POLS 2041 - The Media.pptx

Chapter Overview Focus: Influence of Media on American Politics

The Media Outline

• 8.1 What Is the Media?

• 8.2 The Evolution of the Media

• 8.3 Regulating the Media

• 8.4 The Impact of the Media

Freedom of the Press

• Importance of an independent media in a democracy.

• Key questions:

  • What constitutes a free news media?

  • What regulations exist?

  • How do media inform citizens and monitor politicians?

  • How can we measure the impact?

What Is The Media?

• Evolving media system:

  • Origins in print journalism.

  • Development through radio, television, cable, and the Internet.

  • Emergence of blogs and social media as new information sources.

  • Dual nature of media:

    • Strength: Structuring narratives about U.S. politics, shaping public perception, and facilitating discourse.

    • Weakness: Competing information could dilute media power and contribute to misinformation.

Media Basics

• Definition of Media:

  • Various communication formats (e.g., TV, print, radio).

• Mass Media:

  • All forms of media communicating to the public, reaching large audiences.

• Roles within Media:

  • Journalists, reporters, publishers, editors, and producers serve different functions in creating and disseminating news.

  • Distinction between news media (fact-based reporting) and public relations (promotion of specific agendas).

Media Types

• Different demographics use different media:

  • Millennials: Prefer social media platforms (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook), where they engage with bite-sized content and diverse viewpoints.

  • Baby Boomers: Rely heavily on television for news, valuing traditional journalism over new media formats.

Television

• Media Diversity:

  • National networks purchase rights to programs and deliver national news, while local stations focus on state and local activities.

  • Cable networks offer 24-hour news coverage (e.g., CNN), leading to continuous news cycles.

  • Online platforms provide niche journalism (e.g., Politico.com), catering to specific interests and audiences.

Control of the Media

• Media concentration:

  • Dominance by a few conglomerates (as of 2011, six key players) raises concerns about diversity of viewpoints.

  • Impact of conglomerate policies on coverage, emphasizing profitability over comprehensive reporting and information access.

Functions of the Media

• Revenue generation is essential to sustain media, influencing content creation and coverage decisions.

• The media serves as the fourth estate:

  • Role in maintaining democracy by holding governments accountable and ensuring transparency.

  • Engaging in agenda-setting for public discussion to prioritize issues based on public interest.

The Evolution of the Media

• Print Media:

  • Early influence of print in political discourse (e.g., Federalist Papers).

  • Shift toward sensationalism during the Reconstruction (yellow journalism), affecting public trust.

  • Struggles of print newspapers in the digital age with declining advertising revenue leading to closures.

Radio Media

• Introduction of radio news in the 1920s:

  • Provided immediate news updates and transformed communication.

• Evolution of content and government regulation through the Radio Act and Communications Act, promoting fair broadcasting practices.

Television

• Combination of visual and audio information transformed media:

  • Significant influence on war coverage (e.g., Vietnam War), altering public perception and engagement.

  • Brought issues directly into living rooms, shaping public discourse and political engagement.

Social Media and Politics

• Barack Obama's campaign showcased the power of social media, significantly outperforming opponents in online engagement.

  • The use of targeted advertising and grassroots mobilization through social media.

• Questions arise about the advantages (reach, engagement) and disadvantages (polarization, misinformation) of social media in campaigns.

New Media Trends

• Cable and Internet proliferation changes viewing habits:

  • People are abandoning traditional news consumption due to entertainment saturation and preference for on-demand content.

  • Emergence of "citizen journalism" enables ordinary individuals to report news, impacting traditional news sources and credibility.

Regulating the Media

• First Amendment & Media:

  • The First Amendment provides protections for press freedom but is not absolute; regulations exist to ensure accountability.

• Media Liability:

  • Definitions of slander and libel are critical for journalists; legal protections underpin responsible reporting.

• Classified Material:

  • Limited rights in publishing classified materials create a balance between government secrecy and public right to know.

FCC Role in Media Regulation

• The FCC oversees broadcasters to ensure fair access and content regulation; oversees significant regulations like the equal-time rule and the fairness doctrine, promoting balanced coverage.

Transparency in Government

• Sunshine Laws:

  • Promote public access to government proceedings for accountability.

• Freedom of Information Act:

  • Mandates disclosure of government documents, empowering journalists and citizens to hold authorities accountable.

Media Effects & Bias

• Historical concerns regarding media influence have persisted since the 1920s.

• Various theories regarding media effects on public perception and behavior include:

  • Hypodermic model: suggests media directly influences the audience's opinions and behaviors.

  • Minimal effects theory: indicates media's impact is limited and influenced by interpersonal communication and pre-existing beliefs.

  • Cultivation theory: posits that prolonged media exposure shapes societal perceptions.

Coverage Effects on Governance & Campaigns

• Media’s role as a kingmaker in political elections emphasizes its significant influence over political outcomes.

• Shift towards strategic media management by campaigns (tight control and "bubble" strategy) to influence public perception effectively.

Bias in Media Coverage

• Increase of negative tone in media coverage across cable networks leads to polarization.

• Impact of selective coverage and framing on public opinion and governance continues to challenge the media's credibility and effectiveness.

Summary

• Media shapes societal views and political landscapes through agenda-setting and framing.

• Ongoing issues of concentration, regulation, consumer choice, and bias continue to shape media’s role in democracy.