 News  Entertainment  Agenda setting ◦ Ability of the media to draw public attention to certain issues and to ignore other issues  Political forum ◦ Place to make announcements or advertise government

 Print media – newspaper, magazine, etc. ◦ Oldest, being steadily replaced  Electronic Media – radio, TV ◦ TV now is the primary source of news  Internet – instant information, any time ◦ Replacing print and electronic media ◦ Blogs ◦ 527’s – groups that independently raise money and campaign for and against people. Examples…

◦ Many people believe the news favors one point of view over another. ◦ Generally are not very biased along liberal / conservative lines. But some stations do show political bias. ◦ Generally are biased towards what will draw the largest audience.

 Television news can affect what people think is important.  The media influence the criteria by which the public evaluates political leaders.  Some policies can be made more important, others will be less important, depending on their coverage.

 Superficial describes most news coverage to  “Sound bites” – second long segments used to present the news of the day.  Stories/political messages are shortened, and made to seem less complex than reality day.

 Advertising – very expensive on TV, way to reach many voters, raising campaign costs  News coverage – “free” coverage, politicians will attempt to create events where media will attend for free publicity ◦ Spin doctor – one who tries to influence journalists with interpretations of events that are favorable to the candidate  Presidential Debates

1. Yellow Journalism 2. Muckrakers 3. Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt 4. White House Press Corp – journalists whose sole job is to follow the President 5. White House Press Secretary – responsible for addressing the press daily and answer questions for the president  Tony Snow and Dana Perino (Bush administration)  Robert Gibbs (Obama Administration)

WHO OWNS THE NEWS??? WHO OWNS INFORMATION? CBS News MTV VH1 BET Blockbuster Paramount Pictures Nickelodeon DreamWorks Showtime Rupert Murdoch owns 124 radio stations, New York Post, Weekly Standard, and FOX News

CBS News MTV VH1 BET Blockbuster Paramount Pictures Nickelodeon DreamWorks Showtime

Beats: Specific locations from which news frequently emanates, such as Congress or the White House. Trial Balloons: An intentional news leak for the purpose of assessing the political reaction. Reporters and their sources depend on each other – one for stories, the other to get them out

 1 st Amendment – Freedom of press ◦ New York Times Co. v. United States  Government can’t place “prior restraint” on news (can’t censor news before it is released)  Can sue for libel and obscenity.  The press enjoys a large amount of freedom from government intervention.  Equal-time rules…equal access, but not for debates.

Controls the media, no one may operate radio or TV stations without their license ◦ 7 years for radio ◦ 5 years for television ◦ Stations must serve “community needs” Who are they? – 5 members (no more than 3 from the same political party) nominated by US President for 5 years.

Fairness doctrine abolished; has permitted the rise of controversial talk show programs Telecommunications Act of 1996  Relaxed limitations on media ownership ◦ Own up to 35% of television market ◦ Own unlimited % of radio