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Chapter Menu Chapter Introduction Section 1:Section 1:Forming Public Opinion Section 2:Section 2:The Mass Media Section 3:Section 3:Interest Groups Visual Summary

Chapter Intro 1 In America, different groups of people hold many different viewpoints. Some groups form to try to persuade government officials to support their views. These groups are exercising the important rights of freedom of speech and assembly.

Chapter Intro 2 Section 1: Forming Public Opinion A democratic society requires the active participation of its citizens. Individuals, interest groups, the mass media, and government officials all play a role in shaping public opinion.

Chapter Intro 2 Section 2: The Mass Media In a democratic society, various forces shape people’s ideas. The media have a profound influence on the ideas and behavior of the American people and their government.

Chapter Intro 2 Section 3: Interest Groups Political and economic institutions evolve to help individuals and groups accomplish their goals. Interest groups, a powerful force in our democracy, use various techniques to influence public opinion and policy.

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Section 1-Main Idea Guide to Reading Big Idea A democratic society requires active participation of its citizens.

Section 1-Key Terms Guide to Reading Content Vocabulary public opinion mass media interest group public opinion pollpublic opinion poll pollster Academic Vocabulary uniform gender survey

A.A B.B Section 1-Polling Question Do you agree that politicians should ignore public opinion and do what they believe is best for the country? A.Agree B.Disagree

Section 1 Public Opinion Public opinion, the ideas and attitudes most people hold, plays a vital role in our democracy.

Section 1 Public Opinion (cont.) Public opinion refers to ideas and attitudes people hold about a particular issue or person.Public opinion Public opinion is of political importance.

Section 1 Sources of public opinion: –Personal background (age, gender, income, race, religion, occupation, place of residence) –Mass mediaMass media –Public officials –Interest groupsInterest groups Public Opinion (cont.)

Section 1 Three features of public opinion: –Direction –Intensity –Stability Public Opinion (cont.)

A.A B.B C.C D.D Section 1 The mass media A.have little influence on the public’s understanding of important issues. B.distort the public’s understanding of important issues. C.help the public to understand important issues. D.have a significant impact on the public’s understanding of important issues.

Section 1 Measuring Public Opinion The most common way of measuring public opinion is with public opinion polls.

Section 1 Measuring Public Opinion (cont.) Public opinion polls measure public opinion.Public opinion polls Pollster is a specialist who measures the president’s popularity or towards possible proposalsPollster Pre-Election Approval Ratings, 1955–2003

Section 1 Sampling public opinion: –People in sample are selected at random –Well-constructed sample reflects the entire population –Wording questions to find people’s true opinions –Push polls worded to influence responses Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)

Section 1 Arguments for and against polling: –Allows officeholders to keep in touch with citizens’ ideas –Makes officials more concerned with public opinion than leadership and decision-making –Affect elections and voter turnout Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)

A.A B.B Section 1 Do you think pollsters hired by elected officials should use push polls? A.Yes B.No

Section 1-End

Section 2-Main Idea Guide to Reading Big Idea In a democratic society, various forces shape people’s ideas.

Section 2-Key Terms Guide to Reading Content Vocabulary print media electronic mediaelectronic media public agenda leak prior restraint libel malice

Section 2-Key Terms Guide to Reading Academic Vocabulary acknowledge benefit regulatory

A.A B.B Section 2-Polling Question Do you think that the media’s need to make a profit causes the media to misrepresent some issues? A.Yes B.No

Section 2 The Media’s Impact The nation’s media are an important influence on politics and government and also help set the public agenda.

Section 2 The Media’s Impact (cont.) The mass media influences politics and government, and connects the people and elected officials. America’s Use of Mass Media

Section 2 The Media’s Impact (cont.) Newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and books as examples of print mediaprint media Radio, television, and the Internet as examples of electronic mediaelectronic media Influence of profit on news coverage America’s Use of Mass Media

Section 2 Influence of the media on: –The public agendapublic agenda –Political candidates The Media’s Impact (cont.) America’s Use of Mass Media

Section 2 Relationship between politicians and journalists Purpose of government leaks to the medialeaks Watchdog role of the mass media Conflicts between national security and citizens’ need for information The Media’s Impact (cont.) America’s Use of Mass Media

A.A B.B C.C D.D Section 2 Government leaks A.allow officials to test public reactions to specific policies. B.are sometimes intended to damage a competitor’s reputation. C.can be of great benefit to journalists. D.All the above

Section 2 Media Safeguards Freedom of the press is protected by the U.S. Constitution, although some regulation is permitted.

