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The Mass Media8-2: The News Industry
Private ControlO Free Press
O First Amendment
O Difficulty in proving libel
O No prior restraint
O Ability to criticize public officials
O News Corporations
O Newscasting to achieve high
ratings
O Consequences on political
agenda
O Consequences on political
knowledge
Government RegulationO Federal Communications
Commission (FCC)
O Monitors airwaves
O Independent but subject to
political pressure
O Congress—funding
O President—appointments
O Equality
O Rise and fall of Fairness Doctrine
O Commission on Presidential
Debates
Bias
O Prevalence
O Not explicit
O Determining what
news is reported
and what news is
not
O Best indicator—
what stories will
draw the highest
ratings?
Agenda Setting
O Policy Agenda
O Issues attracting attention
of government officials
O Media’s Role
O Selectively assigns
importance to certain issues
O Tells Americans what to
think about
Candidate-Centered Campaigns
O Trends
O More focus on individuals
O Less focus on issues and parties
O Reasons
O Sound bites—rallies and gaffes
O Focus on day-to-day activities
O “Horse-race journalism”
O Consequences
O More attention on president
O Presidential power enhanced
Effect on CitizensO No proven effect on how
people vote
O Effect on which issues are
prioritized
O Doesn’t shape views but
reinforces them
O Broadcast media
discourages critical thinking
O People tend to repeat what
they hear
