Influence of the Media on Public Opinion and Political Campaigns

Mass Media Which position do you take? Why? Media is sometimes referred to as the 4th branch of the government because its role is to serve as the watchdog…watching over those who we elect to oversee our national and local governments on behalf of those they serve, the citizens.   However, some people believe that not all media is objective and, in some cases, show bias in reporting by either not covering something it doesn’t want the public to know or covering something in perhaps much greater detail than might be necessary. Which position do you take? Why?

Basic Vocabulary Media Events - events that are staged by a political candidate primarily for the purpose of being covered—are often scripted and limited in what they will report. Sound Bites - 30 second sound clips used on TV to convey the message of an entire speech. Horse-Race Coverage – focus is on polling data and public perception rather than candidate policies. Advertising – Candidates rely heavily on media advertising in order to persuade the public for their vote. The amount of money spend on advertising in the 2012 presidential election exceeded $7,000,000,000 which was a record.

Mass Media -Media is a KEY LINKAGE INSTITUTION between the people and policymakers Brings political information to the public on a daily basis -Television, radio, magazines, books, Internet, etc. Media has a profound effect on public policy because most people rely on the information from the media to make their choices in an election So, if the media chooses not to cover something, then most people will never get that information

Sources of media Print media -Newspapers -Magazines Broadcast Media -Television -Radio (Public Broadcast System & Talk Radio) Internet (New Media) -Blogs & Podcasts -Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)

Answer the following questions using the graph above Source: Taras Bugir, “Technology Creates Media Businesses”, https://tbugir.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/technology-creates-media-businesses/ Answer the following questions using the graph above What media source was popular during the founding of the U.S.? What media sources are the most popular today? Why do you think print media is in demise?

Role of a Free Press in a Democracy The cornerstone of our democracy is the unique privilege and responsibility of every citizen to be engaged through voting, public offices, representation in Congress and myriad other ways. For a society to be responsible and powerful, it must be informed. Our free press, protected by the first constitutional amendment, plays a critical role in ensuring that every American has constant access to important and trustworthy news. The press serves as the public’s independent watchdog, charged with keeping governments, businesses and other organizations in check.

Role of a Free Press in a Democracy Three essential roles: 1. Serves as a “watchdog” over government 2. Sets the public agenda 3. Supports the free exchange of ideas, information, and opinions

Watchdog Function - Watches the government and makes sure that the government is serving the public’s interest and conveys their findings back to the people

Sets the public agenda Most people rely on the media for all or most of their information regarding politics Whatever the media chooses to talk about is the information that people receive (Agenda Setting) If the media chooses not to talk about it, then people are generally uninformed about the issue (Agenda Cutting) If people are uninformed about the issue then it will not be a priority in the legislative arena

Supports Free Exchange Of Ideas & Opinions Freedom of the press is essential in a democracy in order to share ideas about how the government should operate and what agenda the government should pursue. “A press that is free to investigate and criticize the government is absolutely essential in a nation that practices self-government and is therefore dependent on an educated and enlightened citizenry.” –Thomas Jefferson

Role of a Free Press in a Democracy However, we know that news organizations and the government itself comprise only a piece of the equation. To have a strong democracy and educated citizenry, it is up to you to take advantage of your opportunities to be engaged. It is up to you to stay informed by reading newspapers, visiting their websites or accessing their news apps, and up to you to show up at the polls.

Politicians Influence the Media Staging -Press invited (i.e. press conference) -Allows the candidate to control what is said Spinning -Granting interviews either “on-the-record” or “off-the-record” -Allows candidate to persuade the public to perceive the issue in a certain way which helps the candidate Leaking -An unofficial release of confidential information to the media. (Why? Expose corruption, stir up support, spin the way an event is covered or gain favor with reporters)

Media Bias Many Americans believe the media has a conservative or liberal bias -Nevertheless, most professional journalists strive to be fair and unbiased in their reporting Media bias may be . . . -a reflection of how news organizations work as a business -make choices (impact, conflict, novelty and familiarity) about stories to cover to attract and hold viewers

Understanding the Mass Media -Rise of “information society” has not brought about an “informed society” as media is superficial about important policy issues. John Stewart on CNN Crossfire End Video at 6:04

Class Discussion: Do you agree with John Stewart that the media is not doing their job, or do you believe that the media is doing a good job of informing the public about political events that affect them. Why do you feel this way? What are the benefits and drawbacks to the increasing influence of mass media?

References Information Provided By: George C. Edwards, Robert L. Lineberry, & Martin P. Wattenberg. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy. New York: Longman, 2014. Images Provided By: www.helpfreetheearth.com https://behind2ndlook.wordpress.com/ https://tbugir.wordpress.com http://www.zapiro.com http://mediatenor.co.za/ John Stewart Video: https://www.youtube.com/