1. Public Opinion and Mass Media

2. Public Opinion  ideas/attitudes most people hold about an issue or person  Why is it important? 1.shapes presidential decisions/actions 2.shapes public policy 3.Not uniform and/or unstable (especially with respect to candidates)

3. Sources what influences/shapes public opinion Background of an Individual Mass Media: TV is the most popular medium of communication Public Officials Interest Groups: AKA Pressure Groups

4. Characteristics/Features Direction: Positive or Negative Intensity: Strength of an opinion on an issue Stability: How firmly one holds to views

5. Measuring Public Opinion Election Results Public Opinion Polls  Push Polls: ?s are worded to influence a person’s responses  Random Samples: reflect characteristics of entire population  Poll Pros: allows elected officials to keep in touch with citizens’ beliefs  Poll Cons: officials more concerned with pleasing public & do not make wise decisions; affect election results; discourage voting  Most Presidents have a “pollster”

7. Characteristics of Good Public Opinion Poll  Uses random samples Trying to get a representation of the entire population  Unbiased No leading questions that get the result one is looking for  Specific Try to eliminate need for interpretation

9. Roles of the Mass Media  Gatekeeper Determines what is important by choosing what goes on front page Help set public agenda  Scorekeeper By using public opinion polls, they create a horse race mentality of politics  Watchdog Keep an eye on public officials and report wrongdoing.

10. Types of Media  Print Media: Newspapers, magazines, newsletters, & prints Provides deeper coverage of issues  Electronic Media: Radio, television, & Internet Television is the most important medium for politics because it reaches the most people **REMEMBER: Media are businesses that operate for a profit

11. Media Influence on Politics  Public Agenda: problems that receive the most time, money, and effort from government leaders  Leaks: officials may “leak” info to test public reaction Media Attention Public Concern Govern’t Attention Public Agenda

12. Protecting the Media  1st Amendment protects freedom of the press/speech freedom from prior restraint (government censorship of material before it is published)  Freedom with Limits Libel (prove malice) Protecting Sources National Security Federal Communications Commission (FCC)