14 The News Media Smart phones and tablets may have replaced pen and paper as the tools of reporters, but media coverage, whether traditional or new, remains.

14 The News Media Smart phones and tablets may have replaced pen and paper as the tools of reporters, but media coverage, whether traditional or new, remains the intermediary between citizens and government.

14 Video: The Big Picture Are you the next Walter Kronkite? Author Alixandra B. Yanus discusses the major trends in the media today, such as the rise of citizen journalists who are armed with nothing more than a cell phone, internet connection, and fondness for infotainment shows like The Colbert Report. 3

14 Learning Objectives Trace the historical development of the news media in the United States 14.1 Characterize four major trends in the news media today 14.2 We will take a historical approach to the study of the news media in this chapter, beginning our discussion with print media, then radio, then television, then the Internet and other new media. We will look at trends in today’s media, and we will also consider the ethical standards and government regulations that circumscribe the conduct of the news media. Then we will turn our attention to how the media covers politics, starting with the president, and then looking at coverage of Congress and the Supreme Court.

14 Learning Objectives Summarize the ethnical standards and federal regulations that govern the news media 14.3 Assess how the news media cover politics 14.4

14 Learning Objectives Evaluate the influence of the news media on public policy and the impact of media bias 14.5

14 Video: The Basics How do the media help support our democratic institutions? In this video, you will find out how a free press functions not just as a source of knowledge, but also as a public forum and a government watchdog. You’ll also analyze how private ownership and partisanship impact the ability of the media to do its job. 7

Roots of the News Media in the United States
14.1 Roots of the News Media in the United States Print Media Radio News TV News Online Media Mass media are the primary lens through which Americans view culture and politics. The news media have been the main source of political information throughout U.S. history. But the media are not monolithic; they represent diverse opinions, especially in the modern era when media outlets have proliferated. In this first section, we will look at the history of U.S. media, from the first printed newspapers to the Internet.

14.1 Video: In Context Trace the evolution of media outlets from newspapers to the new media that exists today. In this video, Texas A&M University political scientist Tyler Johnson examines the history of media outlets and the effect of both traditional and new media on the political information and messages that reach the public. 9

Print Media 14.1 First colonial newspapers printed 1690 Penny press
Value of free press recognized early Penny press New York Sun Sensational and scandalous Payoffs common Yellow journalism Muckraking Exposing misconduct The history of newspapers in America goes back to the first colonial newspapers printed in The value of a free press was recognized early, and partisan newspapers proliferated in the 1700s and 1800s. The New York Sun was the first of the penny press papers, which were aligned with a single party. Although nonpartisan, these papers were not necessarily respectable. They relied on sensationalism and scandals to attract readers. This sensationalist brand of coverage came to be known as yellow journalism. It was common for politicians to pay journalists to keep quiet in order to protect their reputations. During the Progressive era, journalists turned their investigative skills to uncovering government, and private sector, misconduct. Although coverage was still sordid and heavy on gossip and rumor, much did come of the exposure of monopolies, deplorable working conditions, and exploitation of workers. Newspapers gradually developed standards, and become more professionalized and objective. But the dawn of online media turned out to be the sunset of the newspaper industry. Many papers have ceased or limited print publication and have struggled to persuade consumers to pay for their online content.

14.1 Did the practice of yellow journalism contribute to the rise of objective journalism? In this 1898 cartoon titled “Uncle Sam’s Next Campaign—the War Against the Yellow Press,” yellow journalism is attacked for its threats, insults, filth, grime, blood, death, slander, gore, and blackmail. The cartoon was published in the wake of the Spanish-American War, and the cartoonist suggests that, having won the war abroad, the government ought to attack yellow journalists at home.

