objective: swbat understand the role that media plays in the modern political environment of the us....
DESCRIPTION
Over the past 20 years, reforms of the presidential nomination process have had which of the following effects? A. The nomination process in both parties has become less democratic and open B. The number of Black delegates at Republican national conventions has grown substantially C. The number of female delegates and minority-group delegates at Democratic national conventions has grown substantially D. The number of of candidates willing and able to seek the nomination has grown substantially. E. None of the above Public monies are used to help finance which of the following campaigns? I. Presidential II. Congressional III. Gubernatorial A.I only B.II only C.I and II only D.II and III only E.I, II, and III BELL RINGERS (CONT.)TRANSCRIPT
Objective: SWBAT understand the role that media plays in the modern political environment of the US.
Agenda:Bell RingerFinal Paper/Project discussionStart Lecture/Notes over Mass Media (Ch. 12)
AP GOVT – 11/7/14
Most forms of economic activity are now included under:A) First Amendment freedoms.B) interstate commerce.C) the doctrine of implied powers.D) the reserved powers of the states.E) compact theory.
A Supreme Court decision that upheld limits on contributions to candidates but struck down limits on how much candidates could spend on their own campaigns was:McConnell v. FECCitizens United v. FECBuckley v. ValeoMcCulloch v. MarylandMadison v. Marbury
BELL RINGERS
Over the past 20 years, reforms of the presidential nomination process have had which of the following effects?A. The nomination process in both parties has become less democratic and openB. The number of Black delegates at Republican national conventions has grown substantiallyC. The number of female delegates and minority-group delegates at Democratic national conventions has grown substantiallyD. The number of of candidates willing and able to seek the nomination has grown substantially.E. None of the above
Public monies are used to help finance which of the following campaigns?I. PresidentialII. CongressionalIII. Gubernatorial
A. I onlyB. II onlyC. I and II onlyD. II and III onlyE. I, II, and III
BELL RINGERS (CONT.)
THE MASS MEDIA AND THE ROLE IT
PLAYS
THE MASS MEDIA
Media Events: Events purposely staged for the media that nonetheless look
spontaneous. Media events can be staged by almost anybody.
Other items to consider: 60% presidential campaign spending is TV ads Image making / news management is important, especially
for presidentsPolicy Agenda:
The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at the time.
Policy Entrepreneurs: People who invest their political “capital” in an issue. All depend on good images and good will.
THE ROLE OF THE MEDIAFirst of all, what is the “media”It’s any form of mass communication including:
Newspapers Radio Television Magazines the Internet
IT’S ROLE
Most people’s understanding of government and politics comes from the media !!
MEDIA HISTORY The US media has more freedom than a
lot of European countries The US has a long history of private
ownership of media but it has two potential limits
1 They have to make a profit and sometimes make up stories to entice readerships. Some truth to it but it’s very complicated
2 Media bias could be an issue if reporters and editors all shared the same viewpoints
MEDIA HISTORYIn the early days the political parties
controlled the press but changes in technology and society created the popular press
Telegraph, high speed presses and population concentrated in cities
1848 the AP showed up (Associated Press) which provided objective reporting and equal distribution of information
AP GOVT – 11/10/14
Objective: SWBAT understand the role that the media has on the political process.
Agenda: Housekeeping Tomorrow’s Assembly – Behavior, Appropriate Qs, etc. Bell Ringer Notes over the Media
Bell Ringer: Video Explain Ms. Goodwin’s reasoning on modern day muckrakers and
how they compare to muckrakers in the past.
STILL SOME CRAZY STUFF OUT THERE
Even so, the publishers views were reflected in the papersHearst and Pulitzer and Yellow Journalism helped start the
Spanish/American War in 1898Clearly there was a profit to be made in criticizing the
government and sensational news reporting!!!
