The Media and interest groups

Media Today’s media include a wide variety of both print and electronic media. Newspapers, magazines, radio, television, internet, blogs, pod casting, text messaging are means of communication that have daily impact on our political system. Information is an essential factor in decision making. The media supply much information to both individuals and government. This creates an effective two-way channel of communication between individuals and government, and provides a forum for public discussion of current issues

The Fourth Estate The media are watchdogs in the political system. Investigative journalism is known for seeking and exposing misuse and abuse of political power. Think Watergate, here. Use of media has in many ways replaced human contact especially as news can be found on social media like Twitter and Snapchat. Politicians employ press agents or press secretaries to create and maintain a positive media image during campaigning and throughout their term of office. Press conferences and “photo opportunities” are carefully stage managed to show politicians at their best.

Enshrined in the Charter

Donald Trump’s War on the Press Melissa McCarthy vs Sean Spicer https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Dvo6EHEJQE?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&start=10&wmode=transparent Spicer’s response http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-sean-spicer-responds-to-melissa-1486414431-htmlstory.html Trump has banned prominent media outlets https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/24/media-blocked-white-house-briefing-sean-spicer Bush 43 says press not the enemy http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/george-bush-interview-trump-1.4002219

Page 4 Emphasis on image rather than issues is a concern Many question whether the participation of the media in political processes ensures good leadership or leaders that “look good”. The impact of technology is of increasing importance. Its coverage of events is immediate and visual, network decisions must always reflect this factor. Think live streams…

Criticisms?

Criticisms?

Are Journalists Ethical? Canadian Association of Journalists has a series of ethical guidelines: http://caj.ca/content.php?page=ethics-guidelines  Are they enforceable? CBC Ombudsman responds to claims of ethics violations at this crown corporation http://www.ombudsman.cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/complaint-reviews/

CBC Got Its Hands On An Interesting Document Here the CBC got classified documents that affect national security… http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/classified-military-operation-noble-eagle-1.4004551 Is their treatment ethical?

Fake News Recently a major theme of the US Presidential Election The Globe and Mail has a handy guide on it… http://www.theglobeandmail.com/community/digital-lab/fake-news-quiz/article33821986/

Fake News

Interest groups Political parties are not the only form of organized political behavior in democracies. Interest groups or pressure groups bring together individuals who are seeking to influence political decision making on specific public issues. Interest Groups in Canada Legally organized interest groups have the right to petition and influence government. They operate at both levels of government with considerable effect

Interest groups represent a wide variety of interests such as business, labor, professionals, consumers, women, religious groups, and the environment. The process used by interest groups in their attempt to influence government is called lobbying. The term comes from Great Britain; people used to prow the lobby of the Parliament in search of MP’s whose support they sought.

To be effective, interest groups must exert their influence at critical points in the decision-making process. Interest groups seek to influence both the law-making and policy-making process. This means focusing on the policy makers - the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the senior civil service.

Interest groups now employ full-time professional lobbyists. Each lobbyist maintains a network of informal contacts with the cabinet and the senior civil service. Formal contact provide and effective link between interest groups and government. Interest groups seek positions on government advisory committees. Frequently, the government wants and needs advice, technical information, and cooperation from strong interest groups, Some of these interest groups present annual briefings to government

Interest groups also seek public support Interest groups also seek public support. They use publicity, advertising, demonstrations, and influential people to increase public awareness and public support of their interests. The political power of an interest groups increases with growing size, permanence, and financial backing. These factors, combined, with strong leadership and the appeal of an important public issue, allow some interest groups to exercise enormous influence on government.

Lobbying in Canada MacLeans compiled a report on top contact between lobbyists and govt in 2012 http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/in-the-lobby/ A list of lobby groups active in Canada in the past 12 months https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/clntOrgCrpLstg?pfx=A&showAll=false

Lobbying in the US

The Atlantic’s Take on US Lobbying https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/04/how-corporate-lobbyists-conquered-american-democracy/390822/ “Something is out of balance in Washington. Corporations now spend about $2.6 billion a year on reported lobbying expenditures—more than the $2 billion we spend to fund the House ($1.18 billion) and Senate ($860 million). It’s a gap that has been widening since corporate lobbying began to regularly exceed the combined House-Senate budget in the early 2000s.”

Investopedia Begs to Differ http://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/043015/why-lobbying-legal-and-important-us.asp “Lobbying is an integral part of a modern participatory government, and is legally protected. In the U.S., the right to lobby is protected by both the 1st Amendment and the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, and additionally by the inherent need for participation in our democratic environment.”