MASS MEDIA AND AMERICAN POLITICS

Chapter 10

Essential Questions

How does a politician use the media to talk to the public and how does the public use the media to talk to a politician?

Does the media assist, impede or transform these messages?

The Mass Media Today

Modern political success depends upon control of the media.

Image making does not stop with the campaign

It is a critical element in day to day governing since politicians’ image s in the press are good indicators of their clout.

The 30 second president.

Meet the Master of the Mass Media

7 principles of ReaganPlan ahead

Stay on the offensive

Control the flow of information

Limit reporter’s access

Talk about the issues you want to talk about

Speak in one voice

Repeat the same message many times

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIA POLITICS

Development of Media Politics

First it was newspapers FDR first President to use media to

an advantage-1000 press conferences including “fire-side chats”

Vietnam creates an adversarial press/government relationship that is reinforced by the Watergate scandal.

Now the perspective of the press is investigative reporting—”dirty-laundry”

Television as Mass Media

Broadcast journalism replaces print journalism as the predominant for of news and information.

1960’s debate between Kennedy and Nixon in Black and White

Nation was taken to war with Nixon, exposed the gov’t naivite/ lying about the progress of war…today, embedded reporters

Cable follows/24-7 news/internet

Mass Media Regulation

Ownership by large corporations-dispels the myth of the “liberal press”( Rupert Murdoch owner of Fox News)

Regulation-FCC licensing controls-created in 1934 by Congress

FCC is an independent regulatory body but is subject to political pressures

Mass Media and Regulation

FCC regulates media markets in several ways. Prevents monopolies of broadcast

markets-limit on number of stations owned by same corporation

FCC conducts evaluations of media outlet for conformity to regulation

FCC has issued a number of fair treatment rules regarding access to airwave for political candidates and office holders

Fairness Doctrine

FCC required those with broadcast licenses to present controversial issues of public concern in a fair, equitable light

Not to be confused with equal time rule

Supreme Court upheld FCC power to enforce fairness doctrine but not an obligation to do so. Red Lion Broadcasting vs. FCC (1969)

1987-FCC abolished Fairness Doctrine-leads to growth of ideological news sources

Mass Media Regulation

Internet adds a whole new element Narrow-casting-increase of broadcast

channels that are oriented toward particularly narrow audiences

Traditional broadcasts are being replaced by blogs, The Daily Show, websites and misinterpreted YouTube postings

Does the FCC have the legal right to regulate the Web?

Reporting the News

American media is free and independent when it comes to journalistic content, yet completely dependent upon advertising revenues to keep the business going.

Profits shape how journalists define what is newsworthy, where they get their info and how they report it.

TV networks report the news, it is said, as to what is entertaining to the average viewer.

Media Conglomerates• WHO OWNS THE NEWS??? •WHO OWNS INFORMATION?

Media Conglomerates

Gannet owns USA Today and controls the biggest circulation in the nation + owns 100 additional papers -23 TV stations 19% of the market http://www.gannett.com/section/BRANDS&template=cover

Rupert Murdoch owns 124 radio stations, New York Post, Weekly Standard, and FOX News http://www.cjr.org/resources/?c=newscorp

Case Study - Viacom• Media Conglomerate – Viacom•CBS News Comedy Central•MTV Time Warner Cable•VH1 Spike•BET •Blockbuster•Paramount Pictures•Nickelodeon•DreamWorks•Showtime

Role of the Media Gatekeeper: influence what subjects become

national political issues, and for how long

Scorekeeper: the national media help make political reputations, horserace journalism

Watchdog: Following closely the front-runner candidates, searching for any past or current history that will make “news”—media maintains close eye on all important happenings of major candidates

Horserace Journalism

• Media coverage that focuses on poll results and political battles instead of policy

issues

• Refers to almost exclusive reporting on candidate differences rather than

similarities

Media’s effect on political preferences? It’s unclear…research is lackingBUT… TV may influence the political

agenda People unlikely to take cues from the

media about things that affect them personally

Media usually does more to REINFORCE beliefs than CHANGE opinion

Media and Political Campaigns

Advertising – very expensive on TV, way to reach many voters, raising campaign costs

News coverage – “free” coverage, politicians will attempt to create events where media will attend for free publicity Spin doctor – one who tries to influence

journalists with interpretations of events that are favorable to the candidate

Presidential Debates

Impact of Media on Politics “sound bites” – seconds long

segments Stories/political messages are

shortened, and made to seem less complex than reality

Trends in News Coveragemedia = primary link to American politics(linkage institution) TV: news reduced to 15-45 second

sound bites Rise of Talk Radio

9 out of 10 Americans listen to radio (esp. in cars)

Trends in News Coveragemedia = primary link to American politics Newspapers: even w/ competition

from Internet & cable, 63 million Americans read the paper National papers: Intense advertising competition 60% of cities have competing

newspapers

Criticism of the Media

Profit Motive: Strong competition, must keep one step ahead

Sensationalism and “feeding frenzy” Homogenization of the news: uniform

consistency Bias Irresponsible