The Media

1
The Media
2
The Medias Functions

• Entertainment
• Reporting the news
• Identifying public problems
• Setting the public agenda
• The investigative function
• Socializing new generations
• Providing a political forum
• Making profits

3
Characteristics of American Media

• Using the most advanced technology
• Internet
• Satellite transmission of real-time events
• Helicopters used to track unraveling events
• Operating in a free environment
• 1st Amendment
• Yet, time of Red Scare McCarthyism
• Privately owned
• Politically independent
• Operationally vigorous
• Ownership centralized in a few giant corporations

4
Characteristics of American Media

• Privately owned
• Ownership centralized in a few giant corporations
• Reporters highly vigorous, motivated, and
  responsive to signs of news worthy stories
• Watergate scandal, e.g.

5
Types of Media

• Broadcasting media
• Radio
• Television
• Print media
• Newspaper
• Magazines
• Others
• Internet
• Online version of press
• Information source
• Venue of personal expression

6
Differences of Media

• Broadcast Media
• Essentially a headline service
• fewer topics
• little depth of coverage
• more audience/viewers
• Source of info for 80 of American adults
• Print Media
• Not a source for the majority
• Audience are nations elites
• Leading papers set the reporting agenda
• In-depth coverage and better analysis

7
The Primacy of Television

• Currently the most influential type of media is
  television.
• Major TV networks
• NBC
• CBS
• ABC
• TV news network
• CNN
• Fox
• Public TV channels
• PBS
• C-SPAN

8
The Primacy of Television (cont.)

• Televisions Influence on the Political Process.
• Viewers can actually see news and history as it
  is happening
• Civil Rights Movement (50s and 60s)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vgZLvSnr6s50
• Political assassinations
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vlmc2EzkRDkI
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vD4KROpdUkrMmodere
  latedsearch
• Tragedies
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vj4JOjcDFtBE
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vZoPS5sM0qwEmodere
  latedsearch

9
The Primacy of Television (cont.)

• Televisions Influence on the Political Process.
• Viewers can actually see news and history as it
  is happening
• Other protest movements
• Vietnam War Protest
• War in Iraq
• Viewers can see how government conducts business
• C-Span Congress in law making
• Live broadcast of Congressional hearings
• Live broadcast of presidents press conference

10
The Media and Political Campaigns

• Voters now receive most information from the
  electronic media, especially television. There
  are three types of television coverage employed
  by a campaign
• Advertising
• Management of News Coverage
• Planning political events to accommodate the
  press
• Developing a good working relationship with
  reporters.
• Convincing the media to put the right spin or
  interpretation on a story.
• Political Debates

11
The Media and Political Campaigns (cont.)

• Political Campaigns and the InternetPoliticians
  use WWW to reach out
• http//clinton.senate.gov/
• http//www.hillaryclinton.com/splash/
• Opponents/supporters use WWW
• http//www.stophernow.com/site/PageServer
• http//www.hillaryclinton.com/

12
Ownership of US Media

• Concentration of Ownership of US Media
• Political power is not distributed evenly
• Large concentrations of economic resources are
  present in society
• American media is a good example of concentration
  of ownership among a limited number of
  individuals corporations.
• More than ¾ of the daily newspaper are owned by
  large media conglomerates
• Major TV networks such as ABC, NBC and CNN
  serving most households
• Major TV networks supply about 65 of the
  programming to local affiliates.

13
Ownership of US Media

• Consequences of Media Ownership Concentration
• monopoly power in the media
• Public inability to access diverse views
• Lack of competitiveness and more distortions in
  information
• Manipulation of public due to concentration of
  ownership

14
Media Coverage

• Factors impacting media coverage in the US
• The journalists/producers
• Via selection bias
• In favor of news that have a great audience
  appeal for its dramatic 0r entertainment value
• Crimes
• Disasters
• Scandals
• Freedom or discretion to interpret stories
• Personal views preferences are reflected in
  analysis and description of events
• Sources of News
• News coverage is also influenced by the
  individuals or events that are subjects of the
  news.

15
Media Coverage

• Factors impacting media coverage in the US
• Sources of News
• News coverage is also influenced by the
  individuals or events that are subjects of the
  news.
• News leakse.g., both Clinton Ken Star
  reportedly leaked info to the media to sway news
  reports
• Issues press release
• Appear in media interviews
• Appear in popular TV programs (SNL, Late Night
  Show)
• Use of extraordinary acts to attract media
  attentionstreet demonstration protests (good for
  financially strapped orgs)

16
Media Coverage

• Factors impacting media coverage in the US
• The audience of news
• Media are business orgs preferences of customers
  determine media coverage
• views positions of the upscale segments of
  audience receive much attention
• Topics the middle class is interested receive a
  lot of attention in media coverage. Issues such
  as
• Stock markets
• Scientific breakthroughs
• International politicsIn contrast, issues
  concerning the lower-middle and working class
  receive scant attention

17
Media Power

• Sources of Media Power
• Agenda Setting
• Media help set agenda for political discussion
• Framing
• The power to decide how political events and
  results and interpreted by the American people
• Media coverage of election and government
• Shape popular perceptions of politicians and
  political leaders
• Events Media Have Had Great Impact on
• Civil Rights Movement
• Vietnam War protest movement
• Watergate scandal
• Terrorist attack on the US