AP Government: Chapter Seven

Mass Media and the Political Agenda

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Government & Media

Definitions

• High Tech Politics: Politics in which the behavior of citizens and policymakers as well as the political agenda itself is increasingly shaped by technology

• Mass Media: Key part; TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and internet; Reach and profoundly influence not only the elites but also the masses

• Media Event: Staged primarily for the purpose of being covered

• Press Conferences: Presidential meeting with reporters

Opinion Leaders

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Investigative Reporting

• Detective-like reporting methods to unearth scandals

Federal Communications Commission

• 1934 Congress created FCC to regulate use of airwaves

• Radio, TV, telephone, cable, satellite

• Congress uses its control over purse strings to influence commission

FCC Members

Media’s Influence

• 2/3 Americans subscribe to cable TV

• Narrow casting: focus on particular group; particular interest (C-SPAN, CNN, ESPN, etc)

• American media is free and independent when it comes to journalistic content, they are totally dependent on advertising revenues to keep their businesses going

• Major media in America are big business today and potentially the source of great profits

Massive Conglomerates

• Today’s media conglomerates control newspapers with over 80% of the nation’s daily circulation

• 4/5 newspaper subscribers now read a newspaper owned not by a fearless local editor but by a corporation headquartered elsewhere (many control TV and radio stations as well)

• News reporting is a business in America

Definitions

• Beat: Specific locations from which news often emanates

• Trial Balloons: information leaked to see what the political reaction will be

• Sound bites: 15 secs. or less on TV (of political speeches