Focus Question:

How does the media (Internet, television,

newspapers, magazines, etc.)

influence politics?

Mass Media

1) What is Mass Media?

Mass Media

Organizations that provide news and information to the

general public (citizens)

2) Organizations providing news

Internet

Organizations providing news

Books and TV

Organizations providing newsNewspapers, Magazines, Radio

3) The Mass Media

• Provides information to the public that…

• Influences how people think

• Persuades the public’s opinion

4) Mass Media

• The mass media can dictate (decide) what issues will be popular and unpopular

• It depends on what information the media reports on an issue

• Mass Media is known as the FOURTH BRANCH of government because of its influence on the other branches

Mass Media referred to as 4th branch of American Government

6. Power of Mass Media

• If mass media gives one issue major attention, then other issues will lose their importance to the public

7. What causes different media sources to focus some issues more than others?

• Bias influences media’s decisions • Bias = to heavily favor one group,

issue or opinion over others • Media Prejudice

14) 7 Days Before Election Day

• A lot of money is spent• Candidates use attack ads frequently

• The goal is to win over undecided voters, which are also called “swing voters”

Attack Ad - 2008 Election

Attack Ad - 2008 Election