1. The Media Chapter 15

2. In this chapter we will learn about The sources of our news The historical development of the ownership of the American media and its implications for the political news we get The role of journalists The link between the media and politics The relationship of citizens to the media

3. Where do we get our news? Newspapers and magazines –Readership is on the decline –Fewer newspapers than in many industrialized countries –Only 7% of people read a national paper, but 44% read local papers Radio –Made news more up-to-the minute and personal

4. Where do we get our news?, cont. Television –Dramatically changed the way people received their news –Led to narrowcasting –Has increased the importance of image –51% of Americans watch local news; 39% watch cable news; 36% watch network news

5. Where do we get our news?, cont. The Internet –Revolutionizing the way we get our news –20% report getting their political news from the Internet; this percentage is rising –Blogs –More interactive than other media –Many Americans getting news from social media: Facebook, Twitter

6. The early American press Extremely partisan Lacked independence because they were dependent on parties for funding Jacksonian revolution led to appeals to mass audiences rather than elites

7. Growing media independence Larger audiences leads to more advertising, which leads to content that will not offend anyone so as to increase audience The penny press (1833): cheap papers led to more superficial content designed to appeal to mass audiences Yellow journalism: after Civil War; appeal to mass audience led to sensational reporting

8. The media today: concentrated corporate power Consequences of corporate ownership –Commercial bias: the tendency to make coverage and programming decisions based on what will attract a large audience and maximize profits –Reduced emphasis on political news –Infotainment: the effort to make the delivery of information more attractive by dressing it up as entertainment –Conflicts of interest

9. Alternatives to corporate media Public radio and television (e.g., NPR) Alternative press (e.g., Village Voice) Ideological magazines (e.g., Nation) Internet – citizen journalism

10. Regulation of broadcast media The equal time rule: if a station allows a candidate for office to buy or use airtime, it must allow all candidates to do so The fairness doctrine: requires that stations give free airtime to issues that concern public and to opposing sides when controversial issues are covered The right of rebuttal: individuals whose reputations are damaged on air have a right to respond The Telecommunications Act of 1996: abolished most limitations on station ownership, thus increasing possibilities for media monopoly

11. Roles of journalists Gatekeepers: those journalists who decide what news gets covered and how Disseminators: those journalists who confine their role to getting the facts of the story straight and moving the story out to the public quickly Investigators: investigate government’s claims, analyze and interpret complex problems, discuss public policies Public mobilizers: develop cultural and intellectual interests of the public, set the political agenda, let people express their views

12. A liberal media bias? Characteristics of journalists –Ideology –Party identification –Age –Gender –Ethnic origin –Religion

13. The growth of the Washington press corps The revolving door: the tendency of public officials, journalists, and lobbyists to move between public and private sector (media, lobbying) jobs The rise of the pundit: a professional observer and commentator on politics

14. The shaping of public opinion by the media Agenda setting: influencing what issues are on the public agenda through the decision of what stories to cover Priming: influencing the public’s perception of certain people, events, and issues by the emphasis given to particular characteristics of them Framing: the process through which the media emphasize particular aspects of a news story, thereby influencing the public’s perception of the story Persuasion by professional communicators: the tendency for viewers to agree with trusted newscasters and expert sources

15. The portrayal of politics as conflict and image Horse-race journalism: the media’s focus on the competitive aspects of politics rather than on actual policy proposals and political decisions Emphasis on image: the tendency of the media to focus on what people look like, what they sound like, and how an event is staged Scandal watching: the tendency of reporters to concentrate on developing scandals to the exclusion of other, possibly more relevant, news events Growing negativism, increased cynicism: the tendency of reporters to be cynical about politics and to focus on the negative aspects of politics

16. Consequences of the emphasis on conflict and image An increase in citizen disaffection with politics An increase in cynicism about politics and the media New forms of media replacing older ones

17. News management techniques Tight control of information Tight control of access to the politician Elaborate communications bureaucracy

18. News management techniques, cont’d. Concerted effort to bypass the White House press corps Prepackaging the news in sound bites Leaks

19. The citizens and the media The new media Civic journalism aka citizen journalism