Politics, Power and the Media
Brian M ConleySuffolk University.
Government Department
Politics, Power and the Media
How do we Define Our Terms:
Politics?Power?The Media?
It is always important to try to define your terms.
Politics, Power and the Media
How do we Define Our Terms:
Politics?One definition…
“Politics is who gets what, when, and how.” -Harold Laswell.
Any others?
Politics, Power and the Media
How do we Define Our Terms:
Power? Here there are several well-known schools of thought, among
them:
1) Pluralism (First Face or Dimension) 2) Agenda-Setting (Second Face or Dimension) 3) Hegemony (Third Face or Dimension)
Three Faces of Power
Face of Power Features Inaction
Pluralism System is unfair, but open. You can act on your grievances.
Apathy, and ignorance.
Agenda-Setting Those who control the agenda, control policy outcomes.
Rational calculation.
Hegemony Those who shape perception, define what is politically possible.
Consequences of power: grievances are not recognized.
Politics, Power and the Media
How do we Define Our Terms:
The Media?How do we study the media?
1. Study the views of individual reporters, editors or owners?2. Study the media institutionally (or as an institution)?
Politics, Power and the Media
How do we Define Our Terms:
The Media?How do we study the media?
1. Study the views of individual reporters, editors or owners?2. Study the media institutionally (or as an institution)?
Advantages of an Institutional Analysis: Link Bias with OwnershipHow is media content determined?
Politics, Power and the Media
Media Ownership: Trend Toward Consolidation (1980s-)
Media Ownership: News Corporation (Fox)
TV: DBS & Cable Magazine Books Other
FOXTELBSkyBStarDirecTVSky ItaliaFox News Channel Fox Movie Channel FX FUELNational Geographic ChannelSPEED ChannelFox Sports Net FSN New England (50%)FSN Ohio FSN FloridaNational Advertising PartnersFox College SportsFox Soccer ChannelStats, Inc.Film20th Century Fox Fox Searchlight Pictures Fox Television Studios Blue Sky Studios
last updated 08/16/10
InsideOut donna hay SmartSource The Weekly Standard TV Guide (partial)
Newspapers
United StatesNew York PostWall Street Journal
United KingdomNews International News of the World The Sun The Sunday Times The Times
AUSTRAL/ASIA
Daily TelegraphFiji TimesGold Coast BulletinPost-Courier
HarperMorrow AccessAmistadCaedmonAvon EccoEosFourth EstateHarperAudioHarperBusinessHarperCollinsHarper Design InternationalHarperEntertainmentHarperLargePrintHarperResourceHarperSanFranciscoHarperTorchPerennialPerfectBoundQuillRayoReganBooksWilliam Morrow
Other Los Angeles Kings (NHL, 40% option) Los Angeles Lakers (NBA, 9.8% option) Staples Center (40% owned by Fox/Liberty) News Interactive Fox Sports Radio Network Sky Radio DenmarkSky Radio GermanyBroadsystem Classic FMFestival Records Fox Interactive IGN Entertainment Mushroom RecordsMySpace.comNational Rugby League NDS News Outdoor
Media: Institutional Structure
Owners
Publishers Publishers Publishers
Editors Editors Editors Editors Editors
Consumer Report Report Report Report Report Report
Advertiser
How is media content determined?
Media: Institutional Structure
Owners
Publishers Publishers Publishers
Editors Editors Editors Editors Editors
Consumer Report Report Report Report Report Report
Advertiser
How is media content determined?In what direction does power (decision-making) flow?
Power: Owners down to Reporters
Media: Institutional Structure
Owners
Publishers Publishers Publishers
Editors Editors Editors Editors Editors
Consumer Report Report Report Report Report Report
Advertiser
How is media content determined?In what direction does power (decision-making) flow?
Power: Reporters up to Owners
Media: Institutional Structure
Owners
Publishers Publishers Publishers
Editors Editors Editors Editors Editors
Consumer Report Report Report Report Report Report
Advertiser
Direction of influence helps address the bias question.
Power: Owners down to Reporters
More Conservative: Republican
Media: Institutional Structure
Owners
Publishers Publishers Publishers
Editors Editors Editors Editors Editors
Consumer Report Report Report Report Report Report
Advertiser
Direction of influence helps address the bias question. Power: Reporters up to Owners
More Liberal: Democratic
Politics, Power and the Media
Media Bias: Liberal or Conservative Bias?Who shapes the content of news reporting?
1. Owners and Publishers (More Conservative)?2. Reporters (More Liberal)?
Research Design: Examine how the media covers or discusses certain issues.
