1. Chapter 7 mass media

2. Media
Main source of information.
Television, newspapers, radio, magazines and the internet.

3. Print Magazines and Newspapers
In decline since the 1960s because of radio and tv
Major decline in newspaper readership since the early 1990s
People are switching to internet news, 24 hour cable news programs, and radio programs

4. Radio FDR – Fireside chats
Left and Right talk radio polarize political issues by broadcasting extreme positions
Rush Limbaugh (Right)

5. TV 1960 – First televised Presidential debates
1963 – more people get their news from television than from newspapers
Claims a larger audience

6. New media
On demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, with interactive user feedback
Examples,
Websites
Blogs
Social media

7. Internet
Vast warehouse of political information
You have to be careful about sources
Most prominent newspapers update continuously

8. blogs
Discussion or informational site on the internet consisting of discrete entries typically displayed in chronological order
Many countries have blogs, but blogs are most politically influential in the U.S.
Most have an ideological bias
Prominent examples:
Huffington Post (liberal)
Daily Kos (liberal)
Ed Morrissey (conservative)
538 (liberal)
Hot Air (conservative)
Red State (conservative)
Wonkette (liberal)

9. Citizen journalists
When the “audience” publishes their own news on blogs.

12. Media Events
Events purposely staged for the media that nonetheless look spontaneous.
Everything a politician does is scripted; he/she is essentially an actor in all public situations.
If you’re not in the news, you do not exist.
Most candidates/politicians feel that the media is unfair to them.
So Media Events are a way of politicians attempting to control the media environment.

13. Press Conferences
Usually the politician will make a statement, then break for questions from the press
The politicians become familiar with reporters over time because reporters are typically assigned to cover a particular politician

14. Presidential news conferences (through January 2014)
Total
Avg. per month
Avg. per year
Ronald Reagan 46
.48
5.75
George H.W. Bush
137
2.85
34.25
William J. Clinton
193
2.01
24.13
George W. Bush
210
2.18
26.25
Barack H. Obama
100
1.67 20

15. Investigative Journalism
In-depth coverage on scandals, scams, and schemes

16. Narrowcasting
Instead of focusing on the three major networks (broadcast networks), many people now exclusively watch channels or programs which are less broad
MTV news, for example, is aimed specifically at young people

17. Interaction of Media and Politics Campaign Coverage
Horse Race Image
Perception of the campaign as a competition
Real Issues
Discussion of substantive campaign issues

18. Public vs. Private Ownership of Media
Public ownership – media can serve the public interest without worrying about the size of their audience
Private ownership – getting the biggest audience is the primary objective

19. Beats Specific locations from which news frequently emanates, such as
Congress
White House
Most top reporters work a particular beat, thereby becoming specialists in what goes on at that location

20. Superficiality and speed…
Most news, especially television news, is superficial, surface coverage
Analysis of most news events lasts less than a minute
Sound bite – short video clips of approximately 15 seconds; typically all that is shown from a politician’s speech or activities on the nightly television news

21. Media and Public Opinion
Important in the formation of public opinion
Repetition of selected issues
Selection of news stories and/or candidates
Source of most information
Impact on the policy agenda (raising salience)
Withholding of information