1. Unused Clips
Tom Emmer's Controversial Ad (Violation of FECA; Watchdog)
Cronkite Talks about Vietnam (Media in the past-most trusted man in news)

2. “Can’t Live With Them, Can’t Live Without Them”
Media
“Can’t Live With Them, Can’t Live Without Them”

3. Malcolm X on the Media
“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” To what extent do you agree with Malcolm X’s statement?
How does media exhibit power in politics?

4. Media and the Construction of Public Opinion
Roles of the Media
Linkage Institution
Basic job of the media: inform citizens of government activities
Connect views of people to government…how?
Gatekeeper
Role of the media in influencing what subjects become national policy issues/storylines by controlling what’s reported
As gatekeeper, media is able to focus people’s attention on specific issues
Thru this role, the media helps set policy agenda
Issues that attract serious attention of public officials and others actively involved in politics
Examples of Media shaping policy agenda?
Plays major role in shaping public opinion
Polls, interviewing government officials, interviewing citizens, covering protests/opposition
Media and the Construction of Public Opinion

5. Roles of the Media Scorekeeper Watchdog
Track who is ahead in elections
Criticisms: Media tends to focus on the horserace aspects
Focus on the contest, sound bites, crowds at candidate rallies, NOT the issue/policy positions
Bandwagon effects
Watchdog
Closely scrutinize candidates backgrounds, activities they partake in; try to expose corruption and government scandals
Investigative journalism: dig deep to uncover scandal/corruption in administration (Woodward & Watergate) 
Classic Media Speculation: John King
John Oliver: Prisons
John Oliver: The Wall
Daily Show: Petty in Print

6. Illegal Immigration
Did you know, since 2007, the number of illegal Mexican immigrants leaving the America has actually exceeded the number entering the U.S.
Since President Obama has been in office, there has been a net decrease of 1 million illegal Mexican immigrants in the U.S.
There are an estimated 11.4 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
Should individuals who were brought to the U.S. illegally, as children, or who are the parents of American citizens, be allowed to stay and apply for legal residency/work visa in the U.S. if:
They’ve lived in the U.S. for more than 5 years and can show proof
They Register with the government
They don’t have any criminal background
They pay the government any back taxes they owe as well as a fine, and
They have to reapply for residency/work visa every 3 years
Some Democrats in Congress have proposed that some of these individuals who qualify could apply for citizenship, but would enter the back of the line. In the meantime, they could reapply for legal residency every 3 years as long as they meet the requirements above.

7. News Media In The Past Print Media 1960 Presidential Debate
TV transforms politics
Do you think people have the same trust in the media today as they did with Cronkite? Why not?
FDR & Fireside Chats

8. News Media: 1960s Walter Cronkite: Most trusted man in America
More complete coverage
Less editorializing
In 1960s news coverage of executive branch changes with TV, Vietnam, & Watergate
More critical of Executive Branch
Growing distrust of government

9. News Media Today
Private Control of Media by 5 Media Conglomerates in the U.S.
Time Warner
Comcast
News Corp
Vivendi Universal
Walt Disney
Profit Driven
Sensationalism: Why less focus on policy?
Impact on Politics
Less Competition
Fewer Perspectives
Narrowcasting
Polarization
Making Money—Sensationalism; Bias;
Lots of papers and channels owned by chains so less competition and diversity of opinion.

10. News Media Today How has media and the news changed today?
Sources Changing:
↑Internet/Social Networks
↓print newspaper
What stories are reported, why?
Sensationalism—Retreat from the Issues…why?
Money making endeavor
Superficial Coverage
“Entertainment”
Sound-Bite Journalism
Sound-bites getting shorter and shorter
Less accurate?/Less complete initial reports?
Sensationalism Montage
Narrowcasting; All private conglomerates—Time Warner, Viacom, News Corp, Vivendi Universal, Walt Disney…those 5 companies control 90% of the tv media we are exposed to every day.
Daily Show Looks at Media Coverage--Wrongnado
Daily Show Looks at Media Coverage Pt. 2
Common at the White House
Daily Show Looks at Media Coverage Pt. 3

11. News Media Today Bias in the Media Source of Bias:
Bias against each other b/c of competition.
Personal bias for or against things by anchors/reporters
Partisan bias
Loaded Language
Source of Bias:
Narrowcasting:
Audience Appeal: Targeting Specific Demographics
Time & space constraints
Sources of info.
Print v. Broadcast Media
Irony = corporations that own broadcasting stations, magazines, & papers are large and typically conservative corporations
Is it possible for news media to be objective & independent of partisan politics?

12. On the Campaign Trail & Inside the Branches of Government
Media Coverage
On the Campaign Trail &
Inside the Branches of Government

13. Impact of the Media
How does/has Media Influenced Campaigns/ Elections?
How does Media influence Public Opinion?
How does Media influence the Policy Agenda?
How does Media influence Party Polarization?
How does Media influence de-alignment?
How does the Media’s coverage of the 3 branches differ?
How do politicians utilize the media to promote their agenda/goals?

