MASS MEDIA & POLITICS “A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both.” – James Madison

Mass Media Mass Media: – Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and other means of popular communication High-tech politics: – A politics in which the behavior of citizens and policymakers and the political agenda itself are increasingly shaped by technology

Soured Press News people work in an environment of cynicism; the press exposing the "truth" as their primary job – Watergate & Vietnam

Functions of Media Agenda setting – ability of the media to draw public attention to certain issues and to ignore other issues – Power of policy agenda in hands of media

Knowing is half the battle… Governments are often less candid with the governed Gatekeepers – process through which information is filtered Literal interpretation – intellectual watchdogs

Print V. Broadcast Print: newspapers and magazines – Newspaper competition has declined – Locally geared – Journalism: conveying news, descriptive material and opinion via a widening spectrum or media – Investigative – expose unethical, immoral, and illegal behavior Broadcast: TV, radio, Internet – Instant access to filtered information – Television: Network v. Cable owned by giant conglomerates – News Corp, Disney, Viacom, Fox, Time Warner

Sources New York Times Washington Post Time Newsweek Associated Press: stories are reprinted in small newspapers across the country – largest and oldest news organization in the world, serving as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video – AP operates as a not-for-profit cooperative with more than 4,000 employees working in more than 240 worldwide bureaus. AP is owned by its 1,500 U.S. daily newspaper members. They elect a board of directors that directs the cooperative

Sources CNN - Cable News Network Fox news MSNBC NPR - National Public Radio Nightly World News on networks (ABC, NBC, CBS) Daily Show & Colbert Report – People believe TV more than print news

Impact of the Media on Politics “sound bites” – second long segments – Out of context usually Stories/political messages are shortened, and made to seem less complex than reality

President v. Congress President has advantage – One guy – singular figure able to capture more attention than entity of Congress – Represents nation/more powerful/national leader Target specific audience w/ media choice Media events/photo ops – Reinforce verbal message and public image

Regulation Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – established by Communications Act of 1934 – Independent federal agency regulates interstate and international communication by radio, television, telephone, telegraph, cable and satellite

Role of the FCC Prevent monopolies Licensing authority - must serve the public interest impose fines or forfeitures for violations