Gov ch. 16

The Media

News media

media providing the public with new information about subjects of public interest

Social media

forms of electronic communication that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking

Agenda setting

The process of forming the list of issues to be addressed by the government

Mass media 

The entire array of organizations through which information is collected and disseminated to the general public

Wire service

An organization that gathers and reports on news then sells the stories to other outlets

Investigative journalism

An approach to news gathering in which reporters dig into stories, often looking for instances of wrongdoing 

Muckrakers

A form of journalism, early 20th century, devoted to exposing misconduct by the government, businesses, and individual politicians

Broadcast media

Outlet for news and other content including radio and television that bring stories directly into people’s homes

New media

All of the various digital platforms through which individuals receive, share, and produce content, increases the number of news media outlets, can be polarizing

Federal Communications Commission 

(aka FCC) An independent federal agency that regulates interstate and international communication by radio, television, phone, cable, and satellite

Media consolidation

The concentration of ownership of the media into fewer corporations

Telecommunications Act of 1996

Allows one company to own as many as 8 radio stations in large markets (5 in smaller ones) and as many as it wishes nationally

Horse-race journalism 

Coverage of political campaigns that focus more on the drama of the campaign than the policy issues

Impact of 24 hour coverage on cable news

Cable news offers around-the-clock news coverage, often with a partisan slant, blurred lines between information and entertainment

Impact of ideologically driven news consumption 

Increases polarization and leads people to support more partisan policies. For example, a person with conservative views will mainly get their news from conservative news outlets.

Impact of disregulation of broadcast media

led to increase consolidation as news firms tried to maximize profits, subscription for print being cancelled because people can read online for free

Impact of public concerns about media bias

Some claim the American news media has a partisan bias and that can be shaped by certain media outlets that run stories on the "biased media" which would encourage viewers to believe a bias exists.