News Media in Politics

1
News Media in Politics

• Media attempts to persuade.
• Media in all forms are business and subject to
  the pressures and whims of their stakeholders.
• Tout themselves as unbiased reporters of the news
  because if you perceive them to be unbiased it is
  easier to convince you. Learn to recognize bias
  when you see it.

2
Media Role

• As technology increases the impact of the media
  expands. Provides faster access to info
• Media taking the role of the political parties by
  disseminating info to masses.
• Parties originally controlled the press

3
Functions of Media

• Decides what the news is to be. In itself rife
  with potential for bias.
• Provides public information brings attention to
  problems or events, has become the common carrier
  of political news, and watchdog of leaders.

4
Partisan Press Gone for Good?

• Papers originally printed for the express purpose
  of supporting partisan ideology. Interesting
  reading eh?
• As the amount of news available greatly increased
  the need for reliance on political news to fill
  the pages decreased.

5
Print Media Evolution

• Separation of News and Advertising departments
  also lessened dependence on reporting (or
  creating) political news.
• Objective Journalism??? The idea that the media
  decided to present a fair and objective view of
  an issue.

6
So you say you want an Evolution...

• The idea of objective reporting quickly gave
  way to interpretative style of reporting where
  reporters are given free reign to present news in
  any manner they choose...given the business
  constraints.
• Interpretative journalism is carte-blanch to
  shape news to fit ideology.

7
Why do most new stories sound so similar?

• The Associated Press (AP) produces most news
  stories. The various media can (and does) give
  the story a slant but typically rehashes AP
  story.
• TV news basically all follows ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN,
  PBS (liberal slant) or Fox (conservative slant)

8
Roles of the Media

• Signaler alerting public to important
  developments. New legislation, upcoming war,
  Washington scandals.
• Signaler role gives media the power to set the
  agenda or influence what is on peoples minds.

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Roles

• Media cant tell us what to think, but does tell
  us what to think about. Bernard Cohen
• The power to decide what is news. Easy to
  manipulate opinions simply by including or
  deleting a story.

10
Common-Carrier Role

• Basing news on the words of public officials.
  (More than ½ of all reporters work in Washington)
• Media seeks out politicians for stories and
  politicians seek out the media for
  publicity...they each need the other.

11
Common-Carrier Role contd

• Media now accustomed to creating their own spin
  on publicity given to politicians. Amount of air
  time given politicians (pols) has decreased and
  time given to reporters to restate the info has
  increased as media becomes accustomed to
  spinning

12
Watchdog Role

• Theoretically, the media accepts this role as
  their most important. Protect the public from
  the greed, corruption, and deceit of pols by
  exposing them publicly...selling news in the
  process. Scandals sell the product and are
  exalted material.

13
Watchdog or Common Carrier?

• Conflicting goals watchdog role demands
  suspicion and critical reporting and
  Common-Carrier (CC) requires close ties and open
  communication with pols. Which role is most used
  now? Remember, the pols need the media and
  scandals sell the product!

14
Public Representative

• This role allows the media to see itself as an
  advocate for the people
• 1 Flaw is that the media has no bind and no
  accountability to the public.
• Another flaw to represent someone you must
  share their point of view. They only represent
  those whose values match their own.

15
Public Representative?

• Media least successful in this role because it
  conflicts with business demands to SELL the
  product.
• This role also requires the media to have
  consistent political viewpoints
• My advice to the media...stick to informing the
  public and dont try to represent me.

16
The 4 Roles

• Signaler-what is coming down the pipe
• Common-Carrier- public service news
• Watchdog-keeping an eye on those scoundrel
  politicians!
• Public Representative An advocate of the
  people.

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Roles they do well

• Watchdog best at this role because they have
  the most incentive to fulfill it...if it bleeds,
  it leads.
• Common-carrier Media does provide valuable
  service to citizens. EX. Carrying the State of
  the Union message.
• Signaler what is news tomorrow.

18
Not so good...

• Public Representative requires media to share
  your opinions. Too many of those and they often
  conflict with goals and objectives of the
  business.