1. Mass Media Media Conspiracy? Liberal Press?
Chapter 10
Mass Media
Media Conspiracy?
Liberal Press?

2. The Structure of the Media

3. 1. Newspapers
a. Number of daily newspapers has declined significantly
b. Number of cities with multiple papers has declined
c. 60 percent of cities had competing newspapers in 1990, now <40%

4. 2. Radio and Television
  a. Intensely competitive, becoming more so
b. Composed mostly of locally owned and managed enterprises, unlike Europe
c. Orientation to local market
  d. Limitations by FCC; widespread ownership created

5. 3. The National Media Consists of: a. Wire services
b. National magazines
c. Television networks
d. Newspapers with national readerships

6. 4. The Internet
a. Ultimate free market in political news
b. Voters and political activists talk to one another (Blogging)
c. Role of social Media

7. Role of the Media

8. 1. Gatekeeper: what is news, for how long
2. Scorekeeper: who is winning, losing
3. Watchdog: investigate personalities and expose scandals
Watergate (Woodward and Bernstein)

9. Rules Governing the Media

10. Newspapers vs. Electronic Media
Newspapers almost entirely free from government regulation
Radio and television are licensed and regulated
What about the Internet?
Communications Decency Act (1995)

11. B. Confidentiality of Sources
1. Reporters want right to keep sources confidential
Shield laws
2. Most states and federal government disagree
3. Supreme Court allows government to compel reporters to divulge information in court if it may influence outcome

12. C. Regulating broadcasting
FCC licensing
a. Seven years for radio
b. Five years for television
c. Stations must serve "community needs"
d. Public service, other aspects can be regulated

13. 2. Recent movement to deregulate
3. Radio broadcasting deregulated the most
Telecommunications Act of 1996 permits one company to own as many as eight stations in large markets (five in smaller ones) (SEE % in 2 slides)
b. Results:
Few large companies now own most of the big-market radio stations
Less variety in the media

14. The largest company is ClearChannel Network
Here in Detroit they own 1130 AM, 1310 AM, FM, 98.7 FM, 95.5 FM and FM
Another major network is
They own Channel 7 and Channel 50 here

15. 4. Other Radio and Television Regulations
a. Equal time rule
b. Right-of-Reply rule (President’s Sat. Add.)

16. The Effects of the Media on Politics

17. Studies on media influence on elections:
Generally inconclusive, because of citizens:
Selective attention
b. Mental tune-out
2. Products can be sold more easily than candidates
3. Newspaper endorsements of candidates

18. Government and the Media

19. Prominence of the president
-Press secretary today: large staff, many functions
B. Coverage of Congress
-Never equal to that of president; members resentful

20. Interpreting Political News

21. A. Are news stories slanted? Bias?
Why do we have so many news leaks?
C. Sensationalism in the media
D. Government constraints on journalists

22. E. Governmental tools to fight back
1. Numerous press officers
2. Press releases, canned news
3. Leaks and background stories to favorites
4. Bypass national press for local
5. Presidential rewards and punishments for reporters based on their stories

23. History of the Media

24. A. The party press
Parties created and subsidized various newspapers (these will be discussed)
2. Circulation was small, newspapers expensive, advertisers few
3. Newspapers circulated among political and commercial elites who would pay

25. B. The popular press
1. Changes in society and technology made the press self-supporting and able to reach mass readership
a. High-speed press
b. Telegraph
c. Associated Press, 1848; objective reporting
d. Urbanization allowed large numbers to support paper

26. 2. Influence of publishers, editors created partisan bias
a. "Yellow journalism" to attract readers
b. William Hearst foments war against Spain, as does Joseph Pulitzer in 1898
Pulitzer was editor of the New York World
Hearst was publisher of the New York Morning Journal

27. C. Magazines of Opinion
Middle class favors new, progressive periodicals
a. Nation, Atlantic, Harper's in 1850s and 1860s on behalf of certain issues
b. McClure's, Scribner's, Cosmopolitan later
were famous for investigative reporting

28. 2. Individual writers gain national followings through investigative reporting. These people were known as…..
Muckrakers
Ida Tarbell was one of the most famous
She went after John D. Rockefeller

29. 3. Number of competing newspapers declines, as does sensationalism
4. Today the number of national magazines focusing on politics accounts for a small and declining fraction of magazines
What’s replaced the print media?
THE INTERNET

30. Electronic Journalism

31. 1. Radio arrives in the 1920s, television in the 1940s
2. Politicians could address voters directly, but people could easily ignore them
3. Fewer politicians could be covered
a. President routinely covered
b. Others must use bold tactics to get attention

32. b. These new sources feature lengthy interviews
4. The Big Three networks have made it harder for candidates by shortening sound bites
a. But politicians have more sources: cable, early morning  news, news magazine shows
b. These new sources feature lengthy interviews

33. 5. Recent rise in the talk show as a political forum has increased politicians' access to electronic media
Bill O’Reilly
Rush Limbaugh
Tim Russert
Al Franken

34. Blogs
Wonkette Online roundup of gossip from Washington, D.C. and the U.S. political arena from Ana Marie Cox.
InstaPundit Commentary on politics, science, and culture by Glenn Reynolds.
Sullivan, Andrew Independent journalist provides a daily dish, and links to some of his more controversial pieces.
Talking Points Memo Political discussion by Joshua Micah Marshall.
Free Republic Gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the Web.
Democratic Underground Daily missives against George W. Bush.