Jump Start !

1. Jump Start ! Public Opinion and the Mass Media What do we mean by “Public Opinion”? Why is it important in politics? Why should we care about it?

2. Public Opinion and Mass Media How is public opinion influenced by TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and the internet?

3. Whose Opinion Is It, Anyway? • Sum of several groups’ opinions on many issues - Not one or two groups’ views - Complex collection – no one opinion prevails when taking stock of what the public believes. - Only those views that affect the nation’s business • Name 5 groups you know. Give one opinion of each. • These groups’ views relate to “public affairs”

4. No Silent Public Opinion • Public Opinion is attitudes about issues which must be “expressed” in… Newspapers Magazines TV & Radio Internet Demonstrations Films Referendums Votes

5. “Face of Public Opinion” Political Spectrum Favors Radical Change See value in many kinds of Back to the “way it Radical Moves views. Prefer to work within all used to be”. Disrupt Status Quo NOW system for change to occur. New Political Systems Government should be the Maintain the status quo “agent of change”. Make Don’t fix what isn’t change with policy. broken. Fine tune it. Left Liberal Center Conservative Right

6. What’s Your Position? How do you feel, how high taxes should be? What do you think taxes should pay for? How long should government pay those who are not working, not trying to work or re-educate themselves? Is having a job a right or a privilege? Where do you think your answers put you on the political spectrum?

7. Factors Affecting Your Views Family Values, History, Experiences What’s in the house; What’s on TV; Whom do your parents associate with? Schools We Attend What do our teachers say about the issues; What clubs are there to join; Do you say the Pledge of Allegiance…pray…hold patriotic events? Work We Do Even after school jobs can affect your opinions about the world around you. How does your boss treat employees? How do they view their customers? What kind of business is it? How do they make a profit?

8. Factors Affecting Your Views Peer Groups Who are your friends? How has life affected their world view? Are you pressured by friendship to believe what they believe about various issues? Opinion Leaders Whom do you respect? Why do you believe what certain people think and say? What is it about them that you admire? Why are they so persuasive to their point of view? How can you tell if they are genuinely interested in improving the world? History How have world events impacted you? What have you seen your parents go through? What US events have caused you to feel that changes need to be made, or that things are working well the way they are?

9. The “Mother” of All Influence Mass Media Subliminal Subtle Seductive

10. Radio • First of Mass Media • Powerful, believable • Personal • Portable & convenient

11. Television • Passive • Engrossing • Believable • Effortless • Lingering Effects

12. Internet • Deceptively easy access to information • Cool and thus attractive. • Time Consuming. Could distract one off task. • Misused as source of important information

13. Print Media

14. Media and Politics • Shape the “Public Agenda” Decide which issues to cover – how much time to devote • “Drive-By” Media - Networks, News Stations Sound Bites, Quick Clips, and Incomplete Impressions • Talk Radio – Networks and Syndicated shows Mostly Conservative ones are popular, but some liberal stations compete for listeners ears. Rush Limbaugh, Al Franken, Neal Bortz, Sean Hannity • Some “Public Affairs” shows do in-depth coverage Charlie Rose, Meet the Press, NPR Public Radio