Chap12

11
Chapter 12Chapter 12
The MediaThe Media

22Copyright © 2013 CengageCopyright © 2013 Cengage
 WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?
1.1. How much power do the mediaHow much power do the media
have?have?
2.2. Can we trust the media to beCan we trust the media to be
fair?fair?
 TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?
1.1. What public policies will theWhat public policies will the
media support?media support?

44
The Media and PoliticsThe Media and Politics
 Freedom of the PressFreedom of the Press
 The United States versus EuropeThe United States versus Europe
 Freedom of Information ActFreedom of Information Act
 Privately Held Media:Privately Held Media:
• NewspapersNewspapers
• Radio and TelevisionRadio and Television
 Federal Communication CommissionFederal Communication Commission
(FCC)(FCC)
Copyright © 2013 CengageCopyright © 2013 Cengage

powerlineblog.com. Reprinted by
permission of Powerline.
As appeared on www.dailykos.com.
Reprinted with permission.
Blogs, both conservative and liberal, have become an important form
of political advertising.

66
Journalism in American PoliticalJournalism in American Political
HistoryHistory
 The Party PressThe Party Press
 The Popular PressThe Popular Press
 Magazines of OpinionMagazines of Opinion
 Electronic JournalismElectronic Journalism
 The InternetThe Internet

Bettmann/Corbis
News used to come by radio, but today many people read
newspapers on iPads and other electronic devices.
Pixellover RM 3/Alamy

Source: Nielsen Media Research, used under license. Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in
Journalism, 2011 State of the News Media, http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/network-essay/.

Source: The Wall Street Journal (February 15, 2007). Copyright © 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Reprinted
with the permission of Dow Jones & Company, Inc., via Copyright Clearance Center.
Note: 18–34 readership
represents the average of
18–24 readership
and 25–34 readership.
2006 data is through
September

1010
The Internet and PoliticsThe Internet and Politics
It is now easier to:It is now easier to:
 raise money in small donationsraise money in small donations
 organize people to attend meetingsorganize people to attend meetings
 take instant (unreliable?) opinion pollstake instant (unreliable?) opinion polls
 instantly criticize your opponentinstantly criticize your opponent
 mobilize local followersmobilize local followers
 target campaigners with the names oftarget campaigners with the names of
people they should contactpeople they should contact

1111
The Structure of the MediaThe Structure of the Media
 Degree of CompetitionDegree of Competition
 The National MediaThe National Media
• GatekeeperGatekeeper
• ScorekeeperScorekeeper
• WatchdogWatchdog

1212
Rules Governing the MediaRules Governing the Media
 Newspapers – leastNewspapers – least
governmental regulationgovernmental regulation
 Radio and TV – mostRadio and TV – most
governmental regulationgovernmental regulation
 Confidentiality of SourcesConfidentiality of Sources
 Regulating BroadcastingRegulating Broadcasting
 CampaigningCampaigning
Activists urge Congress to
pass a law shielding
reporters from being
required to testify about
their sources.
Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo

Senator Barack Obama campaigning for president in
Los Angeles.
REUTERS/Jason Reed

Pew Research Center for the People Source: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press,
“Press Accuracy Rating Hits Two-Decade Low: Public Evaluations of the News Media: 1985–2009,”
September 2009, http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1341/press-accuracy-rating-hits-two-decade-low.

1616
Are the National Media Biased?Are the National Media Biased?
 Do members of the media have aDo members of the media have a
distinctive political attitude?distinctive political attitude?
 Does that attitude affect what theyDoes that attitude affect what they
write or say?write or say?
 Does what they write or say affectDoes what they write or say affect
what citizens believe?what citizens believe?

1717
Are the National Media Biased?Are the National Media Biased?
 A liberal majorityA liberal majority
 Neutral and objective?Neutral and objective?
• Routine storiesRoutine stories
• Feature storiesFeature stories
• Insider storiesInsider stories
 Media’s influenceMedia’s influence
• Selective attentionSelective attention
.

1818
Government and the NewsGovernment and the News
 Prominence of the PresidentProminence of the President
 Coverage of CongressCoverage of Congress
 Why do we have so many newsWhy do we have so many news
leaks?leaks?
 Sensationalism in the mediaSensationalism in the media
 Government constraints onGovernment constraints on
journalistsjournalists

2020
When President Theodore Roosevelt cultivated the media,When President Theodore Roosevelt cultivated the media,
reporters usually were unknown and poorly paid.reporters usually were unknown and poorly paid.
Brown Brothers

Today, there are huge
gatherings held in a special
conference room, as on the
right.
In 1933, White House pressIn 1933, White House press
conferences were informalconferences were informal
affairs, as when reportersaffairs, as when reporters
gathered around Franklingathered around Franklin
Roosevelt’s desk in the OvalRoosevelt’s desk in the Oval
Office.Office.
Bettmann/Corbis
JASON REED/Reuters/Landov

2222
M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M
To:To: Matthew Wilson, senatorMatthew Wilson, senator
From:From: Margaret Drinker, legislative assistantMargaret Drinker, legislative assistant
Subject:Subject: Protecting journalistsProtecting journalists
The Supreme Court has held that forcing a reporterThe Supreme Court has held that forcing a reporter
to testify does not violate the First Amendment to theto testify does not violate the First Amendment to the
Constitution. But Congress could pass a law, similarConstitution. But Congress could pass a law, similar
to that in many states, banning such testimony if itto that in many states, banning such testimony if it
reveals a confidential source.reveals a confidential source.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

2323
Arguments for:Arguments for:
1. Thirty-four states now have shield laws similar to1. Thirty-four states now have shield laws similar to
the one proposed by Congress.the one proposed by Congress.
2. Effective journalism requires protecting sources2. Effective journalism requires protecting sources
from being identified; without protection, a lot offrom being identified; without protection, a lot of
important stories would not be written.important stories would not be written.

2424
Arguments against:Arguments against:
1. Every person accused in a criminal trial has a1. Every person accused in a criminal trial has a
right to know all of the evidence against him orright to know all of the evidence against him or
her and to confront witnesses. A shield law wouldher and to confront witnesses. A shield law would
deprive people of this right.deprive people of this right.
2. A shield law would allow any government official2. A shield law would allow any government official
to leak secret information with no fear of beingto leak secret information with no fear of being
detected.detected.

2525
Your decision:Your decision:
Support Bill?Support Bill?
Oppose Bill?Oppose Bill?

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