Radio News 14.1 Center of home life Displaced by TV in 1950s
FDR’s “fireside chats” Displaced by TV in 1950s AM talk radio No talk radio for liberals, NPR not biased Radios proved immediately popular and soon became the center of home life, with families gathering around them in the evenings to listen to such broadcasts as President Franklin Roosevelt’s “fireside chats.” TV displaced radio in the 1950s but conservative talk radio shows revived it as a source of news, albeit heavily slanted. There is no comparable liberal talk radio. Although some conservatives perceive public radio to have a liberal bias, it does not, in fact, have one.

TV News 14.1 Gradually replaced print and radio Network v. cable news
By 2011, most receive news from TV or Internet Network v. cable news Fox News most popular C-SPAN TV gradually replaced print and radio and the source of news for Americans. By 2011, the majority of Americans received their news from television or the Internet. Beginning in the 1990s, cable news networks began to replace network news as the primary television news source. Network news is obliged to remain nonpartisan but cable news stations can have any bias that they choose. Conservative Republican news outlet Fox News is the most popular cable news outlet, with over 2 million viewers in prime time. C-SPAN is a cable channel that covers congressional proceedings. It does not make for the most exciting viewing but it does give citizens a view of their elected representatives at work.

Online Media 14.1 The Internet Blogs Social media
Main news source for 41% Lack of credibility, standards Blogs Editorial news outlet Social media Political debate Reach and engage citizens The Internet is now the primary news source for 41% of Americans, and that percentage is growing. But the Internet lacks the traditional filters of editors and journalistic standards that lend credibility to professional news outlets. Blogs are a vehicle for editorial commentary from both individuals and traditional news sources. There are now over 173 million blogs on the Internet, and a few prominent political blogs have many followers. Social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have the potential to provide a forum for political debate. They are also another method of disseminating political information and reaching and engaging citizens. Candidates and elected officials can speak directly to voters without their message being filtered through the media.

Current News Media Trends
14.2 Current News Media Trends Corporate Ownership and Media Consolidation Narrowcasting Infotainment Increasing Use of Experts Citizen Journalists In this section we will look at current trends in the news media, such as corporate ownership, consolidation, narrowcasting, and infotainment. Another recent development is the rise of the so-called citizen journalist due to the blurring of boundaries between producers and consumers.

Corporate Ownership and Media Consolidation
14.2 Corporate Ownership and Media Consolidation Private ownership = independence For-profit business Pressure to consolidate, eliminate competition Risks of consolidation Limit flow of information Focus on what sells Please advertisers Private ownership of the media is geared toward keeping it independent, unlike state-controlled media in other countries. But private ownership also means that the news media in the U.S. is a business that is driven by the bottom line. The quest for more profits has led media companies to eliminate competition by consolidating into enormous media conglomerates. Just six companies provide 90% of news media content. Consolidation poses numerous risks to the free flow of information. Profit-driven businesses focus on sensationalist news that drives up audience numbers rather than serious news with objective reporting. Content is also geared toward placating advertisers rather than informing viewers.

Narrowcasting 14.2 Targeting specific populations
News audiences divided along partisan lines Appeals to preexisting views Narrowcasting is the targeting of programming at specific populations. Fox News, for example, takes a conservative viewpoint, and MSNBC has a more liberal slant. News audiences are clearly divided along partisan lines. You can accurately guess someone’s party affiliation by knowing what newspaper they read, what radio stations they listen to, or what cable news channels they watch. The problem with narrowcasting is that it appeals to the audiences’ preexisting views, which further polarizes public opinion.

14.2 TABLE 14.1: How do media outlets relate to party affiliation?
This table correlates party affiliation with news outlets regularly watched, read, or listened to. Which news outlets do you prefer? Activity: In recent years, the Internet has become the most important source of news for many citizens. Examine this trend with your students through a class discussion session. Is information on the Internet likely to be as reliable as that of print media? Why or why not? How does the increasingly reliance on the internet relate to the idea of narrowcasting and the problem of selection bias?

