This document discusses the history and evolution of media in the United States. It begins by outlining traditional media sources like newspapers, radio, and television and how their goal of informing the public has remained consistent over time even as the delivery of information has changed. The document then examines the shift from manually produced newspapers to mass production enabled by new technologies. Key developments in American media history like the growth of literacy, partisan newspapers, and yellow journalism are also summarized. The document concludes by considering modern changes in media consumption habits and the continuing impact of media on politics and citizens.

1. POL 205
Fall 2019

4.  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

6. 1) Inform
2) Investigate
3) Interpret

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

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

13.  Newspapers and partisan politics
 Growing literacy and the “penny press”
 Beginnings of “Yellow Journalism”

18. THE “BIGTHREE” KENNEDYVS. NIXON, 1960

20.  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

22.  Gatekeeper
 Decide what will be covered
 Disseminator
 “Just the Facts,” avoid unverifiable stories
 Investigator
 Investigate problems and analyze them
 Public Mobilizer
 Emphasis on civic journalism

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

25.  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

26.  Roles and functions allow citizens to learn about
government and critically analyze performance.
 Throughout American history, media’s role has
impacted the course of politics.
 Journalists’ perceptions on their role affects how
news is presented.
 Partisanship and ideology, along with the advent of
social media, will continue to impact how Americans
interact with political events.