What the AP Test Wants you to Know About the Media

Linkage Institutions #1

Old Media vs. New Media

Old Media (Newspapers and Magazines)Weaker overall in regards to politics.

Less readers/circulation

New Media (TV and Internet)Stronger overall in politics

More viewers/online presence

New Media’s Challenge to Old MediaMore people view Television than read the

NewspaperMore people read blog postings than magazine

articlesBloggers often serve as fact checkers to old media

sourcesInternet is the primary source of news for people

between ages 18-29

History of Media

The Party PressParties created, subsidized,

and controlled various newspapers

• Circulation small• Expensive subscriptions• Circulated among party elite• Government subsidized president’s party press

History of Media

Popular PressChanges in society and

technology made possible self-supporting, mass

readership daily newspapers.• High speed press• Telegraph gave local papers greater access• Associated Press (1848)• Urbanization• Sensationalism to grab more readers

History of MediaMagazines of Opinion

Middle class favored new, progressive periodicals

• Individual writers gained national following• Number of competing newspapers declines, reducing sensationalism• Readers more sophisticated• Today political magazines are a small fraction of declining number of magazines.

History of Media

Electronic JournalismRadio arrives in 1920s, television in the late 1940s

• Politicians could address voters directly• Fewer politicians get covered by these forms than newspapers• President routinely covered• Others must be controversial or have a national reputation• Shorter sound bites on the nightly news make it difficult for candidates and office holders to convey their messages

History of Media

The InternetOver 50% of American households have access to the

Internet.• Free market in political news• Playing a larger role in politics• Increasing communication between voters and political activists

Degree of Competition (Newspapers)

In 1900 more than 60% of cities had competing news papers

Today only 4% do

Degree of Competition (Electronic)

It is safe to say there might be a small amount of competition in

electronic media

National Media

Wire Services

National Magazines Television Network News Broadcasts

Cable News Networks National Newspapers

SignificanceLarge Readership

Political Elites follow them closely

Dictate local news coverage

Roles the Media Plays

Gatekeeper/Agenda SettingMedia influences which storiesbecome national stories and forhow long.

Scorekeeper/Horse-Race Journalism Tracks political reputations and candidacies. (At expense of policy details)

WatchdogInvestigates personalities and exposes scandals

Print Media Rules

First Amendment Protection1) Free from regulation2) No prior restraint (Cannot be stopped ahead

of time from running a story legally)

First Amendment does not protect from libel.

Media Rules

• Electronic Media– FCC Licensing• Deregulated• Increasing corporate ownership (Impact?)

– Fairness Doctrine Abolished– Equal Time Rule: Stations that sell

advertising to one candidate must sell equal time to opponent

How Media Impacts Politics

• Prominence of the President– Despite three “equal” branches, President gets most

coverage– Public perception of the power of the President

influenced• Congress– Resentful of lack of coverage (nobody watches

CSPAN)– Senate gets more coverage (“Presidential Candidate

Incubator”)

How Media Impacts Politics

• News Leaks –Separation of powers leads to

competition among branches, press used as a weapon•Not illegal to print most secrets

–Adversarial Press–Trial Balloon

News Management

Reagan’s 7 Principles 1) Plan ahead2) Stay on the offensive3) Control flow of information4) Limit access to President5) Talk about issues you want to talk about (talking

points)6) Speak in one voice7) Repeat the same message