Infotainment 14.2 Blending information and entertainment
Political leaders use these shows Reach larger audiences Humanize politician Audience sophistication matters Infotainment blends news and information with entertainment. It is exemplified by such shows at Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, and The Daily Show. Political leaders have embraced infotainment shows as a way to connect with voters. They can reach larger audiences than traditional news programs, and they do not have to worry about hardball questions. Such shows also provide an opportunity to humanize the candidate, such as when Bill Clinton played his saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show. Americans are increasingly tuning into infotainment programs for their news rather than serious news outlets because the news is more palatable in this format. For more sophisticated viewers, they serve as information shortcuts. But less sophisticated viewers are unlikely to see the humor in The Colbert Report.

Increasing Use of Experts
14.2 Increasing Use of Experts Talking heads fill airtime Who are these experts? Officials, consultants, former politicians, academics, etc. Influence on the public Lack of objectivity Weaken democratic deliberation Cable TV’s twenty-four hour news cycle is a far cry from the 15-minute news shows of the early 1960s. Many hours of airtime must be filled even when no new facts are available to report. This time is increasingly filled by bringing on experts to analyze the stories of the day. These so-called experts can be just about anyone. Some are officials or former politicians, some are consultants or academics. But others have no clear credentials that would signify expertise. Pundits have a significant influence on public opinion. Since they are not journalists or reporters, they have no obligation to be objective. They can also weaken democratic deliberation because the public tends to take the word of experts rather than evaluating issues for themselves.

Citizen Journalists 14.2 Ordinary individuals
Collect, report, and analyze Post content not covered Provide on the scene coverage Cheaper than hiring reporters Problems with amateur reporting Lack of objectivity Quality varies Technology has taken reporting out of the hands of professional journalists and made anyone with a camera and an Internet connection into a citizen journalist, able to collect, report, and analyze news. Citizen journalists sometimes post content not covered by traditional news outlets, and provide on the scene coverage of events. It is cheaper for news outlets to use footage and reports provided by citizen journalists than to hire reporters. But the problem of objectivity again arises, and the professionalism and quality of the coverage vary widely.

Rules Governing the News Media
14.3 Rules Governing the News Media Journalistic Standards Government Regulations Journalists adhere to boundaries in how they may obtain information and what they may publish. These limits come from both journalistic standards and government regulations. We will discuss both in this section.

Journalistic Standards
14.3 Journalistic Standards Professional norms and integrity Code of Ethics Avoiding conflicts of interest Verifying information Dealing with sources On/off the record On/deep background Professional journalists subscribe to a “Code of Ethics” that includes such norms as avoiding conflicts of interest and verifying information being reported. Dealing with sources can pose dilemmas for reporters. If an interview is on the record, every detail can be reported. But if it is off the record, nothing the source says may be printed. Information obtained on background can be attributed to the source by name but information on deep background must be completely anonymous. Revealing sources who wish to remain anonymous can cause them to clam up.

14.3 How do journalists use information obtained on deep background?
W. Mark Felt, former associate director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, spoke to Washington Post reporters on deep background during the Watergate scandal. Known only as “Deep Throat,” Felt provided information crucial to linking the Richard M. Nixon administration to the break-in at the Watergate Hotel. His true identity was not revealed for more than thirty years, when he went public in 2005.

Government Regulations
14.3 Government Regulations Libel and slander are illegal Prior restraint New York Times v. U.S. (1971) Electronic media regulated more heavily Airwaves are public property Limited supply Media ownership Telecommunications Act (1996) Content Equal time rule The U.S. government regulates the news media in several ways. Libel and slander, for example, are illegal. The Supreme Court, in the 1971 case of New York Times v. U.S. that involved the publication of the Pentagon Papers, ruled that prior restraint can only be used in extremely rare cases where national security is at stake, which was not the case here. Prior restraint occurs when the government steps in to prevent the publication of something before it occurs. The government regulates electronic media more heavily than print media. The airwaves are considered public property and are only leased to private broadcasters. There are also a limited number of broadcast frequencies. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 deregulated electronic media and paved the way for the growth of the giant media conglomerates that we have today. A single company is allowed to own up to 45% of a given market. Because the number of broadcast channels is limited, the FCC used to require networks to sell equal time to all major party candidates in a political campaign if they sold ads to any. The government has also attempted to enforce copyright laws by proposing legislation designed to target sites that engage in illegal file-sharing. But opposition has been too large to pass these measures as there is a legitimate fear of government’s having the power to shutdown Web sites at will.

