Chapter 15
The Media
Pearson Education, Inc. © 2008
American Government: Continuity and Change9th Editionto accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, Texas, and Essentials Editions
O’Connor and Sabato
The Evolution of News Media in the United States
News media: media providing the public with new information about subjects of public interest
Print media Newspapers were the first example of news media
Published in the colonies as early 1690 Federalists v. Antifederalists
Partisan newspapers Partisan press gave way to penny press
Penny press focus on scandal Cleveland v. Blaine scandals in the election 1884
The Evolution of News Media in the United States
Yellow journalism Form of newspaper publishing in vogue in the
late-nineteenth century that featured pictures, comics, color, and sensationalized, oversimplified news coverage
Hearst and Pulitzer
Muckraking Form of journalism, in vogue in the early 20th
century, concerned with reforming government and business conduct
Radio News
Radio: advent in early twentieth century was a media revolution Brought political figures into homes Fell behind television in mid-50s AM talk radio in mid-80s revival
Conservative commentators Liberal talk-radio less success Satellite radio
Television News First demonstrated in 1939 Expanded quickly Network vs. Cable news Comedy news programs
Regular viewers of The Daily Show (Jon Stewart) were found to know more about world events than non-viewers even when education, party identification, watching cable news, etc. are taken into account.
The New Media Media consumers, particularly those under
the age of 35, are abandoning traditional media outlets in favor of other sources. Internet
Today, 24 percent claim to get news from Internet
Major networks and newspapers also offer their news online Revenue from ads
Government news on Internet International news on Internet
Current Media Trends Print Media
The traditional form of mass media, comprising newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and journals
Broadcast Television, radio, cable, and satellite services
New Media Technologies, such as the Internet, that blur the
line between media sources and create new opportunities for the dissemination of news and other information
The Influence of Media Giants Only a handful of media outlets are influential
nationally. New York Times Wall Street Journal USA Today Christian Science Monitor Washington Post Los Angeles Times
They have reach through their own circulation, but also influence what the five major national networks and cable news organizations decide to focus on. Affiliates
Wire services also nationalize the news. News magazines also supplement these other sources.
Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report
Media Consolidation
Role of private ownership Media monopolies or near monopolies
Fear that these groups could limit the flow of information and the free flow of ideas that form the very essence of a free society and that make democracy possible
Market driven media industry
Other Trends Increasing Use of Experts Narrowcasting
Targeting media programming at specific populations within society
Public discontent with the media Technological Innovation
Blog: web-based journal entries that provide an editorial and news outlet for citizens
Rules Governing Media
Journalistic standards Government regulation of the
electronic media Content regulation
Equal time rule Fairness doctrine
Efforts to regulate media practices New York Times Co. v. U.S. (1971)
How the Media Cover Politicians And Government Communication between elected officials and public figures
and media Press release: document offering an official comment or
position Press briefing: relatively restricted session between a press
secretary or aide and the press Press conference: an unrestricted session between an elected
official and the press On background: information provided to a journalist that will
not be attributed to a named source Deep background: information provided to a journalist that will
not be attributed to any source Off the record: information provided to a journalist that will not
be released to the public On the record: information provided to a journalism that can be
released and attributed by name to the source
Covering the Presidency President is the focus of the most media coverage
Can summon the press at will FDR was the first to use the press conference as a
means to shape public opinion and explain his actions.
Press Secretary: existed since Hoover’s administration President’s main disseminator of information to the
press President gets the most coverage, but much of it is
negative G.W. Bush record low number of press conferences
Strategy to control his image
Covering Congress Size of Congress and its decentralized nature make it
difficult for the media to cover it Solve this problem by:
Giving leaders most attention Key committee chairs command center stage. Local newspapers and broadcast stations normally
devote some resources to covering their own representatives.
Coverage tends to be negative Focus on conflict May be part of the reason people view Congress so
negatively Investigative hearings may be televised
Covering the Supreme Court
Supreme Court remains a virtual media vacuum
Broadcast media ban in Court Use of audio recordings No cameras, but print and broadcast
reporters have access to the Court
The Media’s Influence on the Public Media effects
The influence of news sources on public opinion Reporting can sway people who are uncommitted and
have no strong opinions Media have a much greater impact on topics far
removed from the lives and experiences of readers and viewers
News organizations can help tell us what to think about, even if they cannot determine what we think
Agenda setting: the constant process of forming the list of issues to be addressed by government
Framing: the process by which a news organization defines a political issue and consequently affects opinion about the issue
The Public’s Perception of the Media Public opinion of media is relatively critical. Perceive media to be:
Politically biased Roadblocks to solving problems Inaccurate in their reporting Unwilling to admit mistakes
Most still view the national news media as credible.
Terrorist attacks shifted public opinion positively for a period.
Value the watchdog role of the news media
Media Bias 1980s and 1990s argument that media were liberally biased
because of the sheer number of journalists who leaned to the left. Another argument focuses on corporate interests and the influence
on what is covered. Media critics: focus on national news media’s lack of skepticism
regarding the invasion of Iraq Recent media bias is intentional and a response to increasing
fragmentation and competition among media Mainstream media losing market share while online, ethnic, and
alternative media are growing. Market position
CNN: 27 percent of Democrats; 20 percent of Republicans Fox News: 29 percent of Republicans; 14 percent of Democrats
Ideological fragmentation is viewed as a negative trend by those who believe that the mass media are essential to providing the facts to educate the public about policies.