Unit 3: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and the Mass Media Mr. Winchell AP GoPo

Mass Media Includes all forms and aspects of communication to the general public Linkage institution between the electorate and government institutions “The Fourth Estate”

Function of Mass Media Link the government and the electorate Communicate information and awareness to the public and government officials on issues, problems, situations in development of public policy Gatekeeper Agenda setting Framing Watchdog Fact-checking Investigative journalism Muckraking Whistleblowing Scorekeeper “Horse-race journalism”

Types of Media Print Media Broadcast Media Social Media Newspapers Magazines Broadcast Media Radio Television Cable/Satellite Social Media Internet Blogs Social Networks Forums

Print Media Early partisan press Penny press Yellow Journalism Muckraking 1898 Political Cartoon against The cartoon was published in the wake of the Spanish- American War, the cartoonist suggests that, having won the war, the government ought to attack yellow journalists at home.

Radio News FDR’s fireside chats Today 1930’s weekly address to the nation Today AM Talk—conservative dominance Sean Hannity Rush Limbaugh Liberals: National Public Radio Link to Web sites to play students an excerpt from the different talk radio programs.

Television News Network News Cable News: CBS NBC ABC FOX Cable News: C-SPAN CNBC and MSNBC Comedy News: SNL, the Daily Show, the Colbert Report Photo caption: What is C-SPAN? C-SPAN, shown here, is a public access channel that (through the main channel and its affiliates) provides gavel to gavel coverage of the House and Senate. It also airs a variety of other public affairs programming.

Today most Americans get their news from _____. Cable TV the Internet Radio Local TV Newspapers

Today most Americans get their news from _____. Cable TV the Internet Radio Local TV Newspapers 9

Where do Americans get their news?

Media and the Institutions Media and the President Media Events Press Secretary Media and Congress C-SPAN Committee hearings Media and the Supreme Court Only audio recordings of oral arguments and decisions Sources of Information News/press releases News briefings News conferences Leaks

Current News Media Trends Consolidation of privately-owned media Top 10 media chains account for more than 50% of daily circulation Concerns Market pressures Control of the flow of information Ex: Lebron using ESPN and ABC exclusively to announce decision Photo caption: How does media consolidation affect news coverage? When basketball star LeBron James announced he was, “Taking his talents to South Beach,” he created a boon for Disney, the parent company of television networks ABC and ESPN. He made his official announcement on ESPN, after much hype and promotion, and then he did the rounds on ABC’s news shows the next day. Critics charged that this insulated coverage prevented James from having to answer the hard questions about his departure from Cleveland. Differentiate between private ownership and government ownership of the media. Explain consolidation by explaining that the top ten media chains account for more than 50 percent of daily circulation, while fewer than 300 of the approximately 1,400 daily newspapers are independently owned. Use the photo or other examples to illustrate the concerns.

Mass Media Jargon Media event Sound byte Gaffe Loaded language Bureaucrat OR public servant On the record Off the record On background On deep background Trial balloon Leak/Kill a leak Pentagon Papers Watergate and Deep Throat Valerie Plame Wikileaks Edward Snowden

The Media and First Amendment Prior Restraint Government prohibited from censoring or refusing publication/broadcast Near v. Minnesota (1931) New York Times v. United States (1971) Pentagon Papers Libel Malicious printed material is not protected New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) Slander Malicious oral material is not protected Freedom of Information Act (1966) Citizens and media outlets may request public records Sunshine Laws Public policy must be developed in the public sphere No backroom secret negotiations

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Federal Communications Act of 1934 established FCC as independent regulatory agency on interstate communication Enforces technical, structural, and content regulations

Technical Regulation of Media Public owns the airwaves Anything transmitted over the airwaves is subject to regulation Radio and television broadcasters must obtain a license renewable every 5 years Subject to hearing if a group objects/complains Digital conversion Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 All over-the-air broadcasts must end analog transmissions and convert to digital

Structural Regulation Media Consolidation Before 1980s, media monopolies were strictly enforced and prohibited A corporation could not monopolize an entire market Telecommunications Act of 1996 Deregulated limitations on corporations Led to fewer but larger media conglomerates

Content Regulation Media and Political Campaigns Fairness Doctrine Mandated broadcast of opposing views on issues Abandoned by FCC in 1987 due to First Amendment concerns Equal Time Rule Media time must be equally granted, media costs must be equal, commercial ads must be the same during candidate air time Right of Rebuttal/Reply Candidates have the right to opportunity to respond to allegations made by an opposing candidate Miami Herald v. Tornillo (1974) “Liberal Bias (TV, Newspapers, Internet) vs. Conservative Bias (Talk Radio)”

Media Bias Corporate and Establishment Media Credibility Campaign contributions Credibility Sensationalism over objectivity “If it bleeds, it leads.” “Liberal Bias (TV, Newspapers, Internet) vs. Conservative Bias (Talk Radio)” Actual News Headlines vs. Fox News Headlines

Content Regulation Public Decency FCC Regulation and Penalties Scope of Regulation Public broadcasts Cable and satellite self-regulated Obscenity prohibited Indecency and Profanity prohibited* Safe Harbor – 10pm to 6am Seven Dirty Words Only enforced on over-the-air broadcasts; cable not subject 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show (“Nipplegate”)

Key Concepts of the Media Yellow Journalism Muckraking Chain Ownership The “Big” Three Editorializing “Off the Record” Bias Adversarial Press

Impact of the Media 1. persuade uncommitted voters 2. determine what is important by what they report 3. Majority of Americans believe there is a bias 4.Journalists cannot be punished for divulging classified information, only gov’t officials can

Party affiliation and citizens’ news sources