AP Gov Chapter 11 Outline

Transcription

1 The media provide the public with information. Our understanding of reporting is based on newspapers long the dominant form. Today, however, TV has a much greater role, and citizens use many other sources of information, such as social networking sites. I. THE MEDIA S FUNCTIONS A. Entertainment Many current political issues are reflected in entertainment shows. Although the purpose is to entertain the public, these programs can stimulate public discussion of important issues. For example, the television show The West Wing often focused on public policy debates and 24 illustrates national security challenges. B. Reporting the News In a democracy the public must be informed about issues that will affect them. The media must serve as the eyes and the ears of the public if it is to be informed about important issues related to the governing process. C. Identifying Public Problems Identifying public problems occurs in two ways. The media sets the public agenda by identifying public problems and serving as a forum for various policy alternatives. The primacy of certain issues follows from the importance that the media places on these issues. The media also uses investigation to uncover wrongdoing by government officials or candidates. D. Socializing New Generations This occurs by the transmission of historical information that is important for the continuation of the political culture. This function is particularly important in the socialization of immigrants and of children who learn to be American through the transmission of values by television. E. Providing a Political Forum Officeholders attempt to gain support for policies. Politicians use the media to generate interest in their campaigns, and voters also express their opinions through the media. An important example of this is the letters to the editor section of newspapers. F. Making Profits Most of the news media, including the Internet search engines, are private forprofit enterprises. Making a profit is a major (if not the major) goal of the business. Most revenue comes from selling advertising. The price charged for advertising is based on the circulation (print media) or the size of the audience (electronic media). The dependence on advertising revenue can give advertisers undue influence. An alternative form is public broadcasting, but this medium is also dependent on subsidies from corporations and governments.

2 II. A HISTORY OF THE MEDIA IN THE UNITED STATES The role of the media has increased drastically from what it was during our nation s founding. Part of the early media s weakness was its inability to rapidly move information around the vast area of the country. Of course, the media was crucial at certain points in our early history. Publications such as The Federalist Papers and Common Sense were very important to the development of the nation. A. The Rise of the Political Press The rise of the political press began with the founding of the nation. President Washington set a somewhat dubious example by advocating managed news, information generated and distributed by the government in such a way as to give government interests priority over candor. Most papers at this time were affiliated with partisan factions. Some periodicals were even subsidized by the government. B. The Development of Mass Readership Newspapers Technological changes had a major impact on the development of mass readership of the printed media. The development of the high speed rotary press allowed newspapers to publish in volume at lower costs. With the increase in circulation came a growth in advertising. The telegraph added impact by promoting the rapid flow of information between widely separated locations. C. The Popular Press and Yellow Journalism The rapid rise in readership led to fierce competition in the popular press. To attract more readers, the press sought stories that were exciting. Sensationalistic articles attracted a large audience. This sensationalism became known as yellow journalism. In addition, newspaper owners in this period frequently used their power to bias the reportage toward their own beliefs. D. The Age of the Electromagnetic Signal The electromagnetic signal greatly transformed the media in the twentieth century. Information could now be transmitted from almost anywhere on the globe if individuals had the right equipment. This allowed the print media to obtain information about global events and report to their readers within hours. E. The Revolution in the Electronic Media The revolution of the electronic media has not ended. Cable television, which is available in most areas, has greatly increased the choices viewers have. Channels are devoted to nonstop news (CNN, MSNBC, Fox News) and to the operation of the government (C Span). These types of options allow the public access to detailed information about world events and the operation of the government. Conversely, the public may choose to tune out events that used to be carried by all stations, like the national conventions, the State of the Union address, and

3 presidential press conferences. Broadcasting is increasingly tailored to specialized audiences, a development called narrowcasting. F. Talk Show Politics and Satellite Radio Radio and television talk shows also have proven to be a rapidly growing format for political information. Dominated by conservatives, talk show listeners are self selected, but data indicate that the audience for most of these shows is not very different from the general population. Satellite radio has also become an important player in talk show politics with its own political commentators. G. The Internet, Blogging, and Podcasting Another growing electronic means of communication is the Internet, which allows individuals to communicate ideas and opinions instantaneously and political candidates to raise millions of dollars. Many traditional media outlets have begun using the Internet as a way of reaching viewers/users. Political campaigns will almost inevitably have at least one Web site. Web logs, or blogs, provide numerous forums for political commentary. News organizations have also begun using podcasting as a way of distributing their programs, allowing for downloading onto mobile devices or personal computers. III. IV. THE PRIMACY OF TELEVISION Currently the most influential type of media is television. A. The Increase in News Type Programming In 1963, the major networks devoted only eleven minutes a day to national news (a 15 minute show minus ad time). Today that is up to about three hours. Many all news cable channels are also available. B. Television s Influence on the Political Process Viewers can actually see news and history as it is happening. The collapse of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center was transmitted live to viewers in the United States and throughout the rest of the world. It is very difficult for the print media or the radio media to compete effectively with this type of television. Most people indicate that their primary source for news is television. By its nature, television news concentrates on stories that are highly visual. A subject like Congress is not very photogenic. Also, television news may tell its stories in a rather superficial manner, failing to provide the context the viewer needs for a full understanding of complex issues. THE MEDIA AND POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS The media have a major impact on political campaigns Voters now receive most information from the electronic media, especially television. Campaigns seek to use the media in three broad areas:

