Civil rights Which media is he focusing on? Little Rock, Arkansas: Elizabeth Eckford Impact on presidents (Eisenhower and later JFK) Coverage of Freedom Riders, lunch counter sit-ins

1960s – shift to watchdog journalism Sabato: LAPDOG JOURNALISM 1941-1966 (note earlier roots in partisan press of late 1700s/1800s) WATCHDOG (INVESTIGATIVE) JOURNALISM 1964-1974 (note earlier roots… in Progressive Era and before) JUNKYARD DOG JOURNALISM 1974 on

Mark Feldstein: cycles of investigative reporting Investigative/muckraking journalism/advocacy journalism = use of fact gathering to challenge political authority, oppose abuse of power (by gov’t, business, churches) - is CYCLICAL – waxes and wanes Investigative reporting/muckraking depends on supply and demand Muckraking was not common in the early 1800s or the heyday of the partisan press – if there were investigations, were limited to the opposition party from the one that controlled the newspaper

Causes for rise of investigative journalism during “heyday of muckraking” – 1902-1912) * Industrialization * Progressive ideals Decline of investigative journalism by 1920 – why? * Amelioration of problems * Decline of Progressives * World War I

RISE AGAIN OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM 1960’S (Similar to Sabato’s “watchdog journalism”) Due to Vietnam, Watergate Then decline again… ending of those controversial events, public loses interest in that kind of reporting (demand side) Feldstein: must consider supply of investigative reporting by media and “demand” by public

Patterson, Political Roles of the Journalist * Surveyed 1300 journalists in US, Britain, Germany, Sweden and Italy *Considered variation in 3 characteristics of journalists HOW PARTISAN? HOW OBJECTIVE? HOW CRITICAL?

Criticisms of American-style objective journalism What is wrong with “balance” in news reporting?