1. The News Media
Chapter 15

2. The Evolution of Journalism in the U.S.

3. Journalism-the process of collecting and disseminating the news
4th Branch of Government-the American Media
Anti-Federalists and the press-fought for freedom of the press in the Bill of Rights
Early partisan press-papers sponsored by the respective parties
Washington’s condemnation of the press-upset over coverage of his battle tactics in the newspapers

4. Penny press-newspapers supported by advertising
The sensational and the scandalous-accentuating the sordid side of politics
Yellow journalism-oversimplification and sensationalized coverage
Muckraking-uncovering scandal
Role of corporate profit-papers were careful not to offend advertisers
Electronic media supplants newspapers and magazines-politicians begin to use alternatives

5. The U.S. Media Today

6. Print press-newspapers, books, newsletter, journals and magazines
Electronic media-radio and television networks and the Internet

7. Print Media
Increase in # of journalists covering Washington-2300 to 4100 in last 20 years
Decline of newspaper circulation and readership- drop in readship amongst the young
Newspaper chains and decline in competition 13 chains own 54% of circulation, only 12 cities have competing newspapers

8. Radio and Television
Advent of radio in early part of the 20th century citizens heard the voice of their leaders for the first time
FDR and the Fireside Chats-calmed citizens about his program and, later, the effects of the war
Rise of right wing radio in Mid-1980s conservatives uncovered the medium of talk radio to advance their philosophy

9. Importance of Television due to increased number of sets and number of cable and commercial networks
TV versus print-83% of Americans get news from television versus 50% from news
Role of cable television-taking viewers away from major networks

10. Niche journalism catering to a specific group of viewers
C-Span-carries congressional business in an unvarnished version
Local television news growth and lack of substance- more Americans prefer local news coverage to national news but local news lacks substance

11. The Internet
Rise of Internet as source of news and information-13% of Americans now claim to get their news from the Internet
Traditional news media on Internet national networks and major newspapers now have sites on the Internet
U.S. government on Internet all 3 branches and most departments have own site on the Internet

12. Alternative media on Internet-foreign outlets give international take on the news
Al-Jazerra Middle Eastern version of CNN

13. National Influence of the Media
What precludes nationally united print medium in U.S. size of country and number of large cities
The 6 major national newspapers New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, Washington Post, LA Times
The 5 major television networks Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN

14. National news magazines Newsweek, Time and U.S. News and World Report
Conservative, moderate, liberal news magazines Nation-left New Republic-moderate Weekly Standard-conservative
The news generation gap (15.3) young gets news from Internet, old gets their news from TV

15. How the Media Cover Politicians and Government

16. How the Press and Public Figures Interact
Press release printed document offering an official comment or position
Press briefing restricted session between a press secretary and the press
Press conference unrestricted session between an elected official and the press
On background

17. Deep background info can be attributed to a source
Off the record comment may not be printed
On the record comments may be printed
Media manipulation by politicians campaign consultants plan how to present candidates
Politicians bypassing national media media bypassed in favor of releases, talk shows and orchestrated events

18. Covering the Presidency
First among equal branches in coverage- the executive branch because of clarity of focus
FDR and the bully pulpit used presidency to shape public opinion and explain actions
Role and history of presidential press secretary-main disseminator of information has only existed since Hoover (1929)
Conflict between reporters and the White House over what is news on what gets covered, who gets asked and how and for how long a story gets covered

19. Negative coverage of the presidency
Studies have shown coverage of the president to be usually unfavorable
George W. Bush and reluctance to face the press only 13 press conferences as compared to hid dad’s 64
Scott McClellan Bush press secretary

20. Covering Congress
Why is it difficult for news media to survey Congress? The size and decentralized nature of Congress
News media focuses on 3 groups in covering Congress
1. Leaders of both houses
2. Key Committee Chairs
3. Local senators and reps ( by local stations )
Negative coverage of Congress focuses on conflict between members

21. Coverage of investigative committee hearings due to scandals
McCarthy sought the identity of Communists in the government
Enron and WorldCom came under scrutiny because of their contributions to campaigns
Abu Ghraib investigated the treatment of prisoners at Iraqui prison

22. Media Coverage of Local Elections
News media impact on local elections same as impact on national elections
Effect of increasing nationalization of media chains on local election coverage local issues often omitted
Difficulty of candidates for local office to get coverage because local stations cover their platforms

23. Investigative Journalism and the Character Issue
Watergate scandal was first major journalistic investigation
Public perception of the press after Watergate-media less description and more prescription
Woodward and Bernstein-became first investigative journalism’s stars

