THE MEDIA

1
THE MEDIA

• non constitutional institutions that LINK the
  people to the government and the government to
  the people.
• A linkage institution see first day graphic

2
Changes in the Media

• Pamphlets
• Newspapers
• Telegraph
• Magazines
• Radio
• TV NBC, CBS, ABC,PBS
• Cable and satellite
• Internet
• Personal Communication Devices

3
Changes Continued

• TV has become fractionalized 500 chans.
• Broadcast is becoming narrowcast
• Fewer and thinner newspapers
• Internet news sources including blogs
• TV news is less news and more entertainment
  sponsors needs
• PBS serve public interest wo worry of sponsors
  (corp. for public broadcasting)

4
The National Media

• Associated Press sells stories to print,tv
• National TV Networks news programs, talk shows,
  comedy, (some slanted)
• National newspapers and mags
• Radio networks including NPR

5
National Media Roles

• Gatekeeper what is news and for how long
• Scorekeeper primaries, credibility, polls
• Watchdog keep an eye on gov officials
• Are they doing what they say they are doing?
  Murrow and Sen McCarthy
• Wash Post and Watergate
• NY Times Pentagon Papers
• Provide analysis and hist. perspective

6
Regulating the Media

• Print media has few regulations (ownership)
• TV more regulated by FCC
• Cable less regulation not public airwaves
• Recent trend to permit single companies to own
  more newspapers, radio stations and tv stations
  in one market or city (deregulation)
• Fewer owners thus fewer sources of info

7
Regulations continued

• Equal time rule sell time to both sides
• Right to reply rule give time to person
  attacked on air
• Political editorial rule if station endorsed a
  candidate give time to the other
• Fairness Doctrine is now voluntary regarding
  equal time to both sides of an issue

8
Regulations continued

• Reporters confidentiality of sources
• Usually unprotected, but some states do have laws
  to prevent prosecutors from forcing reporters to
  reveal sources
• Last year Judith Miller NYT 85 days in prison
  for not revealing Libbys name
• Libby trial begins soon Cheney Asst

9
Medias Effect

• Print media endorse candidates not TV
• Media establishes some issues by frequent stories
  on same topic
• Public shares interest in similar issues
• Party convention schedule ruled by Media
• Media stories can bring down a public official or
  create a new star
• Newspapers (voter guide)show diff between cand.
  Better than TV longer stories - depth

10
Personalization

• TV has contributed the most to making the
  presidency about personality
• A few other officials also attract personal
  followings due to tv. Do you know of any?

11
The President and the Media

• Smart communications directors (WH) can control
  the presidents image and message.
• WH officials especially Press Secretary
  cultivates the press
• Some WH (presidents) are seen as open and honest
  with fewer secrets to keep
• Many leaks are planned to make a story

12
President and Media

• WH message is created each day
• Message comes out of different parts of the
  executive branch
• Recent message Iraq recent violence not a
  civil war but Islamist fascist attacks
• Some WH officials get close to some journalist
  by giving info that is called background or
  nonattributable source

13
Presidents History w Media

• Teddy Roosevelt great
• FDR great
• JFK great
• LBJ mixed
• Nixon poor
• Carter okay then poor
• Reagan great
• GW Bush started great but

14
Congress and Media

• Not as much attention too many
• House rules about TV
• Senate more open and fewer people
• Hearings on TV make some popular
• Mc Carthy hearings in 50s
• Watergate hearings in 70s
• Supreme Court confirmation hearings

15
Why so many leaks from Gov?

• Decentralized gov has created many employees many
  sources of info.
• Congress and Executive may compete
• Not illegal to print most gov secrets
• Adversarial nature of press since Watergate
  (Nixon) and Arms for Hostages (Reagan)
• Natural distrust of gov is healthy (watchdog)

16
Leaks Continued

• Media is a business pressure to get the story
  first
• Competition for journalists to be stars
• Sensationalism or attack journalism attracts
  readers and viewers so more digging for the real
  story
• Some leaks are planned and some are leaked to
  create misinformation

17
Informal Constraints on Journalism

• Ethics of being fair and truthful
• Desire to retain sources (Judith Miller) so they
  would be hesitant to report negatives about the
  source or associates
• Desire to keep sponsors
• Desire to be critical of corporate ownership
• Desire to give the reader or viewer want they
  want instead of need ( PROFITS )

18
Formal Constraints on Journalism

• FCC regulations licenses need to be renewed,
  require public service announcements, equal time,
  right to reply
• Laws on number of newspapers, radio tv stations
  under one ownership
• Rules regarding libel (reckless disregard for
  truth about a person)
• Obscenity rules rarely affect news

19
What are the effects of the news media on
peoples opinions?

• Minimal immediate effects
• More so on what Americans think about
• More frequent stories more thinking
• Media can alter priorities set agendas
• Influence the national conversation
• Will the media emphasize the good news about the
  economy (slow economic growth) or the bad news
  (low inflation)?

20
All want to use the power of the media to get
their issue on the national agenda

• Interest groups
• Political parties
• Politicians
• Public relations firms

• The White House
• Executive Departments, Agencies, and Commissions
• The Congress