The Influence of the Media on Politics The Pervasiveness of Television - Television becomes major news source in 1960s. - It remains a major news source.

The Influence of the Media on Politics

•The Pervasiveness of Television - Television becomes major news source in 1960s.

- It remains a major news source today.

- Movement away from network news to cable.

- Growth of comedy news programs.

•The Persistence of Radio- Radio news evolved in early 1900s.

- Today, talk radio is a source of political commentary.

•The Declining Importance of Newspapers•The World Wide Web

The Influence of the Media on Politics

Whenever there is a crisis, most people turn first to television for information

The Pervasiveness of Television

The growth of around-the-clock cable news and information shows is one of the most important developments in recent years. Half of the public are regular viewers of CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, or Fox News.

Radio and Newspapers

•One household in 100 does not have a radio, compared with 4 in 100 without television

•9 out of 10 people listen to the radio every week; 8 out of 10 do so every day

•Daily newspaper circulation is one copy for every six people

•Core newspaper audience is aging

•USA Today is the nation’s top-circulation newspaper

Radio Newspapers

The Internet

Internet Access by Selected Characteristics: 2009 (in percentages)

AGE Internet Access

15-24 yrs. 56.4%25-34 yrs. 55.9%35-44 yrs. 57.8%45-64 yrs. 51.1%65 + yrs. 20.7%

RACE

White, non-Hispanic 55.6%African American 34.3%Asian 51.8%Hispanic (any race) 29.8%

Educational Attainment

Less than high school 9.0%High school/GED 30.8%Some college or associate54.3%Bachelor or higher 73.5%

Family Income

Less than $25,000 25.1%$25,000 - $49,999 35.8%$50,000-$74,999 49.3%$75,000-$99,999 63.8%$100,000 or more 74.1%

Technology Gap or Digital Divide

In 2007, 29% of Americans surveyed did not have Internet access anywhere

The Changing Role of the American News Media

The media not only provide an arena for politics; they are

themselves players in that arena

Political Mouthpiece - The Power of the Media

The Power of the Media

Where Americans Get Their News

The Changing Role of the American News Media

•Financial Independence

•“Objective Journalism”

Why should we be concerned about the concentration of ownership in the media?

A shrinking number of owners and editors exercise great power over what is communicated to large numbers of people.

A Sampling of Rupert Murdoch’s holdings

The Changing Role of the American News Media

•The Impact on Broadcasting - Franklin D.

Roosevelt was the first president to recognize the effectiveness of radio to reach the public

-The televised Presidential Debate between Kennedy and Nixon

The Changing Role of the American News Media

• Newspapers first appeared as early as 1690.

• First newspaper: Boston News-Letter, April 1704– Avoided controversial issues

• During Revolutionary War, newspapers abandon impartiality and work to build resistance to British policies

• 1833 advent of the penny press• 1848, creation of the Associated

Press• Yellow journalism• Centralization of ownership of

newspapers in early 20th century has continued to this day

-“You provide the pictures, I’ll provide the war.”

The Changing Role of the American News Media

•Investigatory Journalism Seymour Hersh and the Pentagon

Papers Robert Woodward and Carl Bernstein

and Watergate Nina Totenberg and Clarence Thomas Michael Isikoff and Monica Lewinsky

The Changing Role of the American News Media

•Media ConglomeratesSome of the largest include:

AT&T CBS Corporation & Viacom (owned by National Amusements) Comcast Corporation General Electric Hearst Corporation News Corporation Sony Time Warner Grupo Televisa The Times Group Vivendi The Walt Disney Company

New York Post

The Changing Role of the American News Media

•Regulation of the Media

• Standards and norms of the journalistic profession.

• 1996 Telecommunications Act.

• Content regulation of the broadcast media.

• Equal time rule.

• Prior restraint not permitted.

Mediated Politics

•The Media and Public Opinion

One very popular tactic of politicians trying to get free press is to stage “pseudo-events”

Mediated Politics

•The Media and Public Opinion

Officials want to control information about

themselves and their policies, including the

way such information is framed and presented

by the media

Mediated Politics

•Factors That Limit Media Influences on Public Opinion

•Political Socialization

•Selectivity

•Needs

•Recall and Comprehension

•Audience Fragmentation

Are the Media Biased?

What do these figures imply about the practice of selective exposure?