Video: In the Real World
14.3 Video: In the Real World What is the ideal relationship between the government and the media? Real people consider whether leaks of confidential government information to the press is good for democracy or whether leaks give the government too much control over the stories being told in the newspapers. 26

How the News Media Cover Politics
14.4 How the News Media Cover Politics How the Press and Public Figures Interact Covering the Presidency Covering Congress Covering the Supreme Court The news media spend time and attention covering all three branches of the federal government. The president, especially, received an extraordinary amount of media attention. In this section, we will examine how the media covers politics.

How the Press and Public Figures Interact
14.4 How the Press and Public Figures Interact Press release Official written document Press briefing Press secretary represents official Q&A on specific topic Press conference General Q&A with official Elected officials interact with the media in a number of different ways. They can issue press releases, which are official written statements on issues given directly to reporters. They can also hold press briefings and press conferences. A briefing is usually conducted by proxy, with a press secretary or aide appearing on behalf of the official, and answering questions on a specific issue or event. Sometimes the elected official will appear in person at a press conference. The topics for questions may be unrestricted or limited to certain issues, depending upon the disposition of the official and the situation.

Covering the Presidency
14.4 Covering the Presidency Receives most media coverage Prestigious post for a reporter Daily Q&A with press secretary The executive receives the most media coverage out of all the branches of government. Covering the White House is a prestigious post for a journalist. The president’s press secretary holds almost daily question and answer sessions with reporters in the White House’s press briefing room. Modern presidents use their press secretaries to avoid facing the media themselves but they will sometimes hold press conferences after major events.

Covering Congress 14.4 Logistical challenge Focus on party leaders
535 members Focus on party leaders Majority and minority leaders in both houses Whips Key committee chairs Coverage is negative Focus on scandals and conflict Covering Congress poses a logistical challenge due to its size. With 535 members, where do you focus? Most news organizations concentrate on the leaders of both parties. Airtime is given to the majority and minority leaders in both houses, and the party whips. Key committee chairs also garner attention when their committee is debating an important bill. As with most news coverage, coverage of Congress tends to be negative, highlighting scandals and conflict.

Covering the Supreme Court
14.4 Covering the Supreme Court Media vacuum TV cameras not permitted Few reporters cover Court Complex legal issues harder to present Justices rarely grant interviews The Supreme Court exists in a relative media vacuum. TV cameras are not permitted inside, and few reporters cover the Court. It is difficult to explain complex legal issues in the sound-byte format of today’s infotainment-style news. Also, the justices themselves rarely grant interviews or speak to the media. You’re not likely to see a tweet from the Chief Justice, “Just decided major case now having tuna sandwich for lunch.”

14.4 How does the media cover the Supreme Court?
Because TV cameras are not allowed inside the Supreme Court, when the Court hands down an important opinion, such as its health care decision in 2012, it is not uncommon to see journalists sprinting from the courtroom with draft opinions in hand, hoping to be the first news agency to report the Court’s decision.

14.5 Toward Reform: News Media, Influence, News Media Bias, and Public Confidence News Media Influence News Media Bias Public Confidence How much influence do the media actually have on the public’s understanding of political issues? Is the media biased? How much confidence does the public have in the news media? These are the questions we will tackle in the final section of this chapter.