Political Spectrum: US Politics
Left: Public Positive Liberty: Freedom to…
Center: Public-Private Hybrid
More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less
Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…
Politics, Power and the Media
Political Spectrum: US Politics
Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…
Left: Public Positive. Liberty: Freedom To…
Center: Public-Private Hybrid
More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less
Public Democratic Party PrivatePublic Democratic Party Private
Politics, Power and the Media
Political Spectrum: US Politics
Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…
Left: Public Positive. Liberty: Freedom To…
Center: Public-Private Hybrid
More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less
Politics, Power and the Media
Public Republican Party PrivatePublic Republican Party Private
US Politics: Health Care Reform
Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…
Left: Public Positive. Liberty: Freedom To…
Center: Public-Private Hybrid
More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less
Public Democratic Party PrivatePublic Democratic Party Private
Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance
Politics, Power and the Media
US Politics: Health Care Reform
Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…
Left: Public Positive. Liberty: Freedom To…
Center: Public-Private Hybrid
More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less
Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance
Politics, Power and the Media
How often did the New York Times refer to differing health care policy options? (March 2010)
13 21 16
US Politics: Health Care Reform
Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…
Left: Public Positive. Liberty: Freedom To…
Center: Public-Private Hybrid
More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less
Single Payer Public Option Private Ins/Health CSingle Payer Public Option Private Ins/Health C
Politics, Power and the Media
How often did the New York Times refer to differing health care policy options? (April 2009- April 2010)
104 357 223
22
Politics, Power and the Media
US Politics: Social Security Privatization
Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…
Left: Public Positive. Liberty: Freedom To…
Center: Public-Private Hybrid
More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less
Public Republican Party PrivatePublic Republican Party Private
Public Social Security Private Investment Public Social Security Private Investment
Politics, Power and the Media
Politics, Power and the Media
How do we Define Our Terms:
The Media?There are several well-established debates concerning the media:
1. Is the media bias (how do you measure that)?2. Is the media free (who owns the media)?
Any others?
Politics, Power and the Media
Explaining QuiescenceWhy, in circumstances of inequality, do challenges to that inequality notalways occur? “What is there in certain situations of social deprivation that prevents issues from arising, grievances from being voiced, or interests from being recognized?”
How do we explain inaction in the face of inequality. This is the key question
Gaventa is attempting to answer.
Power and Participation
Gaventa Thesis: Political Participation Shaped by Power (4)“In situations of inequality, the political response of the deprived group or
class may be seen as a function of power relationships…”
Protocols of Persuasion
What is the Nature of Power? (4)Lukes: Three dimensions or faces of power.
1) First: Pluralists 2) Second: Agenda-Setting 3) Third: Hegemony
Three Faces of Power
1) One-Dimensional Approach: Pluralists (5)
Theory of Power: A has power over B to the extent that A can getB to do something he otherwise would not do.
Characteristics of A Plural System:1) Grievances are freely acted upon, when they develop.2) System is open “to virtually every group”3) Leaders function not as “elites,” but as
representatives and may be studied as such.
Three Faces of Power
1) One-Dimensional Approach: Pluralists (5)
Theory of Non-Participation: Since system is open, and there is no block no getting involved, non-participation is thought to result from inertia, or apathy. That is, it results from some personal defect of those who do not participate. (6-7)
Three Faces of Power
Two-Dimensional Approach: Agenda-Setting (8)
Schattschneider: non-participation results from the “suppression of options.”
“Whoever decides what the game is about also decides who gets in the game.” (8-9)
Three Faces of Power
Two-Dimensional Approach: Agenda-Setting (8)
Bachrach and Baratz: Power works to shape not only who is included and excluded, but also which issues and problems are included and excluded. (9)
Three Faces of Power
Two-Dimensional Approach: Agenda-Setting (8)
Mobilization of Bias: Organizations are designed to favor certain individuals or issues and
disadvantage others.
Example: US Steel and Air Pollution (9)Gary Indiana: People did not pursue air pollution issue, or challenge US Steel because of its assumed power. “The reputation for power may have been more important than its exercise. It could have enabled US Steel to prevent political action without taking action itself.” (9)
Three Faces of Power
Alternate Theory of non-participationInaction is related to power:
Limits of Second Face: Does not Consider How Power May Effect
Conception of Grievances (10-11)It failures to see that the absence of a grievance may itself be a consequence
of power. (11)
Three Faces of Power
Three-Dimensional Approach: Hegemony (11)Theory of Power: “Not only might A exercise power over B by prevailing in
the resolution of a key issue, but also through affecting B’s conceptions of issues altogether.”
A over BPower is ability not only to get B to do A wants, whether B wanted to or not, but to directly shape what B wants, or thinks “he” wants. (12)
Three Faces of Power
Three-Dimensional Approach: Hegemony (11)This type of control may happen in absence of conflict, which has been
averted.
Theory of ParticipationTheory of Power cannot focus on actually behavior: it must consider also the
way in which “potential” conflicts or debates are avoided, or prevented from ever occurring. (12)
Both 2nd and 3rd faces of Power help us explain inaction in the face of inequality.
Three Faces of Power
Face of Power Features Inaction
Pluralism System is unfair, but open. You can act on your grievances.
Apathy, and ignorance.
Agenda-Setting Those who control the agenda, control policy outcomes.
Rational calculation.
Hegemony Those who shape perception, define what is politically possible.
Consequences of power: grievances are not recognized.
Three Faces of Power
Corporate Personhood:Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad (118 U.S. 394 1886)
Fourteenth Amendment:Section 1 (of 4). All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Top Related