasons for an event, it is difficult to separate fact from opinion. Two analysts looking at the same data will reach different conclusions because each will have their own set of biases. Even a simple statement such as “the reason why voter turnout increased was due to growing dissatisfaction with the administration” can contain subtle opinion because of how it is framed.
The most popular forms of political commentary are in the news media, with television and radio being especially influential. These programs often offer listeners the chance to interact with the commentators by phone or through their websites. These interactive conversations are typically directed by the moderator and any obstreperous or extreme callers are usually terminated.