The MediaChapter 6

USA Today

The Wall Street Journal

The New York Times

National Enquirer

Time

Newsweek

US News & World Report

Alternative Newsmagazines

Radio

• Larger audience• More entertainment value• Personality-based & immediate

• 1933: FDR’s first “fireside chat”• 1937: Hindenburg explosion

Television

• 1960: in 87% of US households• Reshapes the political landscape• 1980: CNN (Turner) begins 24-hr news• 1996: Fox News (Murdoch) makes it

visually appealing, begins “news” empire

• 1960 Presidential Debate

1960 Presidential Debate

24-hr Cable News

Gov’t Regulation of the Media

• Federal Radio Act (1927)– Created licensing of radio stations (public airwaves)

• Federal Communications Commission est. 1934– independent federal agency that regulates radio,

television, telegraph, cable & satellite transmission

• Telecommunications Act of 1996– Relaxed/scrapped limitations on media ownership– Consolidation of broadcast, telephone & cable– Lifted rate regulations for cable systems

Regulation of Content

• Fairness Doctrine– Broadcasters must provide fair coverage of all

views on public issues

• Equal opportunities rule– Broadcasters must make equal time available

(same circumstances) to all political candidates

• Reasonable access rule: – Broadcasters must make their facilities available

(to all responsible elements in the community) to express conflicting views

Functions of the Media

• Hard News – Serious & timely events that warrant coverage

• Soft News / infotainment – Information & diversion focused on personalities

or celebrities…usually unrelated to public affairs or policy

• Yellow Journalism – Sensationalistic, irresponsible journalism – “The Yellow Kid” from the NY World– Glen Beck Example

Reporting the News• News

– important event that has happened within the past 24 hours• White House Press Corps

– Reporters regularly assigned to cover the president (~7000 reporters)

• Press Secretary– Represents the White House before the media– Currently: Josh Earnest– Daily Show: White House Press Secretary Job Description 2005

Interpreting & Presenting the News

• Gatekeepers– media executives, news editors, and prominent reporters

who direct the flow of news

• Sound Bite– Brief statement of no longer than a few seconds used on a

radio or television broadcast

• Horse race journalism– election coverage by the mass media that focuses on

which candidate is ahead rather than on national issues.

• Media events – Events so “newsworthy” that the media are compelled to

cover it

Sound Bites

• Politicians and other public figures now write speeches to accommodate this trend. Short sound bites means less analysis & explanation!

Setting the Political Agenda

• Political agenda– List of issues that need government attention

• Muckraker– Journalist, author or filmmaker who investigates &

exposes societal issues… often sensationalistic

Evaluating the Media• Bias

– Inclination or preference that interferes with impartial judgment

– Two sides of the bias argument:a) Reporters are said to have a liberal biasb) Media owners have a conservative bias

• Spin– Particular viewpoint or bias; slant

• Watchdog journalism– press scrutiny of public and business; investigating & publicizing

misconduct

• Attack journalism– press coverage that questions the character or qualifications of

a public official

Ownership

• Media Ownership– 1983: 50 corps own a majority of media outlets– Today: 7 corps own a majority of media outlets– http://www.corporations.org/media/– (TV Funhouse video)

• Interlocking Directorates– http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2870

• 1980s: Business & media deregulation begins• 1996: Telecommunication Act relaxed limits