1. The Media 2 Roles and Effects

2. “Mega media”  Recently, media ownership has become increasingly concentrated  Emergence of huge media conglomerates  ABC part of Disney  CNN part of AOL-Time Warner  Is it healthy to have concentrated?

3. “Mega media”  Constriction of diversity?  Quality of content: adapting to marketplace- economic cutbacks  Becoming entertainment oriented  “soft” public affairs programming  Prime-time aimed at human interest  Public believes journalists are less professional and moral (Dan Rather) Dan Rather was fired from abc for misrepresenting Bush!

4. Media Roles:  Our media (unlike Britain) has become fairly objective (+)  The Signaler Role: (Gatekeeper) alerting the public to important developments as soon as possible  Done fairly well, but allows for agenda setting- influencing people’s minds and attitudes (Monica to crime)

5. Medias Roles:  The Common-Carrier Role: functioning as an open channel where political leaders can communicate with public  Importance- knowing to support cand.  Leaders battle for coverage: news conf, press releases, stage events  White House Press Office: “spin”  News becomes journalist-centered! “sound bites” from 45 to 10 seconds!

6. Discussion: Where has the sound bite gone and what has replaced it?

7. Media Roles:  The Watchdog Role: responsibility for protecting the public from incomp. And corrupt officials  Ready to expose  1 st Amend. Freedoms  Ex: Watergate, Iran-Contra, WMDs  Prefer “bad news” and partisan bias?

8. Media Roles:  Public Representive Role: spokesperson and advocate of the public, a mandate to represent  However, journalists are not as well suited as political leaders: not subject to accountability (vote), and representation requires POV.  They respond to opportunities, not political interests (i.e. OJ Simpson)  Underlying quest for profits

9. Media Coverage  All candidates feel the media is unfair and try to manipulate it.  Reagan was the master at this: controlling access, planning, staying on offensive  People have been critical of media’s exit polls  Legal restraints: slander, libel, FCC equal time provisions

10. Media Coverage  2000 election: pledging to review exit polls  Rise of investigative reporting  1974 Freedom of Info. Act & Sunshine laws (factors)  Matt Drudge-  “Drudge Report”

11. The Media and Politics  A linkage institution  The past: people-> parties-> govt.  Now: people-> media-> govt.  Contributes to higher cost of campaigning & more candidate centered  Parties don’t tell candidates what to say..  media consultants via polls & focus groups do!

12. Dangers!  “The Electronic Throne”  WH manipulation:  photo ops.  Sound bites  Spin control  Staged events Who’s really in control here?

13. Staged Events: Mission Accomplished

14. You stay classy, kids.