1. Chapter 6 Politics and the Media

2. Mass Media
Provides means of communicating with large number of people in short period of time.
Print - newspapers, magazines, books
Electronic - TV, radio, movies, music, internet
Been called the “5th Branch of Government”
Figure 8.1

3. Heritage of Media and Politics
Herr Gutenburg – 1450 Germany
Gazette of the U.S (Federalists) and National Gazette (Republicans)
Telegraph(1838)/Telephone(1879)
Radio(1900)
TV(1929)/Cable(1978)
Internet(1964)

4. Print versus Electronic
Print is more detailed with Op-Ed section
Primary source for other media outlets
TV - most trusted and used as source
73% audience
Broadcast is more concise and graphics driven - “sound bites”
Human interest versus issue specific
VCRs and channel surfers
Infotainment shows - 60 Minutes and 20/20
Talk radio - 16% audience
Predisposed and usually conservative
Limbaugh, O'Reilly and Franken
Internet – recent use of Blogs

5. American’s Primary News Source

6. News and Politics on the Net
% of population uses as source
Authorship and accuracy
Matt Drudge and tabloid/blog reporting
Push technology
Cheapest way to convey information
groups and parties and media
fund raising increasing
Most candidates have campaign and office web pages

7. Freedom of the Press Alien & Sedition Act - 1798
Unlike the broadcast media, the print media are essentially unregulated.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly rejected the notion of prior restraint (governmental attempts to stop publication of material it deems harmful).
But libel and slander are not protected by the First Amendment.

8. Regulation of the Broadcast Media
The print media in the United States are not controlled by the government.
The broadcast media are regulated by FCC (5 year licenses)
— equal time rule,
— right of rebuttal,
— fairness doctrine (no longer enforced).

9. Political Role of the Media
Provides information public needs but wont research – vehicle of communication
Media performs three roles
Provides information about candidates and political events (gatekeepers)
Spotlights issues they consider important
Performs watchdog/talent scout function
Public duties versus private life
Adversarial or Symbiotic Relationship?
More interdependent than antagonistic

10. The Rise of Adversarial Journalism
Growth in commercial advertising
“Yellow journalism”
The relationship between the media and government has become increasingly adversarial over the last forty years.
Vietnam and Watergate clearly demonstrate a change in the way the media covers government.
Monica, Whitewater, War in Iraq.
Believability – trust of the media

11. Tools of the Trade
The individuals or groups who are subjects of a news story can manipulate the coverage by determining how or when the story is told.
Leaks and Exclusives
Public Announcements
Press conference, background/info briefing
True issue research takes time and effort.

12. Factors Shaping the News
Exactly what is news worthy
Has to be relevant, exciting, familiar, timely
Timeliness, proximity and conflict most important
Values of Journalists
Liberals who vote democratic
Don’t trust politicians or government
Ideology or not covering “losers”
Journalist Creed
Independence
Objective
Impartiality

13. Journalists Editors versus reporters
Journalists can shape the news by changing the angle of the story selection of interviewees/witnesses, visual images, or the words used to tell the story.
Objective (fact) versus interpretive (opinion) reporting
Ideological bias
61% liberal 89% Voted for Clinton
9% conservative 7% Voted for Bush
50% Democrats 4% Republicans
Selection bias
Entertainment value
Sensationalism (positive versus negative articles)

14. Journalists Editors versus reporters
Journalists can shape the news by changing the angle of the story selection of interviewees/witnesses, visual images, or the words used to tell the story.
Objective (fact) versus interpretive (opinion) reporting
Ideological bias
61% liberal 89% Voted for Clinton
9% conservative 7% Voted for Bush
50% Democrats 4% Republicans
Selection bias
Entertainment value
Sensationalism (positive versus negative articles)

15. Positive To Negative Stories/Ads
11-4

16. The Media and Protests
Groups publicize issues through protests or demonstrations
Violent reaction of southern police to civil rights activists
Antiwar demonstrations in 1970s
Abortion rights demonstrations
Terrorism
More educated groups more successful (WTO demonstrations in Seattle in 1999)

17. Nationalization of the News - Centralized Programming
Associated Press Wire Service
As a result, Americans are receiving the same news from the same perspective.
The local perspective is disappearing.
Exceptions in small news enclaves.
Ethnic papers and radio stations
Conservative religious networks
Internet newsgroups and chat rooms

18. Organization and Ownership
Traditionally locally owned and operated
Telecommunications Act of 1996
deregulated broadcast ownership
allow local competition for phone service
Movement toward national ownership
ABC is owned by Disney, NBC by General Electric, CBS by Viacom, FOX by News Corp. and CNN by AOL Time Warner

19. The Sources of Media Power
Agenda setting: the power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues
Framing: the power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted
Episodic or specific human interest
Thematic or issue/policy specific
1994/95 budget cuts example
Importance of graphic visuals
Nielsen ratings

20. 21st Century News Media Cable versus Networks
Commentary versus Reporting
News (factual) versus Entertainment (argument and opinion)
The survey says the news is-
inaccurate 65% of time
unprofessional 32% of time
described as immoral 38% of time.

21. Public Trust of Media
11-6

22. Media Power and Democracy
The Free media are absolutely necessary for democracy.
Media provide source of political knowledge necessary for popular participation.
We depend on the media to serve as our watchdog.
Decline in party power cause increase in media influence.
Adversarial attitude produces cynicism and apathy in electorate.