The Media
Jan 02, 2016
The Media
The Media
Role of the Media
Effects of the Media
I. Effects of the media on politics /government
Provides information and analysis about policy issues and evaluates policies.
Polling provides indicators for policy makers.
Provides exposure for political speeches, state of the union address, and campaign speeches.
Framing the story
How the media presents the story can influence how the viewers accept the action
Compare the two headlines about the same story:
1.“The U.S. has begun Operation Desert Storm to liberate the people of Iraq.
2.President Bush orders Operation Desert Storm without a declaration of war from Congress.
3.How are they different? Do you get the same message from both?
Activity
Part 1Complete “What’s the
Message” graphic organizer.
Construct your own political cartoon.
Due EOC.
Part 2Check each headline
as either “hard” or “soft”.
Then complete the scenarios list.
Due EOC.
Warm Up
What is the difference between score keeper and gate keeper? Explain.
Effects of the media on politics /government…
Candidates for national offices use the media as a place to “sell” themselves to the public through TV Ads.
Candidates use web sites and the “New Media” to promote their ideas and try to raise money.
2008 Presidential Election:1. Obama raised $742 million2. McCain raised $367 million3. Ralph Nader raised $4 million
II. Different Roles for the media
1. Watchdog: Responsibility of the media to make the public aware of corruption, incompetence, illegal, unethical actions by politicians or government organizations.
OK, list some examples………
Agenda Setting/ Gatekeeper
The media’s focus on an issue may cause the government to move to deal with the issue because its on the cover of the newspaper.
“the tail wagging the dog”The media may not be successful in
telling people how to think, but they are successful in telling their audience what to think about
Scorekeeper
Media polls drive the news, candidates performance, approval rate constantly criticized measure.
Horserace journalism: Who is leading at this time? Who is leading today?
Activity
Read for 25 minutes Complete gallery walk in time remaining.
Analysis due EOC.
Eight Stages of Media in the United
StatesPolitics
1. Late 1700’s to mid-1800’s
Almost no daily Newspapers existedNews was distributed by pamphlets and
essays: (Common Sense by Thomas Paine), ( The Federalist Papers)
The Media was intended to be partisan: The media was part of the party
Political attacks were personal and very extremists.
2. Late 1800’s
Newspapers become national business. (Hearst Syndicate, and Pulitzer competed for newspaper profits.
Selling stories was central, facts were secondary
Newspapers took pride in influencing public opinion.
Yellow journalism (sensational headlines and eye-catching headlines)
Muckraking : Early forms of Gate Keeping
3. Early 1900’s
Teddy Roosevelt used the “Bully Pulpit” through newspapers.
First president to have a press corpsGetting inside information from the White
House became a status symbolPress who was supportive of T.R. received
information ) “lapdog function”
Roosevelt’s Press corps
4. Mid-1900’s
Development of Radio
Roosevelt’s fireside chats
Press needed Roosevelt more than he needed them
Understood the power of radio!
5. 1950’s and 60’s
Development of TVElection DebatesKennedy uses TV to present his Cuban Missile Crisis message
Election TV Ads (primitive but effective)
1960 Presidential debates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHGs4535W_o&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
House of Cards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQFXezvGg_k
6. Vietnam and Watergate
The media took on the role of “WATCHDOG”
Vietnam is the first televised war
Images shown from the Vietnam War : Media setting the agenda
7. Post-Vietnam
Creation of the internet (Blogs)Explosion of talk radio “attack journalism”
“The Junkyard Function”Clinton Scandals were the lead stories
“imperialist war in Iraq”
Activity
Read “The Role of Media”Complete headline analysisDue EOC.
Warm Up: See this on the news?
Think of how these media trends affect the media and politics
III. Current Media Trends
Narrowcasting
Targeting media programming at specific populations of viewers within a population. (niche journalism)
1.Fox targets conservative viewers2.CNN target liberal viewers3.BET targets Black Americans4.CBN targets Christian ConservativesAdvantages: Can help promote interest who
may be left out of the mainstream. (Gives a united voice)
Disadvantages: Limits competing ideas, the public gets only one side of the debate.
Public Discontent with the Media
A majority of Americans believe the news is biased in favor of liberals.
Question: Are reporters biased? Answer: YesFact: “Journalist are substantially Democratic
in party affiliation and voting habits and lean to the left in political ideology)
Many political scientist believe that the business interest of corporations that own the networks balance out the “left leaning” reporters
Growth in attack journalism
Keith Olberman on msnbc talking about Vice President Cheney and President Bush
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT22z7oawHo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Rush Limbaugh takes shots at President Clinton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8zeD_7P6Us&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Activity
Complete multiple choice and cartoon analysis.
Due EOC.
Warm Up
What is attack journalism?
Mullin
Government regulation of the Media
Federal Communications Commission
Created in 1934Controls airwaves for license and contentTV is heavily regulated Equal time doctrine: Networks must sell
advertising time to all candidates.Fairness Doctrine: Networks must present
contrasting views (No longer in effect because of the number of cable stations and narrowcasting)
Supreme Court cases to Know!
New York Times v United States 1971
Issue: Can the Government censor the press?
1. Can classified pentagon Papers that had been stolen by a government employee (Daniel Ellsberg) and given to the NY Times be blocked by the government?
2.Court ruled that the publication couldn’t be blocked
Answer: No, except in extreme cases!!
Quote from Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black
“Only a Free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in the government
New York Times v. Sullivan 1964
1. Issue: Can the press write critical stories about a politician that could hurt a politicians reputations without fear of being sued for Libel (Written defamation of character that injures a person’s reputations)
2. Decision :The Supreme Court concluded actual malice must be proved to support a finding of libel against a public figure. (Politicians, Hollywood stars, athletes
How the press and public figures interact
Terms….
Sound bites Short video clips on the nightly news of approximately 10 seconds. Typically the 10 second video is all that is shown from a politicians speech.
Spin: A government official’s attempt to put a positive twist on a negative outcome.
Trial balloon: An intentional news leak for the purpose of assessing political reaction
Sound Bites in History
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTEg6Kkc31Q
The incredible shrinking sound bite
“ Questions to think about”
What should be the role of Media in politics?
How effective is the media in covering politics?
How much influence does the media have in shaping policy?
How much influence do you think the media has in changing public opinion?
Activity
Watch the two ads.Identify what propaganda techniques are
used in each one.Then in one paragraph explain which ad was
more effective for you. Address how it was effective and why it made such an impression.