Linkage Institutions

Linkage Institutions ? AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Basic Definition: • Channels through which people’s concerns • become issues on the policy agenda • In the U.S. , includes • The MEDIA, POLITICAL PARTIES • ELECTIONS, & INTEREST GROUPS Linkage Institutions AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Includes: • * Newspapers • * Television • * Magazines • * Radio • * The Internet The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Enlightened understanding is one criteria • of an ideal Democracy • “Information is the fuel of democracy” The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #1: • Increasing concentration of Media • Large corporations own a significant % • of Media outlets • Leads to similarity in news coverage The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Rupert Murdoch The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #2: • Corporate goal = Profits • Profits require advertising • Advertising needs viewers & readers The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #2: • Bias = stories that attract large audience • Leads to emphasis on • Violence, Disaster, Scandal • and Pictures The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Democracy

Potential Problem #2: • To large degree, TV defines “news” as • whatever is entertaining to the largest # • Trend has been to increase entertainment • and shorten stories & words to very brief • “sound bites” The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

“You simply cannot be • a well-informed citizen • by just watching the • news on TV” • Dan Rather • Long-time CBS Anchorman The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #3: • Superficiality of political reporting • In campaigns, the focus is on: • * Day-to-day campaigns activities . . . • * Not on the substance of issues The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #3: • Superficiality of political reporting • In campaigns, the focus is on: • * Daily standings of candidates in polls • * Known as “horse-race” journalism The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

“Nothing of significance • is going to be said in • 7 seconds, but this seems • to work to the advantage of • many politicians. They are not • required to say anything of • significance, and issues can be • avoided rather than confronted.” • in America” The Media Walter Cronkite Long-time CBS Anchorman AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #4: • Self-interested shaping of news coverage • by various groups & individuals . . . • Parties, Interest Groups, Agencies, • Individual politicians, PR firms, • Congress, the President The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Roger Ailes • Media consultant to • Richard Nixon • Ronald Reagan • Bush I The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Change in Presidential Coverage • “The president will not stand and be • questioned like a chicken thief . . . “ The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Change in Presidential Coverage • FDR used “Fireside Chats” • & friendly contacts with • individual members of press • to reach “The People” The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Change in Presidential Coverage • JFK had a friendly style • that won over many • individual journalists • Also, the media did • not cross into the • Prez’ “personal life” The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Democracy

Change in Presidential Coverage • Unlike now . . . The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Change in Presidential Coverage • Nixon did not enjoy a friendly rapport with • members of the press • Least favorites = • Woodward & Bernstein • WATERGATE The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #5: • “Bias” • Studies indicate journalists are more likely • to consider themselves “liberal” than • the general population The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Potential Problem #5: • However, the vast majority of studies • also find that reporting is NOT • systematically biased toward a particular • party or ideology • There is something called • “journalistic objectivity” The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

. . . purpose is to educate and train students to become accomplished professional journalists. • The school prepares them to perform a vital and challenging function in free societies: finding out the truth of complicated situations, usually under a time constraint, and communicating it in a clear, engaging fashion to the public. The Media AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS – Linkages

Linkage Institutions