1. The Media 11/30/2011

2. Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives in Written Form Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: – discuss and critically analyze political events in the United States government – students will be able to identify and explain the role of informal institutions and their effect on policy.

3. Office Hours and Readings Pp 130-151 Office Hours – Thursday 8-12 – Monday 8-10:30

4. THE MEDIA AND POLITICS

5. The Role of the Media Is an informal institution Is a linkage institution It is profit driven

6. What The Media Does: Reports The News The basic function Giving news and information The 24 Hour News Cycle

7. What the Media Does: Agenda Setting What is it Bring Matters to the forefront, or conceal them

8. Goals of Agenda Setting Make people aware of issues Make issue salient Set the priority of issues

9. Gatekeepers Key people who control what we watch Help to shape political priorities Driven by profit

10. What gatekeepers use The authority of the source The Amount of Controversy The importance

12. PROVIDING US WITH POLITICAL INFORMATION

14. Where we get Political Information

15. The Type of Media Matters Television is the most important The internet is the fastest, but has the most bias

16. We Would Rather Watch Mistakes Bad SushiSushi People Falling People

17. Newspapers and Magazines Newspapers – Provide more information and Detail – Very few cities have multiple papers anymore Magazines- vary in content and quality

18. The Decline of Old media

19. THE MINIMAL EFFECTS MODEL Does the media really matter

20. The Minimal Effects Model The Fall Campaign is not that important Most people have made up their mind

21. Spurious/Minimal effects model We do not seek out political information We have selective/exposure perception We rarely make major changes

22. Who is influenced the most Those with the least political attention Those without stable party identification Elections can swing if it is close

23. HORSE RACE COVERAGE How the Media Makes things exciting

24. Horse Race Coverage What is it? What does it contain Why?

25. The GOP Polls

26. The keys to horse race coverage Polling Perception No issues

27. Component I: Categorizer Sorts the candidates into winners and losers Creates an Image for the candidate

28. Component II: Expectation Setter Puts odds on the candidates You want to be at the top… duh But it isn't as good as you might thinkthink

29. Component III: Mentioner You want the media to notice you Not all press is good press Mentions mean money and votes

30. Component IV:Winnowing The Press Winnows (narrows) down the candidates Attention is on Iowa and NH Frontloading is the results

31. Type of Coverage in 2008 Primary

32. Horse Race Dominates 2008 General

33. DEBATES

34. Presidential Debates A Recent Phenomenon General Strategies Do not screw upscrew

35. Why Candidates Like these A chance for exposure A chance for Legitimacy A chance to move in the polls

36. Presidential Debates Who Wins (the leader in the polls) The Person who doesn’t make a mistake Does it matter?

37. Presidential Debates Win by not losing What don't you want to do? – The 1960 DebateDebate – Look ancientancient – Seem heartlessheartless – You are no Jack KennedyJack Kennedy – Eastern Europe is Free Eastern Europe is Free – The Global TestGlobal Test – Adm. James Stockdale Blind, Deaf, Dumb BlindDeafDumb