This document discusses journalism, public opinion, and McJournalism. It examines how polls and surveys are often used as a substitute for public opinion but may not accurately represent the public. Journalism is also influenced by money and political agendas. The document analyzes how vox pops and inferences are commonly used to construct public opinion but may not provide a realistic view. It defines characteristics of McJournalism such as efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control, and how this style of journalism can prioritize quantity over quality.

1. Melissa Galaz
Hayley Bonnington
Amanda Wishnie
Corey Nethan
Journalism/Public Opinion
and McJournalism

2. Journalism & The Use of Polling

3. Setting the agenda
 Often used as a substitute for public opinion
 Public ignored?
 Methods: Online vs. Phone
 Margin of Error

4. Verifiable?
 Finding neutrality
 Unwarranted claims
-Following the formula
-Princeton Review
• Do you think polls and surveys are an accurate
portrayal of public opinion?

5. Money also fuels political agenda
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjzOX2edcHI-

6. France
 “Article 11 of the act of 19 July 1977 prohibits the
publication, broadcast or reporting of any opinion poll
directly or indirectly related to an election during the
week preceding voting and during the actual voting
period.”
 Brought to court in 1998 claiming abuse of Human
Rights

7. Speed vs. Accuracy

8. Inference
• The most common
form of public opinion
• Does not refer to
systematic data
• Casual representation
of public opinion
• Example: Casey
Anthony trial
 http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=dUcHr_C-
uos

9. Vox Pops
• 2nd most common form
of public opinion
• Can be a few seconds to
a couple minutes long
• “People in the street‟
interview
• Example: Katrina victims
 http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=vtJAYUyT5BM

10. “Constructing” The Public
• Inferences and vox pops support a
script
• “The public plays a crucial role in the
success of media events (Dekavella,
298)”
• BBC 139 vox pops and 168
references to the public
• Speaking “for” the public
• Leading questions do not lead to
true opinions
• “Citizens are constructed through
vox pops and inferences made
about them (Dekavella, 309.”
 Do you think that vox pops and
inferences provide a realistic
representation of public opinion?

11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Echi6oMYEOM

12. McJournalism
 Efficiency
 Calculability
 Predictability
 Control
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdy1AgO6Fp4

13. Efficiency
1. The efficiency with which
goods and services are
delivered to consumers
2. Fast-food restaurants
provide more efficient
means of obtaining meals
than cooking a meal at
home with raw ingredients.
• „Getting us from a state of
being hungry to a state of
being full‟
• USA TODAY

14. Calculability
 Calculability emphasizes on what can be
quantified, meaning that quantity rather than quality
becomes the measure of value
 Circulation

15. Predictability
The organized production to guarantee uniformity
of a product and standardized outcomes, knowing
exactly what it Is that you‟re going to get.

16. Control
 New technology
 Consequences
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfMGyCk3XTw

17. Discussion Questions
1. Do you prefer reading a shorter and more concise article
or a longer and more detailed article? Why?
2. What do you think is the most effective way to measure
public opinion?
3. Does the media adequately voice the concerns and
opinions of its citizens?
4. Do you think polls and surveys are an accurate portrayal
of public opinion?
5. Do you believe there are consequences that come along
with McJournalism ?