1. Soc. 118 Media, Culture & Society
Chapter Seven:
Media Influence and the
Political World

2. OVERVIEW The Influence of Media on Politics
Media and Political Elites
The Decline of Political Parties
Politics as Spectator Sport
The Politics of Image
Style Over Substance
Video Presentation: “Wag the Dog”
Media and Individual Citizens
Media Effects Theories
Media and Society
Social Movements
“New Media” and the News
Politics and Entertainment Media

3. Influence of Media on Politics
Media shapes political process
Social level
Politicians, election campaigns, polls
Individual level
Public opinion, voting behavior, citizenship
Dramatic change due to media
60th anniversary of TV ( )
1950's: McCarthy trials
1960's: Social movements, Vietnam War
1970's: Watergate
1980's: Reagan era politics
1990's: Gulf War and Clinton era scandals
2000’s: Rise of the Internet

4. The Media and Political Elites
Most profound and direct influence
Takes place among elites and insiders
Politicians, lobbyists, campaign managers, financial contributors, pundits
Other levels of influence
Politicians use the power of the media
Framing both image and issues
Influence on elections
Impact on how government is run
What does this mean for democratic system?
What effect does it have on those who are in power?
What effect does it have on individual citizens?

5. Media and Political Elites
Decline of Mediating Institutions
Clubs, schools, churches used to mobilize voters
Decline of Political Parties
Less grassroots organizing
Less party allegiance
Candidate’s personality is of greatest importance
Politics as a Spectator Sport
“Horse race” coverage of elections
Electability rather than issues
Polls
Signaling how to vote
Pundits
Interpreting the news
Public service announcements
“Rock the Vote, ” “Choose or Lose”
The Media and Political Campaigns
Two primary goals
Fundraising
Media exposure
Those who spend the most tend to win
By 90% in House
By 80% in Senate
Cost of winning seat in Senate
2006: Average $9.6 million

6. The Politics of Image: Style Over Substance
The importance of appearance
“Telegenic” candidates
Nixon/Kennedy debates
First to be televised in 1960
TV audiences judged winner by appearance (Kennedy)
Radio audiences judged by performance (Nixon)
Next debates not televised until 1976
Video clip of debates
Campaign coverage
Focus on stories, personalities, pre-planned events
Less likely to explain background and issues
Examples:
Presidential candidates
People get more information from ads than from news coverage
Video clips

7. The Politics of Image Postmodern theory on media and politics
Media Handlers
Advance teams
Pre-planned events
Scripted, staged, choreographed
“Photo ops”
“Spin Doctors”
Sound bytes
Talking points
Rise of the celebrity politicians
Ronald Reagan
“The Great Communicator”
Others:
Bill Bradley, John Glenn, Sonny Bono, Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Postmodern theory on media and politics
Importance of images signals a new kind of reality
“The image has come to replace the real”
“Simulacrum”
Growth in the manipulation of images
Gulf War coverage
Example: “Wag the Dog”

8. Video Presentation:

9. Media and Individual Citizens: Theories on the effects of media
Minimal Effects Model
Reinforcement Theory
Media reinforces, rather than changes, existing belief
Two-Step Flow of Influence
Opinion leaders (often celebrities)
Transmit information
Potential to influence
Agenda Setting
Directs attention toward certain issues
Telling people what to think about
“Gatekeepers”
Hypodermic (Silver Bullet) Model
Earliest theory
Direct and powerful influence
Example: “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast
Mass Society Theory
Post WWII
Increasing isolation and alienation
Media’s role in uniting and homogenizing population
Concern over propaganda