The Mass Media and the Political Agenda
Introduction Mass Media: Old Media versus New media Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, social media , and other means of popular communication High-Tech Politics: Politics in which the behavior of citizens and policymakers and the political agenda itself are increasingly shaped by technology
The Mass Media Today Media Events: Image Making News Management Effective communication through media is key to political success. Media Events: Events purposely staged for the media that nonetheless look spontaneous. Image Making News Management
Where Americans Get News Back
Sources of Campaign News Back
The Impact of the Internet Wider range of information More biased? Less accurate? Potential to inform? Since Americans are generally disinterested in politics, they will not necessarily use the Internet for political information. (2% News) Blogs additional information / opinion
Only a small number of TV stations are publicly owned in America. Private Control of the Media Only a small number of TV stations are publicly owned in America. Media are totally dependent on advertising revenues. Chains: Account for over four-fifths of the nation’s daily newspaper circulation Also control broadcast media
Reporting the News Beats: specific locations from which news frequently emanates. Trial Balloons: an intentional news leak for the purpose of assessing the political reaction Reporters and their sources… depend on each other.
Presenting the News Superficial describes most news coverage today. Sound Bites: short video clips of approximately 10 seconds Major TV networks devote less time to covering political candidates
Do members of the media have a distinctive political attitude? Bias in the News 3 Questions… Do members of the media have a distinctive political attitude? Does that attitude affect what they write and say? Does what they write or say affect what citizens believe?
Partisan Bias Back
Conservative News Outlets Fox news Conservative blogs and internet sites Talk Radio
THE MEDIA DOES INFLUENCE THE POLICY AGENDA ROLES OF THE PRESS *GATEKEEPER DECIDING WHAT IS NEWS *SCOREKEEPER DECIDING WHO IS “WINNING” *WATCHDOG EXPOSING “SCANDLES”
Number of Newspapers
Circulation monthly decline
WHO READ THE NEWSPAPER YESTERDAY ?
WHO READ THE NEWSPAPER YESTERDAY?
News Generation Gap Back
Presidential Press Conferences Back