MAGAZINESThe middle class favored progressive periodicals
(magazines)Creation of Muckrakers - investigative reportingReaders were more sophisticated and educatedToday, though, national magazines focusing on just
politics account for only a very small percentage of total magazines
PRINT MEDIA-(NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES)
Pecking OrderNew York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Chicago Tribune
Smaller papers reprint the big stories
TV and the internet are causing newspaper sales to decline
BRING ON THE RADIO!!Dawn of the electronic media in the 1920sPoliticians could reach voters directly but it
was also easy for listeners to “turn them off”TV in the 1940s has eventually created short
“sound bites” of info and made it harder for people to get a real understanding of events
Now have cable, satellite, magazine shows and too many news programs to list
“narrowcasting” is broadcasting to a segmented audience, a target group only!!
The Broadcast MediaTelevision (not cable or satellite) and radioBrought government and politics into people’s homes
Made the politicians more aware of their appearance
Generally the top source of news for most Americans, and most believable
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIA POLITICS
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIA POLITICS
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)-no media involvement in politics
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)- invented modern media politics/Fireside Chats
Gave press conferences twice a week First to use the radio extensively Press respected FDR
Until the 1960s the press respected the government Didn’t report private lives Impact of Vietnam War and Watergate Scandal Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal Investigative Journalism
Investigative journalism- Use of in-depth reporting to unearth scandals, scams and
schemes- Watergate is an example- Contributes to a negative view of government and politics- The media serves as a watchdog, which may restrain
government
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIA POLITICS
GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF THE BROADCAST MEDIA
1934: Federal Communications Commission was created Prevents Monopolies Conducts exams over goals
and performance Stations must benefit
society to get a license
Fair treatment rules provide equal airtime to both candidates
ADD THE INTERNETIncreasingly important as almost 50% of American
households have access to itIt’s free and is playing a larger role in politicsAlmost every candidate has a web siteIt easily facilitates communication between candidates
and voters as well as with political activists
All secrets become public knowledge. The bigger the secret, the sooner it will leak.
All stories written about me are inaccurate; all stories written about my opponent are completely accurate.
The better the news, the higher ranking the official who announces it.
Always release bad news on Friday or Saturday; fewer people will notice it. Taking out the trash
Never argue with a person who buys ink by the barrel.
POLITICAL MAXIMS OF MEDIA RELATIONS
WHAT DOES THE MEDIA DO?1 Gatekeeper - influences what subjects
become national issues and for how long2 Scorekeeper - tracks political reputations as
well as elections. Momentum in the media is vital during elections season!!
3 Watchdog - investigate officials and expose scandals!! Need we mention Watergate??
RULES OVER THE MEDIANo prior restraint - can’t stop a storyConfidentiality of sources usually NOT allowed, especially if it
bears on a crimeLicensing of broadcast mediaEqual time laws for candidates including prices of commercial
air timeFairness doctrine was abolished in 1987 and has allowed the
rise of controversial shows like RushOther rules around elections
SO, IS THE MEDIA BIASED?Generally more liberal than the average personBut public believes it more than that!!Talk radio is predominately conservativeMany more conservative media outlets recently including Fox
News and shows like RushSelective attention: people only believe or remember what
they want to Candidates believe the media including Johnson who gave up
on Vietnam after the press did
GOVERNMENT AND NEWSThe president is the most coveredCongress coverage not equal to President and they are
resentful!!Senate more open than House
More coverage for Senators 100 vs. 435 States vs. Small districts
C-Span covers all floor actionLots of leaks to the pressWhy??CompetitionNot “illegal”Decentralized power
REPORTING THE NEWSPresenting the News
Most news coverage is superficial Sound Bites: Short video clips of approximately 15 seconds
or less.
Figure 7.2
Beat- Specific locations from which news emanates, such as Congress or the White House.
Trial Balloons- An intentional news leak for the purpose of assessing the political reaction.
JOURNALISTIC TERMS
ADVERSARIAL PRESSPress and government fighting each other since Vietnam,
Watergate and Iran-ContraCompetition for journalistic awardsMedia cynicism has created an era of “attack journalism” and
that cynicism mirrors the public’s viewPeople think media has too much influence and the public is
down on big business – the media is big business
GOVERNMENT FIGHTS BACKBig staffs of media people working for Congress and the
presidentPress releases – canned newsLeaks and stories only go to “favorite” reportersOn-record, off-record informationPresidential rewards and punishments for reporters based on
their stories
http://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_miller_shares_the_news_about_the_news.html
NEWS ABOUT THE NEWS (4:26)