1. Main problems with bureaucracies
Accountability – not elected
Expansionary tendencies
Bureaucratic discretion
One issue: Americans want bureaucracy to achieve sometimes conflicting goals:
Accountability, equity, responsiveness, efficiency, fiscal integrity

2. Defense of bureaucrats
“Red tape” – meaning words, procedures, obstacles to getting things done. But this serves a purpose… Bur. Procedures so cumbersome because Americans value fairness and due process of law –
Administrative Procedures Act 1946 requires bureaucracies to make all regulations public, must hold hearings before setting new rules, must allow interested/affected parties to participate in the rule making process, must permit appeal of agency actions.

3. Reforms of bureaucracy
Deregulation
Privatization

4. Types of mass media 1. Print (Newspapers, magazines, opinion journals)
2. Broadcast (network TV, radio)
3. Internet – blogs, Twitter, etc.
“New media” – cable and satellite TV, fax, , Internet –technological advances of past few decades

5. Trends
Newspapers and TV are declining as news sources, Internet rising 2009 (page 251).
But when Americans go on Internet, the majority of the sites they go on are owned by “old” media: major TV network news sites, local and national newspaper sites. Blogs are less than 10% of the news consumed online.

6. Trends
Newspapers and TV are declining as news sources, Internet rising 2009 (page 251).
But when Americans go on Internet, the majority of the sites they go on are owned by “old” media: major TV network news sites, local and national newspaper sites. Blogs are less than 10% of the news consumed online.

7. How does federal government regulate the media?
Federal Communication Commission (created 1934)
Regulation of content:
Equal time rule
Reasonable access rule
Fairness doctrine (no longer in effect)

8. Functions of media Reporting the news Interpreting the news
Influencing citizens’ opinions
Setting the political agenda
Gatekeeper function (channels the news flow that reaches the public)