Chapter 8 Mass Media and Public Opinion

Section 1 The Formation of Public Opinion

What is public opinion? One of the most overused and misunderstood terms A complex collection of opinions of many different people Different Publics Each “Public” care about different issues Public affairs events and issues that concern the people at large events and issues that concern the people at largeDefinition Public opinion Public opinion Those attitudes held by a significant number of people on matters of government and politics

Family and Education Public Opinion is formed through the life experiences Political Socialization preformed by: Family Family Parents beliefs build a foundation of views on political beliefs in their children The Schools The Schools Used to indoctrinate students to become good citizens Family and Schools not the only factors, but most significant Family and Schools not the only factors, but most significant

The Political Spectrum People who have similar opinions on political issues are generally grouped according to whether they are “left,” “right,” or “center” on the political spectrum Chapter 8, Section 1

Other Factors Mass Media Those means of communication that reach large, widely dispersed audiences (masses of people) simultaneously Those means of communication that reach large, widely dispersed audiences (masses of people) simultaneously TV and Internet the most common form of Mass Media TV and Internet the most common form of Mass Media Peer Groups Made up of the people with whom one regularly associates Made up of the people with whom one regularly associates friends, classmates, neighbors, and co-workers reinforces what a person has already come to believe reinforces what a person has already come to believe most tend to share the same belief on public issues

Other Factors (Con’t) Opinion Leaders Person who, for any reason, has an unusually strong influence on the views of others Person who, for any reason, has an unusually strong influence on the views of others Could be anyone who people believe and tend to follow Historic Events Great Depression led to the belief that the National Government should have a larger role in citizens lives Great Depression led to the belief that the National Government should have a larger role in citizens lives Events of the 1960’s and 70’s led to mistrust in the national government Events of the 1960’s and 70’s led to mistrust in the national government

Section 2 Measuring Public Opinion

Polls are one of the most common means of gauging public opinion Elections Votes cast for the various candidates are regularly taken as evidence of the people’s approval Votes cast for the various candidates are regularly taken as evidence of the people’s approval Mandate Mandate instructions or commands a constituency gives to its elected officials However an election very likely does not give mandates from the public However an election very likely does not give mandates from the public

Measuring Public Opinion (Con’t) Interest Groups Private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape the making and the content of public policy Private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape the making and the content of public policy Chief means through which public opinion is made known The Media Considered many times as “mirrors” and/or “molders” of public opinion Considered many times as “mirrors” and/or “molders” of public opinion However they are not very accurate mirrors of public opinion, often reflecting only the views of a vocal minority However they are not very accurate mirrors of public opinion, often reflecting only the views of a vocal minority Personal Contacts Public Administrators receiving calls, mail, s, or through meetings Public Administrators receiving calls, mail, s, or through meetings however tend to only find views that support and agree with their own views

Polls – The Best Measure Public opinion polls Devices that attempt to collect information by asking people questions Devices that attempt to collect information by asking people questions Straw Votes Polls that seek to read the public’s mind simply by asking the same question to a large number of people Polls that seek to read the public’s mind simply by asking the same question to a large number of people however highly unreliable does not make sure that the sample is an accurate cross-section of the population 1936 election and Library Digest mishap

Polls – The Best Measure (Con’t) Scientific Polling George Gallup and Elmo Roper have helped polls to become highly sophisticated level George Gallup and Elmo Roper have helped polls to become highly sophisticated level Best pollsters today are Gallup Organization and Louis Harris Associates Best pollsters today are Gallup Organization and Louis Harris Associates

Polling Process Defining the Universe Universe means the whole population that the poll aims to measure Universe means the whole population that the poll aims to measure Constructing a Sample To poll the entire universe is very difficult, and often impossible To poll the entire universe is very difficult, and often impossible Must select a sample representative slice of the total universe representative slice of the total universe

Polling Process (Con’t) Constructing Sample (Con’t) Random sample Random sample a probability sample Generally national polls only are represented by about 1,500 people Mathematics tells us that 1,500 people selected randomly, can give you the probability to have an accurate poll (+/- 3%) Quota sample Quota sample sample deliberately constructed to reflect several of the major characteristics of a given universe

Polling Process (Con’t) Preparing Valid Questions Valid QuestionsValid Questions Wording can affect the reliability of any poll try to avoid “loaded questions” try to avoid “loaded questions”

Evaluating Polls Major National polls are fairly reliable Intensity Intensity Strength of feeling of an opinion held Stability Stability Relative permanence of opinion Relevance Relevance How important is the opinion However, criticized for creating a “Bandwagon Effect”

Limits on the Impact of Public Opinion Polls are not elections Requires citizens to be informed to determine the possible bias of any and all polls or mass media

Section 3 The Mass Media

Media Statistics Chapter 8, Section Access to media varies from country to country.

The Role of Mass Media Medium is a means of communication Media is plural for medium Media is plural for medium TV, Newspaper, Internet, and magazines most prolific Through Mass Media, most people receive their information Through Mass Media, most people receive their informationTelevision Replaced newspaper as the principal source of political information for a majority of Americans in the early 1960’s Replaced newspaper as the principal source of political information for a majority of Americans in the early 1960’sNewspapers Once the strongest source of political information, however it’s influence has been diminished due to TV, radio and internet Once the strongest source of political information, however it’s influence has been diminished due to TV, radio and internet Most, if not all newspapers, have their publications on the internet

The Role of Mass Media (Con’t) Radio Still considered one of the top sources of information Still considered one of the top sources of information Generally lean Republican However, NPR leans Democratic Magazines Generally used by scholarly or educated individuals Generally used by scholarly or educated individuals

The Media and Politics Public Agenda The societal problems that political leaders and citizens agree need government attention The societal problems that political leaders and citizens agree need government attention Ultimately the Media help influence those matters of concern to public-policy makers Done by featuring certain items at different points Done by featuring certain items at different points Media help determine what people should think about Media help determine what people should think about Presidents currently receive a daily digest of the news reports and analysis

The Media and Politics (Con’t) Electoral Politics TV has lessoned the power of political party committees TV has lessoned the power of political party committees candidates can appeal directly to the population All about the “image” the candidate gives off All about the “image” the candidate gives off Extensive use of sounds bites Extensive use of sounds bites snappy reports that can be aired in seconds or so

Limits on Media Influence Only a small part of the population actually is “well informed” for elections Those who do pay attention, tend to only listen to reports from the political parties they tend to support Those who do pay attention, tend to only listen to reports from the political parties they tend to support TV tends to share very little information about news due to the short amount of time Left to report only what TV Editors deem most important Left to report only what TV Editors deem most important Overall, in depth information is tough to come by in just one of the mediums Requires effort to read and analyze the information in each medium Requires effort to read and analyze the information in each medium