14. How does media influence campaigns and elections?

15. Influence of Polls on Elections?
Polling Saturation
Bandwagon effect
Amount of coverage a candidate gets
TV Coverage by Candidate
Is there a correlation between who gets more coverage and who rises in the polls? Causation?
More media coverage of Presidential elections than mid-term elections

16. Media Campaign Coverage
Candidate-Centered Political Campaigns
Less focus on the issues; more on candidates themselves
Media’s Role in Candidate-Centered Campaigns…
Sound-bite journalism
Media Events/Photo Ops
Focus on day-to-day activities
Rallies, Gaffes, Scandals, Negative Ads, Media Events
Horse-Race Journalism
Emphasize how candidates stand in polls rather than where they stand on the issues

17. Campaigns and Media Events
THE PHOTO OP…
Paul Ryan Photo Op

18. Campaigns & Negative Ads
Massive explosion in number of negative ads
What role might Citizens United, Super PACs & 501(c)4s being playing in the increasing negativity of campaigns?
Post-Debate Ad
Romney Negative Ad
Obama: "A Snob?“
Outrageous Negative Ad Campaign
Negative Campaign--Indianapolis Mayoral Race
Big Bird Attack Ad
Mourdock Attack Ad
47% Negative Ad
Super PAC Ad
Attack Ad: Flip Flop
Big $ Fueling Negative Ads?
Colbert Interviews Nancy Pelosi--Disclose Act

19. How does media influence public opinion?

20. Influence on Public Opinion
Influence political attitudes
Focus on trivial; sensational; divisive issues
Party Polarization; sound-bite journalism
Agenda Setting (Gatekeeper)
Decide which issues get covered
How issues get covered: Bias
Narrowcasting
Poll Saturation
Tracking/Exit Polls
Bandwagon Effect
Linkage Institution
Media Coverage per Candidate

21. President Obama Current-- Job Approval
Poll
Date
Sample
Approve
Disapprove
Spread
RCP Average
5/15 - 6/14 --
49.9
46.8
+3.1
Bloomberg
6/10 - 6/13
1000 A 53 42
+11
FOX News
6/5 - 6/8
1004 RV 51 46 +5
Gallup
6/12 - 6/14
1500 A 44 +9
Rasmussen Reports
6/9 - 6/13
1500 LV 49 50 -1
Reuters/Ipsos
6/4 - 6/8
1716 A 47 +2
The Economist/YouGov
6/2 - 6/5
1396 RV 52 -6
IBD/TIPP
5/31 - 6/5
908 A
Quinnipiac
5/24 - 5/30
1561 RV 48 +1
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl
5/15 - 5/19
1000 RV
ABC News/Wash Post
5/16 - 5/19
829 RV -4

22. How does Media Influence the Policy Agenda?

23. Media and the Policy Agenda
The issues that attract the attention of government officials and those involved in the policy making process
Media’s Role
Gatekeeper
More attention an issue gets, the more important the people view an issue (can push legislators to act)
Polls inform politicians (linkage institution)
President utilizes Media for Bully Pulpit

24. Influence of Media on Party Polarization

25. Media and Party Polarization
Media: increasingly adversarial relationship with government
Increasingly negative coverage of the executive branch since Watergate and Vietnam
Narrowcasting
Fox News demonization of any Pres. Obama supports
MSNBC demonization of Republicans
Focus on sensational/divisive issues
Sound-bite journalism—sometimes edited to make candidates appear bad…
Elections: Focus on candidate-centered issues rather than policy issues
Media's Role in Partisan Polarization

26. Influence of Media on Dealignment

27. Influence of Media on Party De-alignment
Weakening hold of political parties on the electorate; less people identifying with major parties than in the past.
Media’s Role
More sources of information on the candidates…
Negative/Critical Media Coverage of Government
Fueling growing distrust of government

28. Coverage of Branches Sep of Powers: Exec = Easiest to cover…why?
Multiple Beats, competing for attention
Press is a weapon
Media Events
Exec = Easiest to cover…why?
1 Person at Top…Figurehead of Government
President’s use of the Bully Pulpit and Media to “set the agenda”
Congress = Hardest to cover…why?
535 Members
Who receives focus?
Judicial = Least Coverage…Why?
A growing desire to incr. coverage. Good or Bad?

29. Politicians Use of the Media
Bully Pulpit
What president says is important…so automatically receives coverage
President’s most powerful tool in setting policy agenda
Mobilizing Public Support; uses media coverage to do this
White House Press Secretary
Trial Balloons
Information leaked to the media by a government official/politician or candidate
Goal: See what the political reaction will be when the public hears it.
Spin
A politicians attempt to present his actions or position on a policy in a positive light
Photo Ops; Media Events
Technology
Websites—Social Media
Spin Example: After each presidential debate…staff members for each side talk to media and try to explain why their side won the debate “spinning” arguments in their favor