Govt module 3: Chapter7: Political Communications and the Evolving Media Landscape Study Guide
Roles and Functions of the Media in Political Communications
Overview of Media Roles: The media operates within a specific set of roles and functions that distinguish it from the modern, evolving landscape. Understanding these roles involves comparing how the media is theoretically supposed to function versus how it traditionally operates in practice.
The Education Function:
Media acts as a source of education, providing citizens with knowledge of current governmental actions.
A basic knowledge of the structure and function of government is insufficient for an active citizenry; the media must fill the gaps on specific policy and executive developments.
In many cases, voters rely on political parties for information; however, this information may be unreliable or heavily biased.
Theoretical Role: The media is meant to provide unbiased information that allows for informed decision-making.
The Watchdog Function and Socialization
The Watchdog Role:
The media serves as a check on government power, exposing corruption and overreach.
Historical Examples:
Richard Nixon and the Watergate coverup: A pivotal moment in investigative journalism that led to a presidential resignation.
Prisoner abuses at Abu Ghraib: Exposure of human rights violations in the military context.
The #MeToo movement: Media platforms providing a space to expose systemic sexual harassment and power imbalances.
Socialization:
This is the process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values.
Role of Entertainment Media: Researchers Pautz and Warnement have examined how movies specifically portray government officials.
Cinematic representations may skew public perception of the government as a whole, influencing trust and skepticism.
Media and Democracy
Promoting Democratic Values: The primary link between media and democracy is the provision of information and the education of voters. Many theorists argue that freedom of the press is a prerequisite for a functioning democracy.
Muller’s Comparative Analysis:
Scandinavian countries and Japan: Ranked the best in providing comprehensive and accurate political information.
Central Western European countries: These media landscapes are noted for accurately representing the diverse views of their citizens.
General Correlation: Media performance is directly related to the overall health and function of a democracy.
The Threat of Misinformation:
The rise of social media has introduced the problem of misinformation.
Some researchers suggest that "fake news" (entirely fabricated content) constitutes a relatively small portion of the total media landscape.
The more prevalent and dangerous issue is misinformation, or the misleading presentation of factual events, which distorts public perception.
Political Economy and the Business of News
Media as a For-Profit Venture:
Media corporations are businesses first, seeking profit above other objectives.
Historical Context: Early newspapers were often backed by political parties and lacked independent control.
The Muckraking Era: Historically, muckraking journalists sought to uncover corruption to drive public interest and social reform.
Media Consolidation:
There is a significant trend toward media consolidation, where small media outlets are increasingly bought by large, powerful companies.
Impact on Bias: Consolidation affects allegations of media bias, as corporate interests may dictate editorial direction.
Case Study: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos purchased the Washington Post in .
Economic Pressures:
Mainstream media often pivots toward entertainment or "appealing news" to maintain viewership.
The internet has disrupted traditional revenue models by allowing users to access news for free, leading to a decline in paid newspaper subscriptions.
These economic pressures can act as a detriment to the media's functionality within a democracy.
Journalism, Gatekeeping, and Agenda Setting
Influences on Reporting:
Professional Agendas: Journalists may allow personal or institutional agendas to influence their coverage.
Demographics: The demographics of journalists typically differ from the general public, which may create a disconnect in reporting priorities.
Educational Philosophy: The specific education of a journalist shapes their reporting philosophy.
Ethics and Policing: Journalistic ethics serve as a framework for the media to self-police its conduct.
Consequences of False Reporting:
Fear of professional or legal consequences prevents most journalists from publishing entirely false stories.
Notable Example: The career of CBS Nightly News anchor Dan Rather was significantly impacted by the reporting of untrue stories.
Gatekeeping and Agenda Setting:
Gatekeepers: Editors and producers who decide which stories make it to the public and which are suppressed.
Political Pressure: Politicians often exert pressure on media outlets to influence coverage.
Agenda Setting: This is the power of the media to determine what is covered and how that coverage is framed.
Partisan Comparison: The framing of news on MSNBC is frequently contrasted with the framing on Fox News.
Horse Race Journalism and Media Effects
Horse Race Journalism:
Focuses heavily on the "contest" of politics (who is winning or losing in polls) rather than the substance of policy.
Characterized by shallow analysis and an emphasis on predicting election outcomes.
Highlights disagreements and conflict between candidates to maintain audience engagement.
Societal Impact: This style of reporting negatively impacts citizen knowledge and shapes limited views on social issues.
Partisan Bias:
Evidence of bias can often be found in which candidates a newspaper chooses to endorse.
Partisan slant fundamentally affects the type of news reported and the tone of the coverage.
Observable Media Effects:
Knowledge Gain: Media coverage directly increases political knowledge among the public.
Polarization: Consumption of partisan media can lead to more extreme personal opinions.
Voter Turnout: Media consumption patterns influence voter turnout; specifically, people who use social media are statistically more likely to participate in the political process.
International Media Freedom and Risks
Dangers to Journalists:
Reporters often face life-threatening situations when sent to war zones.
Many authoritarian governments restrict access and the physical ability of journalists to report events.
Access to information remains the key variable for the ability of common people to participate in their government.
Global Rankings:
Press freedom scores have seen a decline recently across the globe.
Even countries traditionally classified as "free" have seen their press freedom rankings drop.
A decline in free media is often seen as a strong indicator that other civil rights are in danger.
Physical violence and harassment against journalists represent a growing global concern.
The Digital Frontier: Social Media, Misinformation, and Disinformation
The Impact of Social Media:
Social media has revolutionized how people communicate and consume news.
However, it has enabled "selective engagement," where consumers only interact with news that confirms their existing biases.
Defining False Information:
Fake News: Content that is intentionally and demonstrably false. Websites often mimic the names of legitimate news sources to deceive readers.
Misinformation: Information that is false or misleading in some way, though not necessarily with malicious intent.
Disinformation: False information that is spread intentionally to deceive.
Historical Context: Misinformation and disinformation are not modern inventions. For example, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton spread disinformation about one another during the early days of the United States.
The Role of the Internet:
Over of Americans now get their news via social media.
The Election: Facebook played a significant role in the spread of automated or targeted misinformation.
The Presidential Election: State actors (foreign governments) recognized the utility of social media for manipulation. Despite media organizations and social platforms taking action, misinformation remained influential.
Consequences for Democracy:
The ease of spreading "fake news" harms the accuracy of public discourse.
Foreign actors have gained the ability to influence American domestic politics.
Platform Regulation: Social media rules regarding misinformation are highly controversial. For instance, Facebook has implemented fact-checking systems on news stories to combat these trends. There is a general concern that social media is reinforcing "bad media habits" among the electorate.