politics, power and the media brian m conley suffolk university. government department

Politics, Power and the Media

Brian M ConleySuffolk University.

Government Department


How do we Define Our Terms:

Politics?Power?The Media?

It is always important to try to define your terms.



Politics?One definition…

“Politics is who gets what, when, and how.” -Harold Laswell.

Any others?



Power? Here there are several well-known schools of thought, among

them:

1) Pluralism (First Face or Dimension) 2) Agenda-Setting (Second Face or Dimension) 3) Hegemony (Third Face or Dimension)

Three Faces of Power

Face of Power Features Inaction

Pluralism System is unfair, but open. You can act on your grievances.

Apathy, and ignorance.

Agenda-Setting Those who control the agenda, control policy outcomes.

Rational calculation.

Hegemony Those who shape perception, define what is politically possible.

Consequences of power: grievances are not recognized.



The Media?How do we study the media?

1. Study the views of individual reporters, editors or owners?2. Study the media institutionally (or as an institution)?



The Media?How do we study the media?

1. Study the views of individual reporters, editors or owners?2. Study the media institutionally (or as an institution)?

Advantages of an Institutional Analysis: Link Bias with OwnershipHow is media content determined?


Media Ownership: Trend Toward Consolidation (1980s-)

Media Ownership: News Corporation (Fox)

TV: DBS & Cable Magazine Books Other

FOXTELBSkyBStarDirecTVSky ItaliaFox News Channel Fox Movie Channel FX FUELNational Geographic ChannelSPEED ChannelFox Sports Net FSN New England (50%)FSN Ohio FSN FloridaNational Advertising PartnersFox College SportsFox Soccer ChannelStats, Inc.Film20th Century Fox Fox Searchlight Pictures Fox Television Studios Blue Sky Studios

last updated 08/16/10

InsideOut donna hay SmartSource The Weekly Standard TV Guide (partial)

Newspapers

United StatesNew York PostWall Street Journal

United KingdomNews International News of the World The Sun The Sunday Times The Times

AUSTRAL/ASIA

Daily TelegraphFiji TimesGold Coast BulletinPost-Courier

HarperMorrow AccessAmistadCaedmonAvon EccoEosFourth EstateHarperAudioHarperBusinessHarperCollinsHarper Design InternationalHarperEntertainmentHarperLargePrintHarperResourceHarperSanFranciscoHarperTorchPerennialPerfectBoundQuillRayoReganBooksWilliam Morrow

Other Los Angeles Kings (NHL, 40% option) Los Angeles Lakers (NBA, 9.8% option) Staples Center (40% owned by Fox/Liberty) News Interactive Fox Sports Radio Network Sky Radio DenmarkSky Radio GermanyBroadsystem Classic FMFestival Records Fox Interactive IGN Entertainment Mushroom RecordsMySpace.comNational Rugby League NDS News Outdoor

Media: Institutional Structure

Owners

Publishers Publishers Publishers

Editors Editors Editors Editors Editors

Consumer Report Report Report Report Report Report

Advertiser

How is media content determined?


Owners




Advertiser

How is media content determined?In what direction does power (decision-making) flow?

Power: Owners down to Reporters


Owners




Advertiser

How is media content determined?In what direction does power (decision-making) flow?

Power: Reporters up to Owners


Owners




Advertiser

Direction of influence helps address the bias question.

Power: Owners down to Reporters

More Conservative: Republican


Owners




Advertiser

Direction of influence helps address the bias question. Power: Reporters up to Owners

More Liberal: Democratic


Media Bias: Liberal or Conservative Bias?Who shapes the content of news reporting?

1. Owners and Publishers (More Conservative)?2. Reporters (More Liberal)?

Research Design: Examine how the media covers or discusses certain issues.

