Do the media exercise more influence than politicians during a general election campaign?

i need opinions as a matter of emergency please, asap would be great thanks:) xxDo the media exercise more influence than politicians during a general election campaign?
Many say yes the Media does influence the political landscape, especially Fox and the various Media companies that Rupert Murdock owns and controls. How ever there used to be an unwritten rule among real journalists not to overtly attempt to change the political landscape.





And remember this, Only FOX NEWS Corporation has won the legal right to LIE and call it NEWS.Do the media exercise more influence than politicians during a general election campaign?
I don't know if I would say they have more influence than the politicians actual message, but yes the media can make a big difference.





As an example, Bush 1 VP Dan Quayle, his political life was destroyed because his Uncle pulled strings to get him into the National Guard during the Vietnam War, per the media, Quayle was a criminal that used family influence. Yet 4 years latter a majority of the media completely ignored that Clinton's Uncle pulled strings for to join the Navy Guard (which he refused to join once he got his draft deferment).
Example-General Election 2008.





Media used a slick marketing campaign and refused to cover in any detail the many questionable associations Obama had over the last 30 years or his political philosophy.





If the media only shows the good side of one candidate, and the negitive of the other, it holds a huge impact in the mind of the voter.
the politicians own the media
SUP