The Media

What is Media? Media ▫Transmitting thoughts and ideas Mass ▫The impact on a large number of people

Organizational Structure of News Media Major Corporations own multiple stations ▫Viacom, Paramount, Turner Broadcasting ▫Can legally own more than 20 stations Newspapers ▫Gannett Corporation owns more than 82 newspapers Potential problems…. Homogenous reporting across multiple stations

Role of Print Media 1.Partisan 1.Report from 1 perspective 1.Harsh treatment of certain issues or individuals 2.Public 1.Cheap newspapers to literate population 2.Mass circulation 1.Watered down 2.Sensationalistic 3.Must appeal to many

3. Objective Appearance of reporting from all sides – can’t be done! ▫Include or exclude certain items ▫Emphasis or de-emphasis of issues ▫ positive or negative slant 4. Interpretive reporter to interpret and analyze what is said and done ▫Will advocate certain policy positions of either the establishment or its opponents

Government Control of Media Judicial ▫1 st Amendment  No prior restraint on publication but responsible for publication!  Restrictions more on T.V. ▫Right to information  Freedom of Information Act  Citizens have right to obtain information  Branzburg v. Hayes 1972  No special access for reporters to info not given to the public  Richmond Newspapers vs. Virginia 1987  Public access to trials and government bureaucracy

Executive ▫Appoint members to FCC ▫White House Press Corps

Legislative ▫$$ for PBS ▫Allocate broadcast frequencies ▫FCC 1934  Manage electronic communications  Assign broadcast frequencies  Protect public interest

State ▫Protect sources  Shield Laws – protect reporters sources

How does the Media interact with the Public? How are decisions made to pick news stories? ▫Impact ▫Natural or man made violence, disaster, scandal ▫Up to date stories ▫Local events

What is News? ▫Broadcast Media  What is news, What is entertainment?  Infotainment  Cheaper for late night news programs – 48 Hours  Tabloid News – Hard Copy, A Current Affair ▫Print Media  More depth and coverage but…  More sections of the Newspapers  Sports, comics, weather, Human Interest

What is the relationship between Media and politics???? Campaign Coverage ▫Strategy planning ▫Horse Racing Image – race as a competition ▫Hoopla Excitement – exciting events ▫Real Issues – substantive issues ▫Candidate character ▫Polling ▫Common man interviews ▫Current Political events – link candidates with events ▫Media Usage – report on other media’s coverage ▫Expert Commentary – political experts

Pack Journalism ▫Report politicians statements ▫Repeat other reporters statements Initiatives during 1992 campaign ▫Try to avoid manipulation by candidates and party’s  Fewer reports of pre-staged events ▫Bypass network news political media  MTV, interview shows

Media Bias Difficult to classify ▫Assume there is a 50/50 treatment Keys to selecting and reporting new stories ▫Access to info ▫Succinctness ▫newsworthiness

General Government News Reporting Major sources for political and economic news ▫National Government  Official events  Press conferences  Interviews  Staged events  Leaks ▫Foreign Governments ▫Pollsters

National Wire services ▫AP ▫UPI ▫Reuters Interest Groups

Influences on and of Congress C-Span ▫House of Representatives  Open floor debate  Nixon impeachments hearings ▫Senate  Open floor debate ** could be seen by over 150 million, but barley 21.6 tune in!! Problems – very slow, tedious, focus on leadership and on committees

Influences on and of the Executive Promote agenda Focus on politics not policy Concentrate on personality not issues May promote disinformation ▫May be used to influence future events

Influences on and of the Court VERY LITTLE!!!! No access to judges

Views on the Media Helps to form public opinion ▫Repeated coverage of an issue ▫Coverage or no coverage of candidates/stories ▫Time given to story ▫Story placement ▫Spinning ▫Source of information ▫Impact on public agenda ▫Withholding info

Why is impact of media declining? Family beliefs, church, community Small numbers read newspapers, watch broadcast news Select to watch programs that offer programs that support pre-existing beliefs Cannot understand rapid fire news broadcast Fear new technology

Why is media impact increasing? Decentralization of access to info and transmission lines with new technologies ▫New sources to get info ▫More control by individuals Development of new codes of ethics and definitions of civic responsibility

Ronald Reagan