Political Spectrum: US Politics

Left: Public Positive Liberty: Freedom to…

Center: Public-Private Hybrid

More Government Scale LessMore Government Scale Less

Right: Private Negative Liberty: Freedom Free…




Left: Public Positive. Liberty: Freedom To…



Public Democratic Party PrivatePublic Democratic Party Private








Public Republican Party PrivatePublic Republican Party Private

US Politics: Health Care Reform





Public Democratic Party PrivatePublic Democratic Party Private

Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance







Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance Single Payer Public Option Private Insurance


How often did the New York Times refer to differing health care policy options? (March 2010)

13 21 16






Single Payer Public Option Private Ins/Health CSingle Payer Public Option Private Ins/Health C


How often did the New York Times refer to differing health care policy options? (April 2009- April 2010)

104 357 223

22


US Politics: Social Security Privatization





Public Republican Party PrivatePublic Republican Party Private

Public Social Security Private Investment Public Social Security Private Investment




The Media?There are several well-established debates concerning the media:

1. Is the media bias (how do you measure that)?2. Is the media free (who owns the media)?

Any others?


Explaining QuiescenceWhy, in circumstances of inequality, do challenges to that inequality notalways occur? “What is there in certain situations of social deprivation that prevents issues from arising, grievances from being voiced, or interests from being recognized?”

How do we explain inaction in the face of inequality. This is the key question

Gaventa is attempting to answer.

Power and Participation

Gaventa Thesis: Political Participation Shaped by Power (4)“In situations of inequality, the political response of the deprived group or

class may be seen as a function of power relationships…”

Protocols of Persuasion

What is the Nature of Power? (4)Lukes: Three dimensions or faces of power.

1) First: Pluralists 2) Second: Agenda-Setting 3) Third: Hegemony


1) One-Dimensional Approach: Pluralists (5)

Theory of Power: A has power over B to the extent that A can getB to do something he otherwise would not do.

Characteristics of A Plural System:1) Grievances are freely acted upon, when they develop.2) System is open “to virtually every group”3) Leaders function not as “elites,” but as

representatives and may be studied as such.


1) One-Dimensional Approach: Pluralists (5)

Theory of Non-Participation: Since system is open, and there is no block no getting involved, non-participation is thought to result from inertia, or apathy. That is, it results from some personal defect of those who do not participate. (6-7)


Two-Dimensional Approach: Agenda-Setting (8)

Schattschneider: non-participation results from the “suppression of options.”

“Whoever decides what the game is about also decides who gets in the game.” (8-9)



Bachrach and Baratz: Power works to shape not only who is included and excluded, but also which issues and problems are included and excluded. (9)



Mobilization of Bias: Organizations are designed to favor certain individuals or issues and

disadvantage others.

Example: US Steel and Air Pollution (9)Gary Indiana: People did not pursue air pollution issue, or challenge US Steel because of its assumed power. “The reputation for power may have been more important than its exercise. It could have enabled US Steel to prevent political action without taking action itself.” (9)


Alternate Theory of non-participationInaction is related to power:

Limits of Second Face: Does not Consider How Power May Effect

Conception of Grievances (10-11)It failures to see that the absence of a grievance may itself be a consequence

of power. (11)


Three-Dimensional Approach: Hegemony (11)Theory of Power: “Not only might A exercise power over B by prevailing in

the resolution of a key issue, but also through affecting B’s conceptions of issues altogether.”

A over BPower is ability not only to get B to do A wants, whether B wanted to or not, but to directly shape what B wants, or thinks “he” wants. (12)


Three-Dimensional Approach: Hegemony (11)This type of control may happen in absence of conflict, which has been

averted.

Theory of ParticipationTheory of Power cannot focus on actually behavior: it must consider also the

way in which “potential” conflicts or debates are avoided, or prevented from ever occurring. (12)

Both 2nd and 3rd faces of Power help us explain inaction in the face of inequality.


Face of Power Features Inaction

Pluralism System is unfair, but open. You can act on your grievances.

Apathy, and ignorance.

Agenda-Setting Those who control the agenda, control policy outcomes.

Rational calculation.

Hegemony Those who shape perception, define what is politically possible.

Consequences of power: grievances are not recognized.


Corporate Personhood:Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad (118 U.S. 394 1886)

Fourteenth Amendment:Section 1 (of 4). All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

politics, power and the media brian m conley suffolk university. government department

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