America’s Bias Media Outlets. Objectives Demonstrate how the characteristics of the electronic media have affected the actions of public officials and.

America’s America’s Bias Media Bias Media

OutletsOutlets

ObjectivesObjectives Demonstrate how the Demonstrate how the

characteristics of the electronic characteristics of the electronic media have affected the actions media have affected the actions of public officials and candidates of public officials and candidates for national office.for national office.

Discuss the issue of “media bias” Discuss the issue of “media bias” and how this bias might manifest and how this bias might manifest itself. Assess the impact of such itself. Assess the impact of such bias, if it exists, on the bias, if it exists, on the electorate.electorate.

Describe the impact of the Describe the impact of the pattern of ownership and pattern of ownership and control of the media on the control of the media on the dissemination of the news.dissemination of the news.

Show how wire services and Show how wire services and TV networks have affected TV networks have affected national news coverage. national news coverage.

Discuss the impact of the Discuss the impact of the national press.national press.

Journalism in Journalism in American American HistoryHistory

Popular Media Outlets: Popular Media Outlets: What shapes America’s What shapes America’s

viewsviewsNewspapersNewspapersTelevisionTelevisionRadioRadioWorld Wide WebWorld Wide Web

Media Making the Media Making the CandidateCandidate

Presidential Candidates must look the Presidential Candidates must look the part due to T.V.part due to T.V. Not only looks but the way they sound.Not only looks but the way they sound. Example:Example:

A relative unknown can gain necessary A relative unknown can gain necessary exposure to win nominations.exposure to win nominations. Example:Example:

Has led to celebrity types to become Has led to celebrity types to become involved in politics: actors, athletes involved in politics: actors, athletes etc..etc.. Example:Example:

Popular PressPopular Press

Changes in society and Changes in society and technology made possible self-technology made possible self-supporting, mass readership supporting, mass readership daily newspapers.daily newspapers.Associated Press- objective Associated Press- objective reporting and systemic reporting and systemic distribution of info. since distribution of info. since 1848.1848.

The Associated PressThe Associated Press Tends to be a Tends to be a

reliable source and reliable source and often quoted as an often quoted as an international news international news agency in foreign agency in foreign affairs.affairs.

As reported by As reported by the…the…

According to the…According to the…

Partisanship in mass-Partisanship in mass-readership newspapers readership newspapers reflected the views of reflected the views of publishers, editors, and publishers, editors, and owners.owners.

Stories blend political Stories blend political beliefs and economic beliefs and economic interests.interests.

Magazines and Magazines and PeriodicalsPeriodicals

Became more popular in the mid-Became more popular in the mid-1800s to early 1900s.1800s to early 1900s.

Targeted a more educated and Targeted a more educated and sophisticated audience.sophisticated audience.

Magazines readership is now in a Magazines readership is now in a steady decline.steady decline.

Examples: Harper’s in the 1850s-Examples: Harper’s in the 1850s-60s, McClure’s and Cosmopolitan.60s, McClure’s and Cosmopolitan.

ExamplesExamples

general-general-interest interest magazine covering covering literature, literature, politics, politics, culture, and culture, and finance.finance.

Electronic OutletsElectronic Outlets Radios in the 1920s and Television Radios in the 1920s and Television

in the 1940s.in the 1940s. Less access for politicians in this Less access for politicians in this

format over print media.format over print media. Sound bites make it difficult for Sound bites make it difficult for

politicians to convey message.politicians to convey message. More resources currently available- More resources currently available-

Cable, Early morning news, allow Cable, Early morning news, allow politicians greater access and time politicians greater access and time to the world.to the world.

The InternetThe Internet

Growing importance- 40% of Growing importance- 40% of U.S. connected.U.S. connected.

Free and Open Market for news- Free and Open Market for news- from stations, chat rooms, blogs from stations, chat rooms, blogs and personal WebPages.and personal WebPages.

Increased communication b/w Increased communication b/w politicians, activists and voters.politicians, activists and voters.

Media StructureMedia Structure

Newspapers: Daily subscription Newspapers: Daily subscription in decline, as there is number in decline, as there is number of competing newspapers.of competing newspapers.

