AP GOV Ch 8 Vocab

Free Press

• the right of news media to operate without government interference, protected by the First Amendment

Associated Press (AP)

• non-profit news agency (wire service) that provides reports to thousands of media outlets, known for standardized, objective reporting

Yellow Journalism

• style of reporting from the late 1800s that prioritized sensationalism and scandal over facts to increase circulation

Sensationalism

• use of shocking or exaggerated stories to provoke public interest or excitement

Investigate Reporting

• deep, long-term research into a single topic (often crime or corruption) to uncover hidden truths

Expose

• piece of writing or a film that reveals shocking or hidden information to the public

Muckraker

• progressive-era journalists who sought to expose corruption in government and big business (the "original" investigative reporters)

Broadcast Network

• corporation (like ABC, CBS, or NBC) that provides programs to local stations across the country via airwaves

Adversarial Press

• national press corps that is suspicious of officialdom and eager to reveal unflattering stories about politicians

Journalistic Integrity

• moral code of journalism, emphasizing truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, and accountability

Gatekeeper

• media’s role in influencing which subjects become national political issues and for how long

Scorekeeper

• media’s role in keeping track of and helping make political reputations (who is "winning")

Horse-race Journalism

• type of scorekeeping that focuses on polling and who is "ahead" in an election rather than substantive policy issues

Watchdog

• media’s role in investigating personalities and exposing scandals; acting as a check on government power.

Bully Pulpit

• president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public

Press Conference

• interview given to journalists by a prominent person (like the President) in order to make an announcement or answer questions

C-SPAN

• private, non-profit corporation that broadcasts federal government proceedings (House and Senate sessions) without commentary

Libel

• written defamation; falsely attacking a person’s reputation in print

Slander

• spoken defamation; falsely attacking a person's reputation verbally

Prior Restraint

• government censorship of information before it is published (generally unconstitutional in the U.S.)

Pentagon Papers

• andmark 1971 case where the Supreme Court ruled against prior restraint, allowing the NYT to publish leaked classified documents about the Vietnam War

Branzburg v. Hayes

• 1972 case ruling that reporters do not have a constitutional right to withhold confidential sources from a grand jury.

Shield Laws

• state laws (there is no federal one yet) that protect reporters from having to reveal their confidential sources.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable.

Equal Time

• requirement that if a station sells time to one candidate, it must be willing to sell equal time to opposing candidates

Fairness Doctrine

• former FCC policy (abolished in 1987) that required broadcasters to present controversial issues of public importance in a balanced manner

National Public Radio (NPR)

• radio/podcast network; non-profit media org that produces + distributes news, info, & cultural programming

Public Broadcasting System (PBS)

• television network; non-commercial electronic media model funded primarily by govt grants, donations & corporate underwriting

Telecommunications Act

• deregulated the media industry, leading to massive consolidation and the rise of media conglomerates

Narrowcasting

• media programming on cable TV or the internet that is focused on a particular interest and aimed at a specific audience (e.g., ESPN, MTV, or Fox News

Selective Attention

• tendency of people to pay attention only to those news stories or viewpoints with which they already agree

Mainstream Media

• traditional forms of mass communication (newspapers, broadcast TV) that reach a broad, general audience

Talk Radio

• adio format containing discussion about topical issues, often dominated by conservative political viewpoints