Mass Media and American Politics
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Transcript of Mass Media and American Politics
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MASS MEDIA AND AMERICAN POLITICS
Chapter 10
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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?
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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.
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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
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIA POLITICS
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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”
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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?
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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.
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Media Conglomerates• WHO OWNS THE NEWS??? •WHO OWNS INFORMATION?
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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
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Case Study - Viacom• Media Conglomerate – Viacom•CBS News Comedy Central•MTV Time Warner Cable•VH1 Spike•BET •Blockbuster•Paramount Pictures•Nickelodeon•DreamWorks•Showtime
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Impact of Media on Politics “sound bites” – seconds long
segments Stories/political messages are
shortened, and made to seem less complex than reality
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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)
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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
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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