4 A. Advertising Paid for political announcements (advertising) are the most obvious of the methods to reach potential voters. Increasingly, these brief messages are negative attacks on the opposition. Although many voters have complained about negative campaigns, research indicates that such messages are effective. Even when advertisements are not attacks on the opposition, time constraints dictate that messages will be superficial and will not delve deeply into substantive policy positions. Completing the symbiotic relationship is the reality that television gains extraordinary revenues from the barrage of political advertisements. B. Management of News Coverage Unlike ads, news coverage is free. Instead of letting the media determine what is important in the campaign, the campaign staff attempts to manipulate the media into presenting news in a fashion that is favorable to the candidate. This can be accomplished by: planning political events to accommodate the press (for example, a candidate stages an event early in the day to be included in the evening news broadcast); developing a good working relationship with reporters; and convincing the media to put the right spin or interpretation on a story. C. Going for the Knockout Punch Presidential Debates Debates between the candidates offer voters the opportunity to see and hear the candidates in a controlled setting. In the past, not all presidential candidates were willing to debate. If an incumbent was significantly ahead of the challenger, the incumbent had nothing to gain by debating. Today, presidential debates have become such a fixture it would be hard for an incumbent to ignore them. Typically, the manner in which the candidates behave and present themselves matters much more than the policy details that are debated. Debates do not always affect the outcome of an election, but sometimes they are crucial. In the first ever such debate, John Kennedy appeared poised on television, whereas Richard Nixon appeared sweaty and bothered. D. Political Campaigns and the Internet The Internet has become an important vehicle for campaign advertising, news coverage, and soliciting contributions as well as for articulating the candidates policy positions and targeting messages. Today, the campaign staff of every candidate running for a significant political office includes an Internet campaign strategist. The Internet also has been a useful tool for voters to obtain information about elections.

5 E. The Media s Impact on the Voters A limitation on the media s impact is that many viewers pay selective attention and mostly notice coverage that confirms their own beliefs. Also, the media s focus on the horse race aspects of the contest gives short shrift to the issues. F. The Role of the Media in the 2008 Elections As in many past elections, broadcast television dominated media spending during the campaign. More than $2 billion was spent on TV ads in Many claimed that the media was biased in its coverage, favoring Obama and casting a negative light on McCain. Both candidates sought to go beyond the nightly news audiences by appearing on late night comedy shows. V. THE MEDIA AND THE GOVERNMENT By focusing attention on controversial actions, the media can sometimes pressure the government into changing course. A. Prepackaged News In recent years, the public learned that the Bush administration had spent millions of dollars on public relations, including news programs that were often created specifically to be rebroadcast on TV. In addition, the Bush Administration paid several conservative commentators to write columns in support of administration programs. Questions have been raised about the ethics and legality of such tactics. B. The Media and the Presidency The relationship between the media and the presidency is symbiotic, each needing the other to accomplish major objectives. The media needs news and the president needs to report his ideas to the public to gain public support. The White House Press Corps maintains a full time presence at the White House, and is frequently briefed by the president s press secretary. Before radio, the only way for a governmental official to reach the public was in person or through the print media. Franklin Roosevelt became the first president to make extensive and effective use of radio to sell his programs to the public. Every president since FDR has used the electronic media to gain public support for specific proposals. The Obama White House Web site features West Wing Week, ( and video/video/west wing week asensible mid westerner) a video archive allowing the public to walk step by step with the president throughout his week. The public can also follow the president and his family on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and download video and speeches via itunes. C. Setting the Public Agenda

6 The media helps to determine the public agenda by focusing attention on certain issues. In this capacity, the media communicates the government s point of view to the public and the public s views to the government. D. Investigative Reporting Most major newspapers and many television networks devote resources to finding problems with a public policy or uncovering official wrongdoing and then alerting the public to their findings. The results can have an important impact on officeholders and, in the best case, bring about change for the better. VI. GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF THE MEDIA The government has far more control over the broadcast media than it does over print. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) exercises this power. A. Controlling Ownership of the Media The Telecommunications Act of 1996 enabled telephone companies to enter cable businesses and other communications markets, resulting in the growth of media and communications conglomerates. 1. Media Conglomerates. Corporate conglomerates now own all of the major networks. 2. Increased Media Concentration. In 2002, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) sought to relax the rules restricting concentrated ownership of the media. In particular, the FCC would have let one company own both the newspaper and a TV station in a given market. Opposition to the new rules was great and Congress swiftly forced the FCC to cancel them. With this media concentration, coverage of local and regional issues has gradually disappeared. B. Government Control of Content The Supreme Court did not extend First Amendment protection to the cinema until The Internet received such protection almost immediately, however. Cable TV received broad protection in Control of Broadcasting. The Court has never extended full protection to broadcast radio and TV. Therefore, the FCC can regulate indecency or profanity. In 2004, the FCC levied much higher fines for such offenses than in past years. 2. Government Control of the Media During the Second Gulf War. The Bush administration was able to win a degree of favorable coverage by letting journalists travel with the troops as embedded reporters. 3. The Government s Attempt to Control the Media During the Current War on Terrorism. In the wake of 9/11 the government has asserted a greater

7 need to place limits on the release of information that could be used by terrorists and other enemies of our nation. C. The Public s Right to Media Access Both the FCC and the courts gradually have taken the stance that citizens have a right of access to the media, particularly the electronic media. VII. BIAS IN THE MEDIA There are claims that several forms of bias exist in the media. A. Do the Media Have a Partisan Bias? Some studies suggest that the media have a liberal or Democratic bias. B. Do the Media Have a Racial Bias? Some observers have charged that the media TV in particular engages in racial profiling in their reporting on minorities. Those who believe there is racial bias point to common stereotypes that journalists often use in news stories. On the other hand, today s newsrooms are increasingly diverse, and some argue that the substantial minority presence may serve to prevent egregious examples of racial bias. C. A Commercial Bias? Many believe that the real bias of the media is not partisan or ideological, but rather, in favor of stories that will produce big ratings and increased advertising revenues.