1. Public Opinion and the Media

2. What is public opinion?
The sum of many individual opinions about a public person or issue

3. Reality:
Public opinion is seldom a single view held by all Americans. It is more often a range of views held by many different “publics.”

4. How is public opinion shaped?
By:
Special interest groups
Mass media
Opinion makers (like the Colbert Report)
Politicians

5. Impact of Mass Media on Public Opinion
Our opinions are shaped by the information we receive and never before in human history has so much information been made available.

6. Where Do Americans Get Their News?
Print media (newspapers and magazines)
Broadcast media (radio and television)
Electronic media (computers, cell phones, ipads, etc. all connected to the internet)

7. Role of a Free Press in a Democracy
Serve As: “Watch dog”
To expose government corruption and the misuse of power.

8. Agenda Setting Power
Too much happens for the press to report on everything. News editors and producers choose what to cover and what to leave out. As a result, their decisions help determine what issues get placed on the public agenda.

9. Media as Marketplace of Ideas and Opinions
Air waves are filled with opinion journalism. People may often just hear the host’s political view point instead of objective information, but these forums provide for a free exchange of ideas.

10. How do politicians influence the media?
Staging
Spinning
Leaking

11. Staging Hold an event and invite the press to attend.
A presidential press conferences are examples of staged events.

12. Spinning Politicians:
Try to convince reporters and the public that their view of events is the correct one.
Use colorful sound bites - reduce main points to a few words
Use off the record conversations to test public reaction

13. The Leak
The unofficial release of confidential information to the media. May be used to expose wrongdoing or stir up support for/against a proposal.

14. Are the Media Biased?
Most news media outlets are businesses. They need to attract readers, listeners or viewers to survive. Choices about what stories to cover is based on what will attract and hold an audience.

15. Factors In Choosing What Stories to Cover
Will the story touch people emotionally in some way?
Does the story involve conflict: a crime, a fight, a scandal or a disaster?
Is the story about a “hot topic” or breaking news event?
Does the story involve people that are known and found interesting?

16. Media Influence in Political Campaigns
Politicians depend on both the free and paid media to reach voters during campaigns. Today, image seems as important as issues in both campaign advertising and media coverage of candidates.