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The Mass Media and Political Communication
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Transcript of The Mass Media and Political Communication
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The Mass Media and Political Communication
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Introduction
• The media can be defined as including all aspects of the transmission of cultural, social and political values in society.
• Although the written word is centuries old, mass communication (including radio and television) has only been firmly established in this past century.
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Introduction
• Most people are not closely involved with politics. So, communication of ideas and information has to be undertaken by other means – the media is essential to effective function of society.
• Look at where people get their ‘world news’ from– 62% T.V– 23% Newspapers– 14% Radio– 1% Talking to other people
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Introduction
• Public attitudes are affected by exposure to the media though there is strong disagreement over how.
• Although the media is a favourite target of abuse by politicians and the public, both sides enjoy a symbiotic relationship.
• Serious disagreements exist over how the media’s role and power in society should be interpreted which gives rise to conflicting theories
• Events like the Hutton Inquiry maintain the interest and topicality of this subject.
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The All-Pervasive Media
• Media take up is almost universal in society – whether electronic media or print.
• ¾ adults reads a daily national newspaper
• Look at Newspaper sales in 2003 ….
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The All-Pervasive Media
• The Sun 3.52m• Daily Mail 2.35m• Daily Mirror
1.96m• The Express
0.91m• Daily Telegraph
0.90m
• The Times 0.59m
• Daily Star 0.50m
• FT 0.49m
• Guardian 0.37m
• Independent 0.18m
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The All Pervasive Media
• Divisions between tabloid and broadsheet readers is becoming known as the ‘knowledge gap’.
• TV has become crucial with it dominating the sector and our lives. Average viewing figures of 3 hours per day per adult are typical.
• More educated people watch serious TV programmes, read broadsheets & are politically aware.
• Less well educated people watch entertainment TV, read tabloids and are less politically aware.
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Trivialisation of Politics
• Media blamed for trivialisation – the resulting knowledge gap stifling intellectual discussion and undermining democracy
• Undue concentration on personalities and gossip rather than the policies of politicians has detracted from serious debate.
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Trivialisation of Politics
• The politics of the ‘sound bite’ and the messages of the spin doctors who manipulate the flow of information to the media compound matters.
• The age of ‘infotainment’ is here – the OJ Simpson trial, the Louise Woodward trial, the antics of Bill Clinton when president.
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Impact of the Media
• Difficult to measure its actual impact on people in relation to other influences.
• Different types of media have different effects which mean that its difficult to generalise.
• Problem of establishing cause and effects with all media.
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Theories of the Media
• Reinforcement theory – can only reinforce attitudes which already exist because
– a) in a competitive market the media are forced to give the public what they want to hear/read
– b) unwanted messages are ignored, distorted, filtered out by readers
• Conclusion – media effects are minimal
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Theories of the Media
• Agenda Setting – media can’t determine what we think but can determine what we think about
– Widespread media attention helps concentrate the public attention on issues
– Can keep hardcore politics off the agenda by filling papers full of mindless rubbish
– Journalists in ‘echo chambers’ (talking among themselves and taking cues from each other about what's important)
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Theories of the Media
• Priming Theory – the way in which the media presents the story determines or influences how citizens see the story and evaluate it.
– Human interest story or gov statistics– Bad news – sells papers but creates
videomalaise– Fast forward syndrome
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Theories of the Media
• Pluralist Accounts
– media is generally objective, issuing facts, offering balanced coverage, carrying criticisms of government and aiding the democratic process – extending free speech in a free society.
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Theories of the Media• Pluralist Accounts
Impartiality is required. of broadcasters
Free competition ensures that newspapers provide a range of competing and different perspectives.
Any bias in sympathies is a reflection of popular opinion.
That the media comes into conflict with politicians and government demonstrates a healthy system of checks on political behaviour.
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Theories of the Media
Pluralist Critique
‘Pure’ and ‘objective facts are illusory since all news is sifted, ordered and presented in a certain frame of reference.
Power in the media tends towards oligarchy, prejudicial to minority &/or unpopular issues/groups/opinions
High barriers to entry – capital costs are prohibitive; ownership increasingly concentrated
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Theories of the Media
Dominant Values•Media power is not diffuse but concentrated.
•Ownership is in few hands.
•Viewpoints expressed reflect this imbalance of power.
•Media sustains dominant values of establishment – big business, high finance, party political elites.
•Media moguls crave influence but also profit.
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Analysing Bias and Distortion
• With so much at stake it is not surprising that the question of bias and distortion is a constant concern.
• Restrictions do exist on the unfettered right of newspapers, and more especially, broadcasters to behave as they please.
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Analysing Bias and Distortion
• For newspapers, the Press Council, later the Press Complaints Commission (from 1991), exist to promote decent standards but have few powers.
• Paparazzi and chequebook journalism produced calls for a right to privacy and a right to reply.
• In response to ‘excesses’ by some newspapers, the Calcutt Report (1993) recommended a statutory code of conduct – the government rejected it.
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Analysing Bias and Distortion
• Television is seen as less prone to overt bias but distortion occurs all the same.
• The BBC, ITC, ASA, BSC, all existed to regulate the electronic media - Now OFCOM.
• TV news reporting and documentaries can be more objective and can shape public opinion and force the hand of politicians. Similarly, investigative journalism in newspapers can be to the public good.
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The Future
• The Hutton Inquiry has put the nature of the relationship between the media and the government sharply into focus.
• "What the report shows very clearly is this: the prime minister told the truth. The government told the truth. I told the truth. The BBC, from the chairman and director general down, did not.“ Alistair Campbell
• What of Greg Dyke’s new book deal?
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