1. Convergence of media systems
Online Readings 8
Agenda setting, priming, and framing, to convergence of media systems. Main thing is lecture slides and study guide. Other information you can skip. Lots of graphs and tables, you only need to know about graphs and tables from lecture, not the ones in the online readings.

2. Three models of media and politics
Daniel Hallin & Paolo Mancini
Basic premise: “the press always takes on the form and coloration of the social and political structures within which it operates.”
Framed against the context of earlier attempts to classify media system (e.g., four theories of the press by Siebert et al., 1956: theories of authoritarian, libertarian, social responsibility, & Soviet totalitarian media)

3. Authoritarian theory: 16-17th century model in England; advocate government policies; public or private ownership
Libertarian theory: 17-18th century model in US & England; inform & entertain the public, and discover truth and check on government; mainly private ownership
Social responsibility theory: 20th century in US; inform & entertain the public, but raise conflicts to for public debate
Soviet totalitarian theory: developed in the Soviet Union; contributes to the continuation of the Soviet system; public ownership

4. Three models of media and politics
Classifying media systems based on in- depth comparative analysis of North America and Western European countries (N=18)
Focusing on historical origins and developments of media systems

5. Three models of media and politics
A) Polarized pluralist model
B) Democratic corporatist model
C) Liberal model

6. Three models of media and politics
Five key dimensions that characterize (and influence) national media systems
a) The degree and shape of development of media markets
b) Political parallelism - the degree/nature of links between political parties and the press
c) The degree of development of journalistic professionalism - relative autonomy, distinctive norms
d) The degree/nature of state intervention in the media system
e) The nature of political culture/structure

8. A) Polarized pluralist model (Mediterranean)
Relates to Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and France
a) Late and incomplete development of the press; low newspaper circulation; elite politically oriented press
b) Strong political parallelism
c) Weak professionalization
d) Strong state intervention
e) Polarized pluralism; strong political parties

9. C) Liberal model (North Atlantic or Anglo-Amerian)
Relates to USA, Britain, Canada, Ireland
a) Early development of press freedom and industry; medium circulation; commercial newspapers
b) Low political parallelism
c) Strong professionalization
d) Weak state intervention; market dominated (except strong public broadcasting in Britain and Ireland)
e) Moderate pluralism; majoritarian culture

10. B) Democratic corporatist model (North/central European)
Relates to Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland
a) Early development of press freedom and industry; high circulation; party newspapers
b) Historically high political parallelism but it is diminishing
c) Strong professionalization
d) Strong state intervention but with protection for press freedom; strong public broadcasting
e) Moderate pluralism; consensual culture

11. Differentiation theory of media
Based primarily on political parallelism and professionalism: high in differentiation when parallelism is weak and professionalism is strong
The Liberal Model is characterized by a high degree of differentiation.
The trend toward convergence in media systems
Critiques from Critical Theory (e.g., Habermas): Media field has become more distant from the field of politics but closer to the increasingly dominant field of economics.