1. Lecture #6: Politics and the Media
October 12th, 2016
Lecture #6: Politics and the Media

2. Midterm Midterm next Monday Should take about an hour
Mix of multiple-choice and short answer
Review guide is up.

3. Media and Public Opinion
How do politicians and citizens learn about one another through the media?
Media as gatekeepers
Focus on high-profile figures elevates the president
Media focuses on issues that it considers newsworthy
Bias? Implicit bias?
What generates attention?
Public figures can influence media for their own purposes, also
Priming
“media doesn’t tell people what to think, but what to think about”
Framing of issues
Political debates and framing
“who won” – focus by TV personalities on horse race influences perceptions

4. Public Opinion So, what is the value of public opinion?
Do the people know what they need to know?
If not, what does that say about democracy?
H. L. Mencken thought not

5. Democracy is Illogical
H. L. Mencken
Democracy, ideal and real
Legitimacy
distinguished from obligation
Democratic legitimacy
consent
utility

6. H.L. Mencken

7. Democracy is Illogical
H. L. Mencken
Democracy, ideal and real
Legitimacy
distinguished from obligation
Democratic legitimacy
consent
utility

8. Democracy is Immoral The mob conformity, decency, homogeneity
Democratic psychology
resentment
Schadenfreude

9. Public Opinion The democratic faith moral right cognitive ability
Public opinion and democracy
James Bryce
George Gallup
The opinions of the public

10. Major Media Audiences

15. Walter Lippmann

16. Knowledge and Opinion The omni-competent citizen Limits to knowledge
Source
Content
Complexity and specialization

17. Stereotypes What is a stereotype? Can we live without them?
Can we make them more complex?
The new political division of labor
experts and mass publics

18. Media and Public Opinion
How do politicians and citizens learn about one another through the media?
Media as gatekeepers
Focus on high-profile figures elevates the president
Media focuses on issues that it considers newsworthy
Bias? Implicit bias?
What generates attention?
Public figures can influence media for their own purposes, also
Priming
“media doesn’t tell people what to think, but what to think about”
Framing of issues
Political debates and framing
“who won” – focus by tv personalities on horse race influence perceptions

19. Public Opinion So, what is the value of public opinion?
Do the people know what they need to know?
If not, what does that say about democracy?
H. L. Mencken thought not

20. Democracy is Illogical
H. L. Mencken
Democracy, ideal and real
Legitimacy
distinguished from obligation
Democratic legitimacy
consent
utility

21. H.L. Mencken

22. Democracy is Illogical
H. L. Mencken
Democracy, ideal and real
Legitimacy
distinguished from obligation
Democratic legitimacy
consent
utility

23. Democracy is Immoral The mob conformity, decency, homogeneity
Democratic psychology
resentment
Schadenfreude

24. Public Opinion The democratic faith moral right cognitive ability
Public opinion and democracy
James Bryce
George Gallup
The opinions of the public

25. Major Media Audiences

30. Walter Lippmann

31. Knowledge and Opinion The omni-competent citizen Limits to knowledge
Source
Content
Complexity and specialization

32. Stereotypes What is a stereotype? Can we live without them?
Can we make them more complex?
The new political division of labor
experts and mass publics