AP Gov chapter 12

The Media and Politics

• Commitment to free press

  • Stranger than in Europe- libel

  • Freedom of information act

  • Unrestricted internet access

• Privately owned media

  • Must make profit

  • Media bias

Journalism in America

• The party press

  • Political parties controlled newspapers

• The popular press

  • 1840s telegraph & 1846- Associated press

  • Sensationalism of the story

• Magazines of Opinion (muckraking)

• Electronic Journalism

  • Radio (1920s)

  • Television (1940s)

• The internet

  • Blogs

  • Social media

Where do Americans get their news? Does this matter?

• Media choice band political knowledge

• Do people hear all sides of the issue?

• Can people get local news?

Media Effects

• Setting the public agenda or gatekeeping

• Framing- how the media decides to present a story

• The media as a watchdog: Political Accountability

• Can media lead us astray?

  • Political campaigns as a political game

    • Candidates standing in polls

    • Focus on tactics and strategy compared to substance

  • Sensationalism and negativity

• Are there limits on media power?

Government Regulation of the Media

• Newspapers

  • Least governmental regulation

    • No license needed

    • No prior restraint

  • Least competitive

• Radio and TV

  • Most governmental regulation

    • License needed

    • FCC

  • Competitive

• Confidentiality of sources

• Regulating broadcasting and ownership

  • FCC and “public service” campaigning