2. The People and the Press A Presentation by David Steiner

3. For my culminating study I chose to examine the Relationship between American society And the news media. When I read or watch the news these days, I feel as though 99 percent of what I’m getting is either entertainment or propaganda.

4. 1800s america For as simple as we’d like to think times were back then, the 1800s were politically charged, and so were the newspapers of the day. In fact, early papers were heavily funded by government subsidies. American newspapers of that period were by and large puppets of parties and administrations.

5. Commercialization of the News Changed Things When selling ad space replaced government subsidies, the papers ceased being “party organs.” I chose this portion of a 1917 paper because it is thought by some that objectivity in the news began after World War I.

6. Aww, the NEWS? I want Bugs Bunny!!! Newsreels were a great way to catch a few headlines. They played in theaters, along with cartoons and featured attraction pictures. In many ways, they resembled the 15-minute newscaps on modern television.

7. Respectable Reporting In 1937, Edward R. Murrow began his career. CBS assigned him to cover the events of World War II. He later went on to produce his own television show, called See It Now. He was often looked to as a role model for his integrity and straight-forward style. His exposure of J. McCarthy as a zealous fanatic in the 50s broke the senator’s hold on the nation.

8. Some feel the news never broke from the days of government control, or at least political bias.

9. “It’s a little bit me…and it’s a little bit you, too” --------- The Monkees Nobody can agree on whether the media today are biased toward the left or the right. The author of the book on the left says it’s to the right, while the gent who penned the piece on the right claims it’s to the left. But as Eric Alterman said in his book, “You’re only a liberal as the man who owns you.” Details to follow, starting with the next slide.

10. One Small Setback for TV News, One Giant Leap Into The Abyss For Mankind Tabloid tycoon Rupert Murdoch changed the face of television news. Fox presents fluff and right-wing propaganda and calls it news.

11. OK, All Bashing on Rupert and The Republicans aside, Houston, We Have A Problem… The people are the biggest part of the problem. We seem to like our tabloid fluff. Ratings prove it’s preferred over actual news in far too many households. We also like to choose our news sources based on bias. We want to hear what we want to hear, period. Not all the blame can be put in one place. True, Rupert Murdoch sweet- talked the FCC into lifting the ban on owning both a newspaper and a television station. Also true, that he set the ball in motion toward giving us fluff for the news by instructing Fox affiliates to air segments of A Current Affair AS news stories. Undeniable, that The Fox News Channel engages in “fear and smear” tactics to the benefit of the republican party. BUT…… None of this would be going on if it wasn’t making millions for Murdoch. Moreover…… Nobody would be following his lead if it wasn’t universally profitable.

12. The Media Give Us What We’ll Buy. WE decide what sells. SEX sellsFEAR sells

13. Some of what sells is serving to divide us from a nation united into a series of special interest groups at war with one another. Political Propaganda SellsReligious Propaganda Sells

14. Many people have speculated as to how and why we came to prefer the newsreel and television headline newscasts over more substantial sources and fact-intensive content. Those of us who do seek out real information tend to turn to the internet, and to National Public Radio. But even we have to filter some of what we take in from our sources.

15. Too many of us have forgotten how to think for ourselves. Too many of us have grown so lazy that we refuse to even try.

16. This might be evil …

17. But THIS IS THE ENEMY!

18. Copyright Infringements Bluegrass Music Ricky Scaggs ________________________________________ Star Wars Imperial March Metallica ________________________________________ Dramatic Music From The Motion Picture Monty Python & The Holy Grail ________________________________________ And and and and and Rush Limbaugh as himself on the Excellence In Babbling Network “It is correct, because I SAY it is correct!” (Hey, I never said I wasn’t biased!)