The document discusses the functions and history of the media in American politics. It outlines how the media gathers and disseminates information to the public through various sources like newspapers, radio, television, and the internet. While the main goal of informing the public has remained the same, the ways information is delivered has changed over time. The media plays key roles like informing, investigating, and interpreting events for the public.

1. PO 375
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
 Framing
 Media alters public view on issue by presentation
 Priming
 Media emphasizes characteristics of people, events,
or issues—and this influences public’s view

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

29. IRAQ: SPIDER HOLE IRAQ: MILITARY CASKETS