Public opinion is formed through the following channels except

1. Analyze the question The question asks which option is NOT a channel through which public opinion is formed. This is an "except" question, so three options are channels of public opinion and one is not.

2. Explain the concept Public opinion is the collective views, attitudes and beliefs of ordinary citizens on public issues, such as government policies, elections and national problems. It is shaped and expressed through channels that link the people with one another and with the government.

Common channels include:

• Mass media (radio, television, newspapers, social media)
• Political parties (campaigns, manifestos, rallies)
• Elections and referendums (citizens express their views through voting)
• Pressure groups and interest groups
• Religious bodies, trade unions, schools and community associations
• Petitions, protests and public debates

3. Step-by-step solution

• Mass media: It informs citizens and shapes their views. It is a channel.
• Political parties: They educate and mobilise voters and reflect public views. It is a channel.
• Elections: They show what the people think about candidates and policies. It is a channel.
• Cabinet: This is a group of senior ministers who advise the head of government and make and coordinate executive policy. It is part of the government. It does not form public opinion among citizens. Rather, it is one of the bodies that public opinion is directed at and that responds to it.

4. Answer The Cabinet is the odd one out because it is an organ of government, not a channel for forming public opinion.

5. Exam tip In "except" questions, first tick off the options you know are true. Here, mass media, parties and elections are all things citizens use to express or shape views. Government organs, such as the Cabinet, the Executive and the Judiciary, are usually the receivers of public opinion, not the channels.