Government and Decision Making in Scotland

1
What is the mass media? How can the mass media
influence decision making?
2
Aims and Objectives

• In this part of the course we are going to look
  at how the media and pressure groups affect the
  decision making process in the Scottish
  Parliament
• By the end of the lesson you should be aware of
• How newspapers can influence decision making in
  Scotland

3
The Media

• The aspects of the media we will study will be
• The press and Newspapers
• Television and Radio
• The Internet

• Our elected representatives have power. We elect
  them at election time to speak on our behalf
• In between elections, the media have an important
  influence on decisions that parliament and local
  councils make

4
Free Press

• This is a key feature of a democratic society
• It is important that the government does not have
  total control of the media otherwise we may never
  know the truth about what is going on in our
  country

• In groups, think of as many newspapers as you can
  that we can buy in Scotland today

5
Newspapers - Tabloids

• There are 10 national daily papers and 9 Sunday
  papers that we can buy in Scotland
• Tabloids, such as the Sun, tend to concentrate on
  human-interest stories and do not usually give
  much space to political issues.
• These papers have high circulation levels and
  tend to be biased.

6
Newspapers - Broadsheets

• Broadsheets are essentially different from
  tabloids although many of them have reduced their
  page size in recent years
• Their content is more to do with politics,
  economic and foreign affairs
• Broadsheets tend not to be biased they often
  present both sides of the argument

7
Group Activity

• You will either be given a tabloid or a
  broadsheet.
• In groups, look through the paper and note the
  number of articles related to politics, economics
  or foreign affairs
• Are there are any headlines that you think could
  influence decision making?
• Which paper would you be most likely to read?

8
Andrew Morton

• Turn to page 59 of your units
• Read the article Airgun control
• This is an example of the media having an impact
  on decision making in Scotland and indeed the UK

• Make your own notes on the newspaper article.

9
The Scotsman

• This newspaper carried out a lot of articles on
  the campaign to ban air guns
• First Minister vows to change airgun law in wake
  of two-year olds shooting
• (Scotsman Newspaper)
• Do you think this would have been achieved if the
  newspapers did not discuss the shooting?

10
Activity

• Read the newspaper articles on pages 61 and 62 of
  the unit
• Discuss the following points with the person
  sitting next to you
• What do you think of Andrews Law?
• What do you think of the view of Andrew Mortons
  mum?
• Construct a spider diagram in your jotter
  highlighting the importance of newspapers on
  decision making in the Scottish Parliament

11

• Ownership and control influence media messages
• Newspapers make substantial profits this severely
  prejudices claims to objectivity in reporting
  news
• 80 of newspapers are in the hands of 3
  conglomerates
• Mirror (late Maxwell), United and News
  International(Murdch, Sun, Times, News of the
  World as well as sky TV)

12
Next Lesson

• We will begin looking at the impact television
  and radio can have on the decision making process
  in Scotland.