Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY NEWS SOURCES?

DO YOU GET NEWS ON A DAILY BASIS?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

What are the five phases in journalistic history?

• Party press• Popular press• Magazines of opinion• Electronic journalism• The internet (and beyond)

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?• How is it difficult for elected officials

to gain access to the electronic media (radio, TV)?

• What about the President?• How is media coverage the “double-

edge sword” of American politics?• Why has media coverage of politics

contributed to the decline of political parties over the last few decades?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

STRUCTURE OF MEDIA• How competitive is today’s media?• Newspapers/print• Radio/TV

• How regulated?• Print media?• TV/radio?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

STRUCTURE OF MEDIA • How has increased competition in

TV influenced political news coverage?

• What constitutes the National media?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?STRUCTURE OF MEDIA• Why is the existence of a national

press important?• How does the press act as a

“gatekeeper”, scorekeeper”, “watchdog”?

• How has the “scorekeeper” role influenced elections and campaigns in the U.S.?

• Has the media gone too far in its “watchdog” role? Explain.

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

What rules govern media?• Newspaper v. electronic media• Libel, obscenity, incitement• Radio, TV – licensed and

regulated

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

•What is the “right of confidentiality”?

• Is it an “actual” right? Should it be?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

Rules Governing Media and Campaigning

•Equal-time rule•Right-of-reply rule•Political editorializing•Fairness doctrine

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?How does the media affect politics?• Definite influence on how we see issues• What issues we cite as important, how we attribute

responsibility, policy preferences

How large is that effect?• Don’t know; not enough scholarly research• BUT, it has changed the way politics works• Campaigns• Role of political parties

How does the media influence election outcomes?

• Presidential races?/local races?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

• What is selective attention? (look around the room) How does it limit the impact media coverage has on public opinion?

• When a broadcaster makes “commentary” how big of an impact does it have on you?

• What about election outcomes? (Presidential?/local?)

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

• Do local newspapers more often endorse Republican or Democratic candidates for the Presidency?

• Are journalists more liberal than the public at large?

• SEE POLLING DATA

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

The National Media (Media elite) is decidedly more liberal than the American public.

• Does this mean that news stories are slanted?

• What are the differences between routine stories, feature stories, and insider stories?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

• What factors offset the liberalism of the National Media in reporting political news? (What might keep the liberalism in check?)

• If most reporters hold liberal views, why hasn’t the American public become more liberal?

• Could reporters alter public opinion if they tried?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

• So…how should political news be interpreted? (credibility and bias)

• Who sees bigger differences between candidates – newspaper readers or TV viewers? Explain.

• Media has major effect on how politics in conducted (specifically elections and campaigns). PROVIDE EXAMPLES – candidates use of media; media coverage of elections/campaigns

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

Government and News• Shaping public opinion• Prominence of President• Coverage of Congress

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?

Why is our government among the “leakiest” in the world?

• Constitutional arrangement• No Official Secrets Act (like G.B.)• Adversarial press less likely to

accept word of “elected official”• Look for “real story”, hence

“leaks”

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?• Why so much sensationalism in the news?• How has the rise of cynical reporting

affected public perception of the media?• What has happened to the public

perception of the “accuracy” of the media?

• What has happened to public trust of the media?

• What factors do you believe have contributed to these trends?

Aim: How does the media influence American government

and politics?What constraints does the government

have on journalists?• Risks – alienate sources v. becoming their

mouthpiece• Government tools to fight back• Numerous press officers in legislative and

executive branches• Press releases – “canned” news• Leaks to favorite reporters• Go local • President rewards and punishes members of

press