Slides

1. PO 101
Fall 2016

3.  What functions do the media play?
 How has the media developed throughout
American political history?
 Is political news a “mirror reflection” of what’s
happening inWashington—or a deliberate
product of the political process?

5.  Sources help to gather, package, and disseminate
information to the public
 Newspapers
 Radio
 Television
 Internet
 Main goal of media has stayed the same
 How information is delivered has changed

7.  Informing
 Press informs public of political events
 Investigating
 Researching and revealing information about events
 Interpreting
 Media interpret a given day’s news

10.  Labor-intensive
and expensive
 Newsprint comprised
of individual letters of
metal type

12. Common Sense was mass-produced.
The Federalist Papers were published in NewYork newspapers.

14.  Newspapers and partisan politics
 Influence of the “penny press”
 Beginnings of “Yellow Journalism”

15. JOSEPH PULITZER WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST

17. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
on Radio

19. THE “BIGTHREE” KENNEDYVS. NIXON, 1960

21.  Decline inTraditional Newspaper Readership
 Popularity ofTalk Radio
 Rise of Soft News or “Infotainment”
 Prevalence of Blogs
 Rise and Continuation of Social Networking
 Cell Phones andText Messaging

23.  Gatekeeper
 Decide what will be covered
 Managers of wire services, editors, reporters
 Disseminator
 “Just the Facts,” avoid unverifiable stories
 Does this help the public?
 Investigator
 Investigate problems, critically analyze and report them
 “Muckrakers,”Woodward and Bernstein (Watergate)
 Public Mobilizer
 Emphasis on civic journalism
 Grassroots movement due to Internet, etc.

25. Focuses on 1940 Election
Results: People already made up
minds prior to voting; campaign
did not add information
Study gave rise to minimal
effects thesis

26.  Selective Exposure
 Individuals exposed to information with beliefs
 Selective Perception
 Individuals interpret information with beliefs
 Selective Retention
 Individuals recall information with beliefs

27.  Agenda Setting
 Must choose which events to cover— signal to public
 Priming
 Media emphasizes characteristics of people, events,
or issues—and this influences public’s view
 Framing
 Media alters public view on issue by presentation

28. George W. Bush, New Orleans, post-Hurricane Katrina

29. IRAQ: SPIDER HOLE IRAQ: MILITARY CASKETS

31.  Mirror Model
 News should reflect reality; journalists just report
 Unrealistic in modern media environment
 Professional Model
 Newsmaking is professional endeavor
 Outlets select stories for their target audience
 Organizational or “Bargaining” Model
 Pressures and relationships between journalists, news sources, and
editors determine what makes news, etc.
 Political Model
 News reflects political environment; covering major politicians
 Public Journalism / Civic Journalism Model
 News outlets respond to and educate public through stories