NEWSPAPERS First daily newspaper: Philadelphia 1783 Very bias Telegraph invented “wire service” Associated Press (1849) Yellow Journalism Early 1900s-Newspaper Chains Today-78% controlled by media conglomerates Most influential New York Times Washington Post Chicago Tribune Los Angeles Times
RADIO Invented in 1903 1920-broadcast election results Franklin Roosevelt-first president to use this media effectively Fireside Chats Two weekly press conferences Today’s impact Talk radio
TELEVISION First television station-1931 First televised Presidential Debate-1960 First televised war-Vietnam Exposed government wrongs Protest movement Cable TV CNN-24 hour news coverage More people rely on TV for news than any other source Half of Americans believe TV reports more believable than newspaper stories
MASS MEDIA & THE POLITICAL AGENDA
MAGAZINES Began in early 1900s Muckrakers-Progressive Movement Today-little political content Most popular Times, Newsweek, US News Educated Elite New Republic National Review
INTERNET Broader range of perspectives All policymaking institutions, policy makers, interest groups, other news mediums have websites 2/3rd of Americans have access Important fundraising tool
GOVERNMENT LICENSED MEDIA Federal Communications Commission 1934 Performance standards Operating license renewed every 8 years Equal Time Provision Broadcasters must give equal air time to each candidate Charge same rates
REPORTING THE NEWS American Business Finding news Profits shape how journalists define what is newsworthy, where they get news, and how to present it Especially true of 24 hour news networks Finding news Well-established sources Leak information for reaction Public officials Investigative journalism
PRESENTING THE NEWS Network News Limited time and space Sound bites News programs Nightline Dateline 60 minutes 20/20
BIAS IN THE NEWS Liberal bias Political neutrality Reporters more likely to call themselves liberal “point/counterpoint” reporting Political neutrality Journalistic objectivity Rewarded by editors and viewers Financial stake
MEDIA AND PUBLIC OPINION Difficult to study Decision to cover or ignore issues Focus attention on specific problems Gives criteria to evaluate political leaders
MEDIA AND PUBLIC AGENDA All groups depend on media for airtime Political activists Weapons Press release, press conferences, personal contacts leaks Political art form Political events Visual stories Public Relation Firms
4TH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT Key linkage institution “Watchdog” function Biased against all office holders Reformist Encourage growth of government Individualism Candidates appeal to people directly through TV President more visible than other branches of government Supreme Court is least visible