The Media and Government

1. The Media and Government

2. Warm up • Read both of today’s articles covering the Iowa Caucus last night and answer the following questions pointing to specific evidence in the articles themselves: • What is the overall tone of each article (positive, negative, hopeful, critical, etc.)? • How does each article portray the main candidates (Romney, Santorum, Paul) and the reasons each won? • What does each article say about the other candidates? • How does the coverage of the event differ in these two newspapers? • Is there any obvious bias you can tell from each?

3. The American Media • Media in the U.S. freer than any other country ( FH Press Freedom survey) • England, for example, has very strict libel laws and an Official Secrets Act • In contrast, we have FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) • Almost all American radio and t.v. stations are privately owned- but do require licenses from the gov. to operate • There is, of course, some criticism that the nature of television/radio is to distort the news to appeal to certain audience • Overall trend in U.S. is toward more press freedom rather than less

4. Early History: The Party Press 5 phases of journalism history: party press, popular press, opinion magazines, electronic journalism, internet Phase 1: The Party Press • early years politicians sponsored and controlled newspapers b/c circulation was small and few large advertisers to pay the bills • there were tons of publications and lots of journalists on government payroll • this led to extremely partisan publications that rarely had two sides

5. The Popular Press • Inventions- high speed rotary press- led to quick and cheap printing; telegraph in 1840s meant news could travel quickly • nation becoming more urban- more people could buy news • newspapers didn’t need gov. anymore • 1860 Government Printing Office established • To attract readers the newspapers were more balanced (but still partisan) and had more sensational aspects • The partisanship, however, had to do with editorial boards rather than gov. sponsors • Strong publishers mobilized public opinion to push their interest and change policy • mass readership meant dev. of common culture

6. Opinion Magazines • growing middle class had taste for pol. reform and wanted more out of the media (around turn of the century) • national magazines appeared that discussed public policy (Nation, Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s) • provided opportunity for ind. writers to gain national significance • these magazines meant that newspapers didn’t have to be so sensational • while most early magazines were devoted to politics, only a fraction today are

7. Electronic Journalism and the Internet Electronic Journalism • Radio 1920s, television 1940s- broadcasts allow politicians to speak directly to the public without a filter • disadvantages- people could switch stations, some politicians received a lot less coverage, space in electronic journalism much more expensive- this means that politicians have to have money to have access to the American public through the media • Until 1990s “big three” dominated all viewers but changes have made it harder for candidates to get air time • politicians crave the media and sometimes do whatever it takes to get covered Internet • ultimate free market in political news

8. Competition in the Media • Most cities today don’t have competing newspapers (only the large ones do) • most people- esp. young- don’t even read political news anymore • instead, radio, television internet have replaced those • many newspapers locally owned and therefore focus more on local issues

9. National Media • there are, however, some things that have national readership/ audience- i.e Time, Newsweek, Associated Press, United Press International, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN • Only 3 truly national newspapers- Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, Wall Street Journal- but The Washington Post and NY Times are read by all Washington politicians

10. Why Does It Matter to Have a National Media? • gov. officials pay more attention to them, reporters and editors tend to be different (more educated, more liberal), focus on investigative reporting • Gatekeeper- national media as a gatekeeper can influence what issues get attention from politicians and for how long (think crime, anti- Vietnam war) • Scorekeeper- keep track of politics/politicians, note who is being “mentioned” for president- help decide who is winning/losing (Iowa caucus and NH primary- media attention) tendancy of the press to cover presidential elections like horse races • Watchdog- revealers of the truth, exposing the truth, scandals, etc.

11. Rules Governing Media • least competitive media- big city papers- have almost no gov. regulation, while more competitive ones do • NY Times published Pentagon Papers - Supreme Court ruled that this was protected under the first amendment NY Times v. U.S. (1971) • once something is published they can get in trouble if it is libelous, obscene, or incites someone to commit an illegal act but these are very narrowly defined that historically when the media has been challenged on these grounds it has gone nowhere • NY Time v. Sullivan (1964)- supports Freedom of the Press- requires that the plaintiff had malicious intent to publish libelous material

12. Confidentiality of Sources • states and fed. gov. have different rules • Supreme Court has in general upheld the right of the government to compel reporters to divulge sources if it is part of a properly investigated criminal case • Farber case- Supreme Court ruled that Farber had to show his notes from the source in order to protect another right- the right to a fair trial by the accused

13. Regulating Broadcasting • FCC gives licenses to broadcast and you can’t operate without one • in general the licenses get renewed but often the broadcasters have to submit a detailed report about the broadcast • FCC could then use its power of renewal to demand things like less violence • Overall, however, there are moves to block this on the basis of competition • radio broadcasting largely deregulated • rules: equal time rule, right of reply rule, political editorializing rule • fairness doctrine- show both sides of controversial issues- not a law but generally abided by

14. Campaigning • equal time rule applies to campaigning • candidates don’t always use television b/c of its broadcast nature- spread to a mass audience they might not necessarily be targeting • more senators than house reps. buy ads

15. Effect of the Media on Politics • no doubt the media play a role in influencing how citizens think, what problems they perceive, policy preferences they have- but difficult to tell how large an influence since there are other factors that shape political beliefs • television and radio suffer from selective attention- citizens see and hear only what they want • newspaper endorsements help candidates • effects of media have less to do with how people vote and more on general policy making, how politics is conducted, and how candidates are perceived • developing a name and national constituency • media set agenda on issues that are not personal to citizens (i.e. environment) • media affect how we perceive candidates- differences b/w newspaper readers and television viewers

16. Government and the News • Prominence of the President • Teddy Roosevelt- systematic cultivation of the press • Press room in the White House- 1902 as part of the west wing • FDR press secretary (current is Jay Carney) • Coverage of Congress • can’t compete with pres. • many restrictions on coverage until 1974 when public could watch live impeachment hearings for Nixon • since 1979 C-span has covered much of the goings on • senate uses media more than house

17. Are News Stories Slanted? • many factors influence stories- deadlines, editors, desire for audience • routine stories- public events regularly covered • feature stories- public event which a reporter mike take an interest • insider stories- someone with inside knowledge tells media

18. Why do We Have so Many Leaks? • people leak stories to further their interests • we have a lot of leaks b/c of our constitution decentralizes power among institutions and we have no Official Secrets Act (like England) • we have an adversarial press- one that is suspicious of officalsand likes to report gaffes and mistakes • this corresponds with campaign attack ads- since they are socially acceptable

19. Sensationalism in the Media • the increased competition in the media (b/c rise in media outlets instead of big three) has meant that they rely on sensational news to attract an audience and therefore advertisers • reporters are more easily manipulated now

20. Government Constraints on Journalists • reporters have to have good relationships to get access to good information, so they have to have some balance • staffers are a good source for reporters • gov. uses president rewarding or punishing reporters • gov. officials (like Reagan) will attempt to control the flow of information, stay on the offensive • the public is also increasingly mistrustful of the media