Radio and Television: becoming Radio and Television: becoming more competitive and more more competitive and more popular.popular.

U.S. press is localized and U.S. press is localized and locally owned as well, which are locally owned as well, which are oriented towards local market.oriented towards local market.

National MediaNational Media Consists of different avenues:Consists of different avenues:

Wire Services- APWire Services- APNational Magazines: Time, National Magazines: Time,

NewsWeekNewsWeekNetwork News Shows (ABC, CBS, Network News Shows (ABC, CBS,

NBC)NBC)Cable Networks: CNN, Fox News, Cable Networks: CNN, Fox News,

MSNBCMSNBCNewspapers: USAToday, New York Newspapers: USAToday, New York

Times, Wall Street Journal.Times, Wall Street Journal.

National Press InfluenceNational Press Influence

Influence what subjects and Influence what subjects and information becomes national information becomes national political news.political news.

Tracks Political reputation and Tracks Political reputation and candidacies.candidacies.

Investigates political Investigates political personalities and also looks to personalities and also looks to uncover scandals.uncover scandals.

Is the National Media Is the National Media Bias?Bias?

Generally more liberal than the Generally more liberal than the average person.average person.

Conservative outlets have become Conservative outlets have become more apparent in recent years: Fox more apparent in recent years: Fox NewsNews

Talk Radio is primarily conservative- Talk Radio is primarily conservative- Rush Limbaugh, appeal is to the Rush Limbaugh, appeal is to the suburbs and rural areas.suburbs and rural areas.

Liberal outlets tend to be along Liberal outlets tend to be along racial and ethnic lines: CNNracial and ethnic lines: CNN

National Bias media affect National Bias media affect information?information?

Journalism values the idea Journalism values the idea of remaining objective and of remaining objective and neutral.neutral.

Does not apply to Does not apply to editorials or talk radio.editorials or talk radio.

Bias in Stories?

Routine Stories: cover major political Routine Stories: cover major political events; Congress passes a bill, little events; Congress passes a bill, little room for bias- all reporters write the room for bias- all reporters write the same way.same way.

Feature Stories: Public Events that Feature Stories: Public Events that receive little press; agency adopts a receive little press; agency adopts a new ruling, often reflects writer’s new ruling, often reflects writer’s views.views.

Insider Stories: Secretive, gov’t insider Insider Stories: Secretive, gov’t insider leaks story, can reflect writer’s views.leaks story, can reflect writer’s views.

The Power of LeaksThe Power of Leaks

Since branches of government Since branches of government and competitive parties the and competitive parties the press is viewed as a weapon press is viewed as a weapon to be used to sway the people.to be used to sway the people.

Most leaks can be printed Most leaks can be printed legally due to most secrets legally due to most secrets not being of national security.not being of national security.

Leaks and Background Leaks and Background TypesTypes

On the Record: Reporter can quote On the Record: Reporter can quote official by name.official by name.

Off the Record: What the official Off the Record: What the official says cannot be used.says cannot be used.

On background: info. can be used, On background: info. can be used, but not quoted, but not attributed to but not quoted, but not attributed to source by name.source by name.

On deep background: info. can be On deep background: info. can be used, not quoted, and not attributed used, not quoted, and not attributed to anybody or anonymous source.to anybody or anonymous source.

Media’s SlantMedia’s Slant

Many people feel that the news Many people feel that the news coverage is slanted to meet the coverage is slanted to meet the network’s bias.network’s bias.

That they have too much That they have too much influence.influence.

That they hide behind the That they hide behind the Constitution and abuse the Constitution and abuse the protections offered.protections offered.

Don’t believe the HypeDon’t believe the Hype

Using sensationalism to help Using sensationalism to help draw an audience in competitive draw an audience in competitive media market becomes an issue.media market becomes an issue.

Reporters may not check sources Reporters may not check sources as carefully as they should, as carefully as they should, competition for stories and being competition for stories and being the first to break story pressure.the first to break story pressure.

Questions:Questions:

Does the popular Does the popular press stoop to the press stoop to the lowest common lowest common denominator of denominator of interest and taste?interest and taste?