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Mass Media and the Political Agenda AP U.S. Government and Politics Edwards – Chapter 7 “The press in America… determines what people will think and talk about, an authority that in other nations is reserved for tyrants, priests, parties, and mandarins.” - Theodore H. White The Media • Since the late 20th Century, the American political system has been in a period of high-tech politics. – Behavior of individuals and the political agenda are increasingly shaped by technology. • Mass media – Television, radio, newspapers, the internet, and other means of popular communication. – Also called the press or the news media. – News – The news media’s version of reality. The Mass Media Today • Today, politicians use the media to gain control over the political agenda. – Politicians use media events to send messages to the American public. – Sixty percent of presidential campaign spending is on TV ads. – Media events and commercials are used to convey a positive image of a politician or candidate. Historical Development of the Media • The earliest U.S. newspapers were supported by political parties. – The Federalist vs. anti-Federalist debate played out in various partisan newspapers. – partisan press – newspapers and other communication media that openly support a political party and whose news tends to follow the party line. • Technological innovation brought about the gradual decline of partisan newspapers. – Papers were cheaper to produce, freeing printers from their dependence on the political parties for money. • “Yellow Journalism,” based on the use of pictures, comics, and color, emerged as a way to attract readers. Historical Development of the Media, cont. – Many publishers felt yellow journalism was excessive, and sought to report news more responsibly. – This led to objective journalism, which was based on presenting facts instead of opinions and being fair by reporting all sides of an issue. • In the 1920s, hundreds of radio stations were broadcasting in the U.S. – At first, the government didn’t regulate radio. – The Communications Act created the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). • Placed restrictions on radio in terms of political content. • Television followed in the 1950s. – The “Fairness Doctrine” required broadcasters to be objective. Historical Development of the Media, cont. • The development of cable television changed the role of media in politics. – Since cable is privately owned and not broadcasted over public airwaves, cable stations didn’t have to comply with the Fairness Doctrine. • Cable caused the FCC to rescind the Fairness Doctrine. – Many radio stations began airing political talk shows. – Rupert Murdoch launched Fox News, a cable news network that appeals to conservatives. • In the 1990s, the internet was developed. – This made it easy for more people to become involved in politics through blogs or websites. Reporting the News • The quest for profit determines that journalists consider newsworthy. – Most news stories come from well-established sources, like Congress or the White House. • Reporters are assigned beats, specific locations from where news usually comes. – Most news stories are compressed into segments that are about thirty seconds long. • Americans usually hear sound bites, about 10 seconds long, instead of speeches. Functions of the Media in the U.S. • For most people, politics is a second-hand experience, something observed through the media. • The media act as gatekeepers, determining which events will be covered. • The media is responsible for reporting the news. • Signaling function - the media has taken the responsibility of alerting the public to important developments as they occur. – The media is also responsible for setting the policy agenda. • The policy agenda is the collection of issues that attract the attention of public officials. • Agenda setting represents the power of the media to focus the public’s attention on particular events or problems. • Most national media cover the same stories and usually interpret them similarly. Functions of the Media in the U.S., cont. – Entertainment is another function of the media. • Sometimes, TV shows or music artists can have subtle or overt political messages. – The media also has a common carrier function, where it acts as a political forum. • The media serves as a way for politicians (and regular citizens) to express their ideas. – Debates, letters to the editor, etc. – The media also identifies public problems. • “Watchdog Function” • The media exposes problems such as pollution, corruption, crime, and economic problems. • This helps set the public agenda and creates pressure for politicians to address those problems. Functions of the Media in the U.S., cont. – The media acts as an important agent of political socialization. • People’s beliefs and ideology are shaped in part by the media’s programming. – The media is always trying to make a profit. • Because ad revenue is based on popularity, media outlets try to appeal to the largest amount of people possible. • This impacts what a media outlet will report or show. – Advertisers have pulled commercials from TV broadcasts because they found the content objectionable. Current News Media Trends • Four major trends exist in today’s news media. – Corporate Ownership and Media Consolidation • Modern media is dominated by a few mega-corporations. • The top six media chains account for 90% of news media content. – Narrowcasting • Targeting media programming at specific populations within society. – Infotainment • TV programs that blend political news and information with entertainment. – Increasing Use of Experts • News media employ consultants from different disciplines. Media Bias – The media now has a partisan function. • This refers to media actors’ efforts to influence public response to a particular party, leader, issue, or viewpoint. – Traditional media is neutral, for the most part, in their coverage. • Broadcast Networks, Newspapers – The most successful talk shows lean conservative. • Rush Limbaugh, FOX News – The most popular liberal talk shows are based on comedy. • The Daily Show, Real Time with Bill Maher – Most successful political blogs on the internet have a liberal bias. Media Bias, cont. – Narrowcasting – targeting media programming at specific populations within society. • FOX News and MSNBC target people with specific ideologies. – Many critics feel that the media has a liberal bias overall. • Citizens of both parties feel that the media isn’t trustworthy. – Some critics feel that racial bias exists in the media, where the media portrays minorities more negatively than it does whites. – Many feel that the media has a commercial bias, avoiding controversial issues to try and keep their audiences as large as possible. Attention to News • The U.S. news system is larger than ever. – Despite this, the interest in news has declined since the 1980s. • The development of cable made it easier for people to avoid the news. • Newspaper circulation also declined. – Today’s daily news audience consists mainly of older adults. • 40% of young adults pay little or no attention to news. • Young adults are more likely to see biased outlets as legitimate news. • Is there an age “information gap” between older and younger Americans? Role of the Media in Campaigns • Media, especially TV, plays an important role in campaigns in three major ways. – Advertising – Election campaigns spend the majority of their money on TV advertising because most Americans get their political information from TV. – Management of News Coverage – Campaigns try to create news coverage by setting up media events. • Every campaign tries to put a positive spin on news related to their campaign. – Debates – Candidate's performance in debates is important because they are widely watched. • Debates allow the candidates to project their image to voters. • Horse race journalism – coverage that focuses on who is “ahead” rather than the issues. • The internet is also now a popular medium with campaigns. – Advertising, recruiting volunteers, raising money Media and the Government • Because of media influence, government officials keep close tabs on the news. • Communication between elected officials and the media occurs in several ways. • Press releases – documents offering official comments or positions. • Press briefing – relatively restricted session between a press secretary and the press. • Press conference – unrestricted meeting of public officials with reporters. Media and the government, cont. • The media cover all three branches, but the president gets the most coverage. • The attention of the press to the White House allows the president to appear on TV on very short notice. – Bully pulpit – an advantageous position allowing one to make his views known and rally support. • The president’s press secretary is in charge of daily communication between the White House and the media. • The press secretary must convince the media of the importance of the president’s position and defend his decisions. Media and the government, cont. • Congress’ size makes it difficult for the media to cover. – Media usually concentrates on the Speaker of the House, Majority & Minority Leaders, and heads of prominent committees. • Less coverage is given to the Supreme Court. – Most justices don’t seem eager to become more media friendly. • Media coverage of the three branches is disproportionally negative. – Especially President and Congress Government Regulation of Media • The Telecommunications Act of 1996 eliminated many of the rules that once governed media. – This led to the creation of media conglomerates, one company that owns many media outlets. • Television and radio are subject to greater regulation than newspapers and magazines. – TV and radio signals are sent out to the public, therefore are governed more strictly. • Tension between government and media usually is a result of broadcasting sensitive information. – In 2010, WikiLeaks released classified documents and the government said this endangered the lives of American soldiers serving in the Middle East.