1. The Distorted Lens 2:
Media and Government

2. Question for Discussion
How would you describe the relationship between media and government?
Antagonistic?
Symbiotic?
Both?
Neither?

3. Degrees of Coverage Coverage dependencies Local Government
Geographic bias
Bad news bias
Local events
Election cycles
Local Government
Salient issues
City Councils
School boards
Law enforcement
Municipal courts?
State Government
What limits legislative coverage in Texas?
How is the Executive branch covered?
What about the courts? When do we hear about state courts?

4. Degrees of Coverage Federal Government Congress The President
Focus on floor leadership & Committee chairs
Specific bills scheduled for floor vote
Confirmation hearings
The President
The single most covered federal office
The White House Press Corps
Every aspect of the office covered
not all is reported
The personal is public
The Bureaucracy
How do federal agencies ‘make the news’?
The Federal Court System
Focus on individual cases in distinct courts
especially potential constitutional cases
Most covered courts: SCotUS, 9th Circuit

5. Managing Coverage The Press Release/Press Bulletin
Written statement declaring the official position of the government agency or officeholder
Low Risk communication with the press
The Press Statement/Press Briefing
Verbal announcement declaring an official position
Delivered either by the head of the agency or a spokesman
Moderate Risk, especially if it becomes a Press Conference
The Press Conference
Verbal announcement with feedback from the press
Officials field questions from reporters
High Risk communication: officials may have little to no control over issues raised or how to ‘spin’ statements