1. Chapter 7 Media, Technology, and Government

2. Media and American Democracy
A vast change is underway in media formats, driven by rapid technological advancement.
Media outlets continue to perform essential democratic functions, providing information, acting as ‘watchdogs’ to protect the public trust, and shaping what news is reported (agenda-setting) and how it is described (framing).
Who performs those functions—once mainstream media outlets, now potentially anyone armed with a smartphone and Facebook page or Twitter account—is increasingly up for grabs.

3. U.S. Media Today: Traditional Formats Are Declining
Fifty years ago, a few outlets—three networks, a weekly news magazine, and the local newspaper—delivered roughly the same news. Americans had few choices about what news source to follow. Today, media outlets cater to every perspective—left, right, and center. Americans no longer share a single source of news.
Previous waves of rising “new” media—newspapers, radio, and television—changed the nature of news reporting and altered political institutions like the presidency.
Today all these now-traditional institutions are in serious decline. Newspapers and magazines, network and local television, and radio are all losing ground as the place Americans go for news. Internet sources, especially social media platforms, are taking their place—especially among young people.
The new media raise a major question: Do the benefits—the ability of everyone to contribute to “the news” and increased transparency—outweigh the dangers of losing traditional reporting sources? And can new media invent revenue sources that enable funding of investigative and longform journalism?

4. Is the Media Biased?
Both conservatives and liberals complain of media bias. However, the media generally reflects the politics of its audience.
The media’s deepest bias comes from the need to win ratings and appeal to advertisers. That puts an emphasis on drama, scandal, and conflict—exacerbating partisan political divisions.

5. How Governments Shape the Media
Democratic nations organize their media in three ways: government ownership, regulation, and markets. The United States has relied on the latter two, regulation and markets.
The First Amendment protects print media from most government regulation.
Broadcast media in the United States was originally regulated by agencies like the FCC, which imposed the fairness doctrine—a reflection of a less partisan era. The FCC is still active, as the ‘Net Neutrality’ debate shows, but its control has fragmented.
Deregulation, new technologies, and the rise of multiple media have created the spectrum of perspectives and views that mark American media today. At the same time, a handful of giant media companies now control much of the content we see and hear. This contributes to our partisan and conflicted politics.

6. Understanding the Media in Context: War, Terrorism, and U.S. Elections
Reporting on war and terrorism has long attracted more viewers than almost any other political story.
Media coverage of campaigns reflects the general patterns of the contemporary media. It emphasizes drama, conflict, and the horse race narrative.
Campaigns attempt either to influence the media or to bypass it and speak directly to supporters. These efforts in turn become part of the media coverage.