Section 2 Media Safeguards (cont.) The government protects the ability of the mass media to operate freely. The First Amendment and freedom of the press Freedom from prior restraintprior restraint Libel and limits to freedom of the pressLibel Supreme Court ruled that public officials must prove actual malice, or evil intent, by publishermalice

Section 2 The media’s right to keep sources secret The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a regulatory commission of the federal bureaucracy Media Safeguards (cont.)

Section 2 Do you think the FCC should have increased powers to censor the content of television broadcasts? A.Yes B.No A.A B.B

Section 2-End

Section 3-Main Idea Guide to Reading Big Idea Political and economic institutions evolve to help individuals and groups accomplish their goals.

Section 3-Key Terms Guide to Reading Content Vocabulary public interest grouppublic interest group nonpartisan political action committee (PAC)political action committee (PAC) lobbyist Academic Vocabulary primary guarantee

A.A B.B Section 3-Polling Question Do you agree that groups with greater financial resources can exercise more influence over public policy than groups with fewer financial resources? A.Agree B.Disagree

Section 3 Types of Interest Groups Interest groups are an important part of our democratic process because they influence public policy.

Section 3 Types of Interest Groups (cont.) Interest groups are organizations of people who unite to promote their ideas.

Section 3 Economic interest groups: –U.S. Chamber of Commerce promoting free enterprise –Tobacco Institute representing cigarette manufacturers –AFL-CIO representing workers –The American Medical Association representing doctors Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

Section 3 Other interest groups: –NAACP improving the lives of African Americans –NOW representing women’s interests –AARP promoting interests of older Americans –Sierra Club protecting nature –NRA looking after interests of gun owners Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

Section 3 Public interest groups working to benefit Americans in generalPublic interest groups −League of Women Voters is an example of a nonpartisan, or impartial groupnonpartisan Types of Interest Groups (cont.) Interests groups supporting candidates and forming political action committeespolitical action committees Interest groups bringing cases to court

Section 3 Interest groups influencing lawmakers by using lobbyists who:lobbyists –have a good understanding of how the government functions. –know which government department to contact about concerns. –supply lawmakers with useful information that help their own cases. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

Section 3 –suggest solutions and problems to lawmakers. –prepare their own drafts of bills for lawmakers. –testify in legislative hearings on bills. –see that laws are enforced. Types of Interest Groups (cont.)

Section 3 Do you think that interest groups have too much influence in determining the laws and policies of the United States? A.Yes B.No A.A B.B

Section 3 Techniques Interest Groups Use Interest groups use various techniques to influence public opinion and policy.

Section 3 Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.) Interest groups use a variety of techniques to influence public opinion and policy: –Direct mail –Advertising –Organize public events and protests –Propaganda Propaganda Techniques

Section 3 Regulating interest groups: –Limits on PAC contributions –Registration and disclosure requirements for lobbyists –Waiting period before former government officials can become lobbyists Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)

Section 3 Controversy surrounding interest groups and lobbying Techniques Interest Groups Use (cont.)

Section 3 Do you agree that the practice of lobbying can easily lead to corruption and should therefore be outlawed? A.Agree B.Disagree A.A B.B

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DFS Trans 2 Voters strongly disagreed about whether to elect Kerry or reelect Bush

DFS Trans 3 The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Vocab1 public opinion the ideas and attitudes that most people hold about elected officials, candidates, government, and political issues

Vocab2 mass media a mechanism of mass communication, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, recordings, movies, and books

Vocab3 interest group a group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs

Vocab4 public opinion poll a survey in which individuals are asked to answer questions about a particular issue or person

Vocab5 pollster a specialist whose job is to conduct polls regularly

Vocab6 uniform consistent or unvarying

Vocab7 gender a notion of the sex of a person

Vocab8 survey to determine the size, shape, and position of; to gather information about, as in a poll

Vocab9 print media newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and books

Vocab10 electronic media radio, television, and the Internet

Vocab11 public agenda issues considered most significant by government officials

Vocab12 leak the release of secret government information by anonymous government officials to the media

Vocab13 prior restraint government censorship of material before it is published

Vocab14 libel written untruths that are harmful to someone’s reputation

Vocab15 malice evil intent

Vocab16 acknowledge to recognize the existence of or to make something known

Vocab17 benefit to be useful or profitable to

Vocab18 regulatory used to describe an agency or body whose function is to control or govern

Vocab19 public interest group an organization that supports causes that affect the lives of Americans in general

Vocab20 nonpartisan free from party ties or bias

Vocab21 political action committee (PAC) political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special-interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money

Vocab22 lobbyist representative of an interest group who contacts lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making

Vocab23 primary first in time or importance

Vocab24 guarantee to promise or give security

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