Chapter 9 Media, Technology, and Government

IN 1961, THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION A vast change is underway in media formats, driven by rapid technological advancement. Media outlets continue to perform essential democratic functions, providing information, acting as ‘watchdogs’ to protect the public trust, and shaping what news is reported (agenda-setting) and how it is described (framing). Who performs those functions—once mainstream media outlets, now potentially anyone armed with a smartphone and Facebook page or Twitter account—is increasingly up for grabs.

U.S. Media Today: Traditional Formats Are Declining Thirty years ago, a few outlets—three networks, a weekly news magazine, and the local newspaper—delivered roughly the same news. Today, media outlets cater to every perspective—left, right, and center. Americans no longer share a single source of news. Previous waves of rising “new” media—newspapers, radio, and television— changed the nature of news reporting and altered political institutions like the presidency. Today all these now-traditional institutions are in serious decline. Newspapers and magazines, network and local television, and radio are all losing ground as the place Americans go for news. Internet sources, especially social media platforms, are taking their place—especially among young people. The new media raise a major question: Do the benefits—the ability of everyone to contribute to “the news” and increased transparency—outweigh the dangers of losing traditional reporting sources? And can new media invent revenue sources that enable funding of investigative and longform journalism?

Is the Media Biased? Both conservatives and liberals complain of media bias. However, the media generally reflects the politics of its audience—which is to the left of conservatives and to the right of liberals. The media’s deepest bias comes from its need to win ratings and appeal to advertisers. That puts an emphasis on drama, scandal, and conflict—exacerbating partisan political divisions. Media efforts to be balanced can introduce their own biases, such as “fairness.”

How Governments Shape the Media Democratic nations organize their media in three ways: government ownership, regulation, and markets. The United States has historically relied on the latter two models, regulation and markets. The First Amendment protects print media from most government regulation. Broadcast media in the United States was originally regulated by agencies like the FCC, which imposed the fairness doctrine—a reflection of a less partisan era. The FCC is still active, as the ‘Net Neutrality’ debate shows, but its control has fragmented. Deregulation, new technologies, and the rise of multiple media have created the spectrum of perspectives and views that mark American media today. At the same time, a handful of giant media companies now control much of the content we see and hear. This contributes to our partisan and conflicted politics.

Media Around the World Rapidly changing media outlets link citizens to their politics around the world. An open media is a vital key to making democracy work. The American model of media as private enterprise is spreading. However, most other democracies retain more government regulation than the United States. Authoritarian nations censor their news reporters. However, new media forms are challenging government control of the news, for better and for worse.

Understanding the Media in Context: War, Terrorism, and U.S. Elections Reporting on war and terrorism has long attracted more viewers than almost any other political story. Ethical questions about the nature of media coverage continue to reshape editors’ approach to these dramatic stories. Media coverage of campaigns reflects the general patterns of the contemporary media. It emphasizes drama, conflict, and the horse race narrative. Campaigns attempt either to influence the media or to bypass it and speak directly to supporters. These efforts in turn become part of the media coverage.