Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics?

1. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? WHAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY NEWS SOURCES? DO YOU GET NEWS ON A DAILY BASIS?

2. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? What are the five phases in journalistic history? • Party press • Popular press • Magazines of opinion • Electronic journalism • The internet and social media

3. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? • How is it difficult for elected officials to gain access to the electronic media (radio, TV)? • What about the President? • How is media coverage the “double-edge sword” of American politics? • Why has media coverage of politics contributed to the decline of political parties over the last few decades?

4. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? STRUCTURE OF MEDIA • How competitive is today’s media? • Newspapers/print • Radio/TV • How regulated? • Print media? • TV/radio?

7. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? STRUCTURE OF MEDIA • How has increased competition in TV influenced political news coverage? • What constitutes the National media?

8. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? STRUCTURE OF MEDIA • Why is the existence of a national press important? • How does the press act as a “gatekeeper”, scorekeeper”, “watchdog”? • How has the “scorekeeper” role influenced elections and campaigns in the U.S.? • Has the media gone too far in its “watchdog” role? Explain.

9. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? What rules govern media? • Newspaper v. electronic media • Libel, obscenity, incitement • Radio, TV – licensed and regulated

10. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? • What is the “right of confidentiality”? • Is it an “actual” right? Should it be?

11. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? Rules Governing Media and Campaigning • Equal-time rule • Right-of-reply rule • Political editorializing • Fairness doctrine

12. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? How does the media affect politics? • Definite influence on how we see issues • What issues we cite as important, how we attribute responsibility, policy preferences How large is that effect? • Don’t know; not enough scholarly research • BUT, it has changed the way politics works • Campaigns • Role of political parties How does the media influence election outcomes? • Presidential races?/local races?

13. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? • What is selective attention? (look around the room) How does it limit the impact media coverage has on public opinion? • When a broadcaster makes “commentary” how big of an impact does it have on you? • What about election outcomes? (Presidential?/local?)

14. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? • Do local newspapers more often endorse Republican or Democratic candidates for the Presidency? • Are journalists more liberal than the public at large? • SEE POLLING DATA

16. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? The National Media (Media elite) is decidedly more liberal than the American public. • Does this mean that news stories are slanted? • What are the differences between routine stories, feature stories, and insider stories?

17. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? • What factors offset the liberalism of the National Media in reporting political news? (What might keep the liberalism in check?) • If most reporters hold liberal views, why hasn’t the American public become more liberal? • Could reporters alter public opinion if they tried?

18. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? • So…how should political news be interpreted? (credibility and bias) • Who sees bigger differences between candidates – newspaper readers or TV viewers? Explain. • Media has major effect on how politics in conducted (specifically elections and campaigns). PROVIDE EXAMPLES – candidates use of media; media coverage of elections/campaigns

19. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? Government and News • Shaping public opinion • Prominence of President • Coverage of Congress

20. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? Why is our government among the “leakiest” in the world? • Constitutional arrangement • No Official Secrets Act (like G.B.) • Adversarial press less likely to accept word of “elected official” • Look for “real story”, hence “leaks”

21. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? • Why so much sensationalism in the news? • How has the rise of cynical reporting affected public perception of the media? • What has happened to the public perception of the “accuracy” of the media? • What has happened to public trust of the media? • What factors do you believe have contributed to these trends?

24. Aim: How does the media influence American government and politics? What constraints does the government have on journalists? • Risks – alienate sources v. becoming their mouthpiece • Government tools to fight back • Numerous press officers in legislative and executive branches • Press releases –“canned” news • Leaks to favorite reporters • Go local • President rewards and punishes members of press