Media Unit 3 Notes M. Mass Media Form of communication that can reach large audiences (**news media...
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Transcript of Media Unit 3 Notes M. Mass Media Form of communication that can reach large audiences (**news media...
Media Unit 3 Notes M
Mass Media Form of communication that can reach large
audiences (**news media is media that emphasizes just the news)
Media is a link between the government and people
Interviews and Reports on government Programs
Interview, poll results, cover protests
What is news? What’s going on at the time Interviews/facts/what others want you to
know Celebs, war, government, important
events
Horse Race journalism Media focuses on polls and who is ahead
during campaigns rather than issues
Print Media Newspapers: Most influential =
Wallstreet Journal, NY Times, Washington Pst
Magazines: Most influential = Time, US News and World Report and Newsweek
Broadcast Media 1) Radio – FDR’s “Fireside Chats”, Talk
Radio (usually conservative) 2) TV – 3 major networks = ABC, NBC,
and CBS; cable (continuous coverage) = Fox, CNN, MSNBC
3) Internet – mostly people under 30 Politico.com and Huffington Post Blogs, websites to connect with
governemnt
Functions of Media
Entertainment Popular culture Take citizen’s minds off negative
political events
News Newspapers have been a source of
information since the 1700s Radio and TV and increasingly internet
are most prominent formats now (and give a different tone/perspective)
CNN: liberal Fox: conservative
Public Forums Politicians use the media to promote
careers President has direct access to use the
media to set policy agenda (set of issues, problems or subjects that are important and addressed by policy makers)
How journalists and officials interact Press release: official written statement
issues to journalists Press brief: restricted questioning of
press secretary/officials Press conference: questioning of
government officials Leaks: when information is anonymously
released to press
Rules for journalists On record: can quote Off record: can’t quote or print
information On background: can print, but can’t give
officials name On deep background: can print but can’t
tell source
No Libel or Slander! Libel – written defamation of character Slander – spoken defamation of
character
NY Times v. Sullivan – only libel if it is knowingly untrue or there is a reckless disregard for truth
NY Times v. US government can’t censor the press (1st
amendment) Pentagon papers case
Media and the President President can address the nation at any
time on all networks Speech, brief, conference, sound bite
(clip) Press Secretary – link between president
and media Media focuses more on president than
Congress (one person vs. many, campaigns and issues more high profile)
Media and Congress Cover: hearings, oversight,
investigations, scandals, vote on bills, C-Span
Who gets attention? Entire group, Speaker of House, Minority and Majority Leaders, Committee Chairs, Whips
Receive less attention than the President
Media and SCOTUS TV is not allowed in SCOTUS Written/audio transcripts released at
end of session Since Bush v. Gore (2000) some audio
recordings allowed on case by case basis
Effect of Media on politics Influential in determining what
information people get Agenda setting = ability of media to
shape what is important and what make it onto policy agenda
Adversarial Press tendency of the media to be suspicious
of officials and eager to reveal unflattering information
Starts with Vietnam and Watergate
Roles played by the Media Scorekeeper: keeps track of “horse
race” aspect of political campaigns Gatekeeper: decides who/what becomes
important shapes policy agenda Watchdog: investigative journalism
watches and exposes details about candidates and officials
Homogenization Media events report on the same topics,
events, people Why? Less local news, more media
conglomerates and national news
Our Perceptions Selected Perception: people perceive
what they want to from media messages
Selected exposure: process in which individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own beliefs
Media Bias Does media favor certain point of view
or ideology? Journalists are … mostly liberal (up to
90% vote Democratic)
FCC Regulates all media outlets Conflicts arise over regulation v. 1st
amendment Compromise = rating scale and delay in
live tv
FTC Regulates merger of media outlets
Freedom of Information Act 1966 federal agencies must make documents
available to public Exceptions: national security, internal
practices, personal files Expanded under Clinton to include
electronic files George W. Bush issues executive order
to restrict access to former presidential records
Sunshine Laws Over 50 department meetings open to
public Government can’t conduct business in
private Gives media a chance to cover and
report
Fairness Doctrine Media must present both sides Equal time rule – give candidates equal
coverage Dissolved in 1987 – media should be
objective on its own