News Media Influence 14.5 Media effects Agenda setting Framing
Influencing public opinion Agenda setting Influence issues addressed by government Framing How an issue is portrayed affects how it is perceived Greater influence on foreign policy Less personal experience The media influence public opinion in a variety of ways. These media effects can have a powerful affect on public opinion. In particular, the media can bring attention to an issue, leading citizens to pressure government to take action on it. This powerful media effect is known as agenda setting. The media heavily influences public opinion by how it frames issues. The influence of the media on public opinion is greatest in areas, such as foreign policy, where the public has little personal experience.

Video: Thinking Like a Political Scientist
14.5 Video: Thinking Like a Political Scientist How does the media shape public opinion? In this video, Texas A&M University political scientist Tyler Johnson discusses how media framing works and what market factors are influencing this process. 35

News Media Bias 14.5 Journalists are biased How are news media biased
Values, preferences, attitudes How are news media biased Elite bias Dramatic bias News media stardom All journalists are biased because they are human beings with different values, preferences, and attitudes. These biases are consciously or unconsciously reflected in news coverage. How are news media biased? Journalists tend to be from relatively elite backgrounds – white, male, educated, and affluent. As a result, issues affecting different demographic groups can be ignored or misrepresented out of ignorance. Reporters are also biased in favor of a good story; they seek to inject spice and drama wherever they can. The celebrity status of some members of the news media can also affect their objectivity as they seek higher approval ratings.

Public Confidence 14.5 Assessment unfavorable Valuable watchdog role
Inaccurate Biased Rich and powerful influence coverage Valuable watchdog role Americans have an increasingly negative view of the news media, with large majorities believing it to be inaccurate, biased, and providing coverage influenced by the rich and powerful. Yet, at the same time, Americans value the watchdog role of the media, believing that it limits the wrongdoing of political officials. Activity: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the mass media for a democratic society. Have students list the ways in which the mass media can be detrimental to democracy and the public interest. Then have them respond to each charge by listing the ways in which the same factors could actually enhance democracy and the public interest.

14 Video: So What? Find out what the government is doing behind closed doors. Author Alixandra B. Yanus explains what the role of the media in American politics has been, and considers why it is easier than ever before to be informed about and engaged in the news. 38

Vocabulary Agenda Setting The process of forming the list of issues to be addressed by government Citizen Journalist Ordinary individuals who collect, report, and analyze news content Content Regulations Limitations on the substance of mass media Deep Background Information provided to a journalist that will not be attributed to any source Equal Time Rule That rule that requires broadcast stations to sell air time equally to all candidates in a political campaign if they choose to sell it to any Framing The process by which a news organization defines a political issue and consequently affects opinion about the issue

Vocabulary Mass Media the entire array of organizations through which information is collected and disseminated to the general public. Media Affects The influence of news sources on public opinion Muckraking A form of journalism, in vogue in the early twentieth century, devoted to exposing misconduct by government, business, and individual politicians Narrowcasting Targeting media programming at specific populations within society News Media Media providing the public with new information about subjects of public interest Off the Record Information provided to a journalist that will not be released to the public

Vocabulary On Background Information provided to a journalist that will not be attributed to a named source On The Record Information provided to a journalist that can be released and attributed by name to the source Press Briefing A relatively restricted session between a press secretary or aide and the press Press Conference` An unrestricted session between an elected official and the press Press Release A document offering an official comment or position Yellow Journalism A form of newspaper publishing in vogue in the late nineteenth century that featured pictures, comics, color, and sensationalized news coverage

14 The News Media Smart phones and tablets may have replaced pen and paper as the tools of reporters, but media coverage, whether traditional or new, remains.

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14 The News Media Smart phones and tablets may have replaced pen and paper as the tools of reporters, but media coverage, whether traditional or new, remains.

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Presentation on theme: "14 The News Media Smart phones and tablets may have replaced pen and paper as the tools of reporters, but media coverage, whether traditional or new, remains."— Presentation transcript:

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