24. Voters who get their political info from TV as opposed to print rely on traits rather than issue positions like those who get their info from newspapers
Effect of press assumptions on the character trend in reporting
1. Press replaced party as the screening committee for candidates
2. Press feel it is their duty to expose candidate’s weaknesses
3. Press feels that it is giving the public what it wants and scandal sells

25. Libel-written defamation of character that injures a person’s reputation
NY Times v. Sullivan (1964) defamation not enough, must include malice
Actual malice-knowing something is false and acting recklessly in publishing it

26. Media Bias
“Media bias” telling an untruth, part of the truth or out of context
Characteristics of reporters fallible humans who have values, preferences and attitudes
Corporate bias of the media-media with corporate connections showed pro-business bias
Failure of national media to question the Bush administration’s false claims of WMDs and tied to terrorism before Iraq invasion charged by media critics-read page 565

27. Effect of increasing fragmentation and competition in media on bias is becoming intentional
Ideological fragmentation of media media no longer hide their bias
Ideological Web sites on the Internet feature tailored content

28. The Media’s Influence on the Public

29. Effect of media on the public press has little effect in most cases because “people see what they want to see”
What limits ability of news media to sway public opinion people’s own bias
Media effects-the influence of news sources on public opinion

30. How media-influenced changes might occur
1-uncommitted people can be swayed
2-media has greater impact on foreign stories
3-media can determine the topic of the day
4-media shapes public’s perceptions of a candidate
5-may determine outcome of election with premature projections
6-may spotlight a negative aspect of domestic picture (economy in 1992)

31. Increasing Use of Experts
What influences use of experts
What impact experts have on shaping American views
What guarantees of reliability of experts

32. The Public’s Perception of the Media

33. Low public confidence in news media only 11% report confidence in the media
Credibility ratings for national news media public identifies them as biased and sensational
Credibility of TV versus print media Broadcast media get higher marks than print media

34. Top problems facing journalism quality of coverage for national journalists and financial problems for local journalists
Fox News vs. CNN-Fox more favorable in evaluations of Bush-page 573
Nonprofit organizations research on media-Accuracy in Media and FAIR
(Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) keep track of media accuracy

35. Government Regulation of the Electronic Media

36. 2 reasons for unequal treatment of print and broadcast media 1
2 reasons for unequal treatment of print and broadcast media 1. Airwaves are considered public property 2. Airwaves are in limited supply
1996 Telecommunications Act-deregulation brought together different types of mediums and helped form media giants such as Comcast
FCC-Federal Communications Commission-responsible for policing the media
2003 changes by FCC on media diversity-corporations could now own different kinds of media in different markets

37. 2003 changes on ownership-newspapers could own radio and TV stations and vice versa
FCC on limits on total national audience a corporation may reach-audience increased from 35% to 45%
Effects of deregulation-corporations could monopolize the media and there was a decrease in competition
Opposition to deregulation-bipartisan opposition-conservatives see immoral use of the media-liberals fear loss of community based media

38. Content Regulation Content regulation-must serve “public interest”
Equal time rule-must sell air time equally to all candidates if they wish to at all
2000 FCC rule on chance to respond-stations must allow candidates time to respond to attacks by the station
Fairness doctrine-broadcasters must cover events adequately and must allow for contrasting opinions

39. Red Lion Broadcasting v FCC case supported the fairness doctrine-man attacked on show and asked for opportunity to respond
Reagan’s FCC abolishes fairness doctrine arguing that the # of stations could provide diversity of opinion
Reagan veto of new fairness doctrine bill on grounds that it violated freedom of press

40. Efforts to Regulate Media Practices
Prior restraint-telling the press what they may not print ahead of time
Pentagon Papers-classified papers about the Vietnam War stolen by Daniel Ellsberg
New York Times v U.S.-court ruled that only a free press could …expose deception in the government.

41. 1991 Gulf War and “Vietnam Syndrome” thought that media’s freedom to frame events caused popular resistance
2003 Iraq invasion and “imbedded journalists”
Journalists assigned to and travel with fighting units
Demise of freedom through corporation consolidation of media outlets caused by lack of competition

42. Efforts to Regulate Media Practices Around the World
Media in dictatorships only “approved messages released
Media in constitutional democracies have mutually beneficial relationship with royal families
Media in Middle East-best served by Al-Jazeera with satellite and web coverage
BBC- British Broadcasting Company-owned by country and subject to strict regulations on release of government secrets
D-notice-when British media submit questionable content for government approval