The Media

What is Media?

•Media▫Transmitting thoughts and ideas

•Mass▫The impact on a large number of people

Organizational Structure of News Media•Major Corporations own multiple stations

▫Viacom, Paramount, Turner Broadcasting▫Can legally own more than 20 stations

•Newspapers▫Gannett Corporation owns more than 82

newspapersPotential problems….

Homogenous reporting across multiple stations

Role of Print Media

1. Partisan1. Report from 1 perspective

1. Harsh treatment of certain issues or individuals

2. Public1. Cheap newspapers to literate population2. Mass circulation

1. Watered down2. Sensationalistic3. Must appeal to many

3. Objective•Appearance of reporting from all sides – can’t be done!

▫ Include or exclude certain items▫ Emphasis or de-emphasis of issues▫ positive or negative slant

4. Interpretive•reporter to interpret and analyze what is said and done

▫ Will advocate certain policy positions of either the establishment or its opponents

Government Control of Media• Judicial

▫1st Amendment No prior restraint on publication but responsible

for publication! Restrictions more on T.V.

▫Right to information Freedom of Information Act

Citizens have right to obtain information Branzburg v. Hayes 1972

No special access for reporters to info not given to the public

Richmond Newspapers vs. Virginia 1987 Public access to trials and government bureaucracy

•Executive▫Appoint members to FCC▫White House Press Corps

•Legislative▫$$ for PBS▫Allocate broadcast frequencies▫FCC 1934

Manage electronic communications Assign broadcast frequencies Protect public interest

•State▫Protect sources

Shield Laws – protect reporters sources

How does the Media interact with the Public? •How are decisions made to pick news

stories?▫Impact▫Natural or man made violence, disaster,

scandal▫Up to date stories▫Local events

•What is News?▫Broadcast Media

What is news, What is entertainment? Infotainment Cheaper for late night news programs – 48

Hours Tabloid News – Hard Copy, A Current Affair

▫Print Media More depth and coverage but… More sections of the Newspapers

Sports, comics, weather, Human Interest

What is the relationship between Media and politics????• Campaign Coverage

▫ Strategy planning▫ Horse Racing Image – race as a competition▫ Hoopla Excitement – exciting events▫ Real Issues – substantive issues▫ Candidate character▫ Polling▫ Common man interviews▫ Current Political events – link candidates with events▫ Media Usage – report on other media’s coverage▫ Expert Commentary – political experts

•Pack Journalism▫Report politicians statements▫Repeat other reporters statements

•Initiatives during 1992 campaign▫Try to avoid manipulation by candidates

and party’s Fewer reports of pre-staged events

▫Bypass network news political media MTV, interview shows

Media Bias

•Difficult to classify▫Assume there is a 50/50 treatment

•Keys to selecting and reporting new stories▫Access to info▫Succinctness▫newsworthiness

General Government News Reporting•Major sources for political and economic

news▫National Government

Official events Press conferences Interviews Staged events Leaks

▫Foreign Governments▫Pollsters

•National Wire services▫AP▫UPI▫Reuters

•Interest Groups

Influences on and of Congress•C-Span

▫House of Representatives Open floor debate Nixon impeachments hearings

▫Senate Open floor debate** could be seen by over 150 million, but

barley 21.6 tune in!!

Problems – very slow, tedious, focus on leadership and on committees

Influences on and of the Executive•Promote agenda•Focus on politics not policy•Concentrate on personality not issues•May promote disinformation

▫May be used to influence future events

Influences on and of the Court

•VERY LITTLE!!!!•No access to judges

Views on the Media

•Helps to form public opinion▫Repeated coverage of an issue▫Coverage or no coverage of

candidates/stories▫Time given to story▫Story placement ▫Spinning▫Source of information▫Impact on public agenda▫Withholding info

Why is impact of media declining?•Family beliefs, church, community•Small numbers read newspapers, watch

broadcast news•Select to watch programs that offer

programs that support pre-existing beliefs•Cannot understand rapid fire news

broadcast•Fear new technology

Why is media impact increasing?•Decentralization of access to info and

transmission lines with new technologies▫New sources to get info▫More control by individuals

•Development of new codes of ethics and definitions of civic responsibility

Ronald Reagan