Interpreting

The power to set the context, to frame the issue, to interpret the

facts, and potentially to provide legitimacy for

people, issues, or groups are powerful and

controversial functions of the media

Socializing

The media is an agent of socialization, teaching us

political facts and opinions that help form

our political belief-structures and our

political culture

Sources of Media Power

Mediated Politics

•Public Opinion

•Agenda Setting - The media’s ability to determine which issues will be covered, in what detail, and in what context - and conversely, of deciding which stories are “not news” and thus are not going to be covered

•Issue Framing - Issue framing in a political context, means presenting an issue in a way that will likely get the most agreement from others. From a political sense, language is often used as a way to gain compliance on contentious points

Public Opinion

Issue Framing

The power to set the context, to frame the issue, to interpret the facts, and potentially to provide legitimacy for people, issues, or groups are powerful

and controversial functions of the

media

Agenda Setting

Deciding what will be presented, defining the problems and

issues to be addressed by

decision makers

The Partisanship and Ideology of Journalists, Policy Makers, and the PressThe Partisanship and Ideology of Journalists, Policy Makers, and the Press

The Media and Elections• Choice of Candidates

Presidential candidates welcome invitations to appear with Oprah, Leno, or Letterman, and try to reformulate their messages in a light, comedic style that fits the program

The Media and Elections

•Campaign Events Where Americans Learn About Candidates and Campaigns

How does the media affect campaigns?

• Determining “front-running candidates”

• Charging for advertising

• Televising debates

• Portraying charismatic politicians as more “electable”

The Media and Elections•Technology - With the Web, citizens now have

the opportunity to interact with each other on a wide range of political topics

•Image Making and Media ConsultantsA portrait of Abraham Lincoln as “Abe the Rail Splitter” and Barack Obama as a family man.

•The Media Impact on Voter Choiceo Personality over Substanceo The Horse Raceo Negative Advertisingo Information About Issues

The Media and Elections•The Media Impact on Voter Choiceo Making A Decisiono Election Night Reporting

•The Media and GovernanceoWhen policies are being formulated and implemented, decision makers are at their most impressionable.

oSome critics contend that the media’s pressuring policy makers to provide immediate answers forces them to make hasty decisions.

The Media and Governance

•Political Institutions and the News Media• President garners most attention through bully pulpit.

- Speaks through press secretary or press conferences.

- Coverage of the president is generally unfavorable.

• Congress’ 535 members pose a challenge.

- Coverage of Congress is also generally negative.

• Supreme Court is more private; coverage is limited.

• Officials may issue press releases.

• May also hold briefings or conferences.

• Speak to reporters on background or deep background.

• May also get information off the record.

• New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) sets libel boundaries.

Presidential News Conferences with White House Correspondents

Presidential News Conferences with White House Correspondents

President Average per Total Month Number

Herbert Hoover (1929-1933) 5.6 268Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) 6.0 981Harry Truman (1945-1953) 3.5 324Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961) 2.0 193John Kennedy (1961-1963) 1.9 65Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969) 2.2 135Richard Nixon (1969-1974) 0.6 39Gerald Ford (1974-1977) 1.3 40Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) 0.8 59Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) 0.5 46George Bush (1989-1993) 3.0 142Bill Clinton (1993-2001) 2.0 193George W. Bush (2001-2009) 2.2 209Barack Obama (2009 - ) 1.9 56

SOURCE: Gerhard Peter. “presidential News Conferences.” The American Presidency Project. Ed. John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters. Santa Barbara, CA University of California. 1999-2010SOURCE: Gerhard Peter. “presidential News Conferences.” The American Presidency Project. Ed. John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters. Santa Barbara, CA University of California. 1999-2010

Approximately what percentage of United States households do NOT have a television?

A. 2%

B. 5%

C. 15%

D. 25%

Which federal agency is responsible for regulating the media?

A. National Advertising Council

B. Federal Media Commission

C. Federal Communications Commission

D. None of these

Media consultants _______.

A. Work to enhance the image of their candidate

B. Try to create a negative image of the opposing candidate

C. Use focus groups to advise their candidate

D. All of these

Which of these is most likely to receive negative coverage from the press?

A. The White House

B. Congress

C. The Supreme Court

D. State Legislatures

The party identification of most journalists is ______________.

A. Democrat

B. Republican

C. Independent

D. Moderate