Chapter 10Politics and the Media

Types of Media

• Print - newspapers, magazines, books

• Electronic - TV, radio, movies, music, internet

American’s Primary News Source

Print Versus Broadcast• Gazette of the U.S (Federalists) and National Gazette

(Republicans)• Print is more detailed with Op-ed section• Broadcast is more concise and graphics driven -

“sound bites”– Human interest versus issue specific– VCRs and channel surfers– Infotainment shows - 60 Minutes and 20/20

• Talk radio - 16% audience– 1200– Conservative ranting and raving– Limbaugh and Hightower

Political Role of the Media• Provides information public needs but wont

research

• Media performs three roles– Provides information about candidates and

political events (ads versus news coverage)– Provides conduit for public - government

communication– Performs watchdog function

• Adversarial or Symbiotic Relationship?– More interdependent than antagonistic

Organization and Ownership

• Traditionally locally owned and operated

• Telecommunications Act of 1996+ deregulated broadcast ownership+ allow local competition for phone service

• Movement toward national ownership

• ABC is owned by Disney, NBC by General Electric, CBS by Viacom, and CNN by AOL Time Warner

Nationalization of the News - Centralized Programming

• Associated Press Wire Service• As a result, Americans are receiving the

same news from the same perspective.• The local perspective is disappearing.• Exceptions in small news enclaves.

– Ethnic papers and radio stations– Conservative religious networks– Internet newsgroups and chat rooms

Local Media Sources

• Austin American Statesman - Cox Enterprises

• KTBS - Fox Entertainment Group

• KVUE - BELO Corp.

• KXAN - Lin Broadcasting

• KEYE - CBS Mass Media Corp.

• KNVA - Lin Broadcasting

• KLRU - Corporation for Public Broadcasting

• KVC - Fox Entertainment Group

Regulation of the Broadcast Media

• The print media in the United States are not controlled by the government.

• The broadcast media are regulated by FCC (5 year licenses)— equal time rule,

— right of rebuttal,

— fairness doctrine (no longer enforced).

Freedom of the Press

• Alien & Sedition Act - 1798• Unlike the broadcast media, the print media

are essentially unregulated.• The Supreme Court has repeatedly rejected

the notion of prior restraint (governmental attempts to stop publication of material it deems harmful).

• But libel and slander are not protected by the First Amendment.

Factors Shaping the News• Exactly what is news worthy

– Has to be relevant, exciting, familiar, timely– Timeliness, proximity and conflict most

important

• Values of Journalists– Liberals who vote democratic– Ideology or not covering “losers”

• Journalist Creed– Independence– Objective– Impartiality

Journalists• Editors versus reporters• Journalists can shape the news by changing the

angle of the story selection of interviewees/witnesses, visual images, or the words used to tell the story.

• Ideological bias– 61% liberal 89% Voted for Clinton– 9% conservative 7% Voted for Bush– 50% Democrats 4% Republicans

• Selection bias– Entertainment value– Sensationalism

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Positive To Negative Stories/Ads

Sources of the News

• The individuals or groups who are subjects of a news story can manipulate the coverage by determining how or when the story is told.

• Leaks

• Press releases

• True issue research takes time and effort.

The Media and Protests• Groups publicize issues through protests or

demonstrations• Violent reaction of southern police to civil

rights activists• Antiwar demonstrations in 1970s• Abortion rights demonstrations• Terrorism• More educated groups more successful

(WTO demonstrations in Seattle in 1999)

Shaping Events

• The visual images produced by the media can move public opinion.

• Civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and Watergate were all shaped in some way by media coverage.

The Sources of Media Power

• Agenda setting: the power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues

• Framing: the power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted– Episodic or specific human interest– Thematic or issue/policy specific– 1994/95 budget cuts example

• Shaping perceptions of leaders– Especially critical during elections

The Rise of Adversarial Journalism

• Growth in commercial advertising• The relationship between the media and

government has become increasingly adversarial over the last forty years.

• Vietnam and Watergate clearly demonstrate a change in the way the media covers government.

• Adversarial or symbiotic

21st Century News Media

• Cable versus Networks• Commentary versus Reporting• News (factual) versus Entertainment

(argument and opinion)• The survey says the news is-

– inaccurate 65% of time– unprofessional 32% of time– described as immoral 38% of time.

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The Erosion of Media Values

News and Politics on the Net

• 45% of population uses as source• Authorship and accuracy• Matt Drudge and tabloid reporting• Push technology• Cheapest way to convey information

– groups and parties and media– fund raising increasing

• Most candidates have campaign and office web pages

Media Power and Democracy

• The Free media are absolutely necessary for democracy.

• Media provide source of political knowledge necessary for popular participation.

• We depend on the media to serve as our watchdog.

• Decline in party power cause increase in media influence.

• Adversarial attitude produces cynicism and apathy in electorate.