1. Ch. 7: The Media
“The News”

2. Name different ways that news is acquired.
Objectives:
Name different ways that news is acquired.
Explain how stories get chosen for the news.
Analyze different criticisms of the news media.

3. First amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

4. Are they doing what they say they are doing?
National Media Roles
Gatekeeper: what is news and for how long
Scorekeeper: primaries, credibility, polls
Watchdog: keep an eye on gov officials
Are they doing what they say they are doing?
--Murrow and Sen McCarthy
--Wash Post and Watergate
--NY Times Pentagon Papers
Provide analysis and hist. perspective

5. Mass Media Definitions
Chapter 7 pages
High-tech politics
Mass media
Media events
Press conferences
Investigative journalism
Print media
Broadcast media
Narrowcasting
Can you think of / find examples of each?

6. Mass Media Definitions
Chapter 7 pages
Mass media – means of popular communication
Press conferences – meetings of public officials with reporters
Print media vs. broadcast media
Investigative journalism: use of in-depth reporting to unearth scandals, scams, schemes
Narrowcasting: media programming (on cable/internet) that is focused on one topic and aimed at a particular audience.
E.g. MTV, ESPN
Can you think of / find examples of each?

7. Bias
prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
PARTISAN/IDEOLOGICAL BIAS:
involves media reports that are slanted in favor of a particular political party/ideology
STRUCTURAL BIAS:
stems from certain “structures” (customs, reporting routines, commercial pressures, etc.) that operate within the news industry
provide audience with an inaccurate, distorted view of the world around them
-- examples?

8. MEDIA BIAS? Media Bias: Surveys between 1971 and 2002:
Reporters were more likely to classify themselves as liberal than the general public (40% left to 25% right)
BUT…
Vast majority of social science studies have found that reporting is not systematically biased toward an ideology or party
- Most stories are presented in a point / counterpoint format
- Most journalists believe in journalistic objectivity

9. Mass Media Definitions
Sensationalism: the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy or substance, in order to provoke public interest or excitement ($$$)
“If it bleeds, it leads”
Can you think of / find examples of each?

10. Most POPULAR RIGHT NOW on cnn.com
Attacks force US to cut staff in Cuba and stop issuing visas
NBA Commissioner says he expects players to stand for the National Anthem
The powerful message the Air Force Academy wanted to send loud and clear
Aston Martin is making a $4M submarine
‘SNL’ star reveals mental health disorder
Killer clown case leads to arrest 27 years later
Woman dies from flesh-eating bacteria from Harvey-flooded home
Most POPULAR RIGHT NOW on cnn.com
September 29, 2017

11. Packers lock arms before Thursday Night Football
Missing baby / mother dispute: court appearance
Restrictions waived for Puerto Rico shipping
98,000 people evacuated in Bali
Schools aren’t prepared in the event of a nuclear attack on Hawaii
“22 days without a shooting in Avondale is phenomenal”
3tv 5:30 pm stories
September 28, 2017

12. The pursuit of… high ratings
If it bleeds, it leads!
The news media can give its audience a peculiar view of events and policymakers
News shows are often tailored to a fairly low level of audience sophistication
The Newsroom deconstructs Casey Anthony coverage:

13. How is news acquired?
Beats
Leaks
Trial Balloons

15. Finding the news
Beat – specific locations from which news frequently emanates, such as Congress or the White House

18. Finding the news Leak – A disclosure of confidential information
…can be unauthorized or deliberate*

20. Finding the news
*Trial balloons – an intentional news leak for the purpose of assessing the political reaction

21. Why so many leaks?
Decentralized gov’t has created many employees  many sources of info.
Congress and Executive may compete
Not illegal to print most gov’t secrets
Adversarial nature of press since Watergate (Nixon) and Iran-Contra(Reagan)
Natural distrust of gov’t is healthy (watchdog role)
Media is a business – pressure to get the story first or for reporters to become stars

22. What is covered, and why?
Sound bites
Talking heads
Media bias

24. Sound bites Sound bites: short video clips of ~ 10 seconds
Usually the only part of a politician’s speech shown on a news broadcast
Length of ‘bite’ has been declining for decades

26. Talking head
Talking head: a shot of a person’s face talking directly to a camera.
- Visually unappealing, so not shown for very long

27. Bias
prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
PARTISAN/IDEOLOGICAL BIAS:
involves media reports that are slanted in favor of a particular political party/ideology
STRUCTURAL BIAS:
stems from certain “structures” (customs, reporting routines, commercial pressures, etc.) that operate within the news industry
provide audience with an inaccurate, distorted view of the world around them
-- examples?

30. Media assignment

31. Propaganda
A technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors – the goal being to create a particular belief (true or false or in between)