This thesis contends that television and radio news, as the American public knows it today, is a form of persuasion. The thesis does this by analyzing the elements of television and radio news through David Berlo's traditional, linear model of communication. His model outlines the four major elements in any communication process - the source, message, channel and receiver. By looking at the elements of television and radio news through these vehicles, the persuasive characteristics are more easily identified.The thesis systematically explains the processes and decisions involved in communicating news via the mass media. It demonstrates that while many citizens of this country believe television and radio news to be an objective form of reporting the news, in actuality it does nothing more than create a reality for the viewer and listener. Furthermore, this modern-day form of persuasion is virtually unrecognized, not only by the American public, but also by those who participate in molding the news of the day.