Media in US Government Guided Notes

What is Mass Media?

I. “Old” Media – (sometimes called “___________ Media” by critics)

a. Newspapers: NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Orange County Register
b. Television: CBS, NBC, ABC - decline of 3 major news networks due to rising competition of cable news shows (CNN)
c. Magazines: Time Magazine, Newsweek, US News & World Report
d. Mergers and consolidation >>> LESS ________________
II. “New” Media – (often looked down upon as "not really news" by "Old" Media)
a. Examples: internet, blogs, "new" news sources (CNN, Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, MSNBC, talk radio like Rush
Limbaugh and Glenn Beck)
b. Characteristics:
i. More ____________ (call ins, comment sections)
ii. More emphasis on entertainment - "__________"
iii. Personalized w/ a _______ commentator
iv. __________ but less sensational
v. Informal (much more casual)
vi. Opinionated (commentators present their _________)
vii. __________ (choosing the topics)

SECTION QUESTION

1. Explain the major differences between “old” and “new” media. Provide examples.

The Media & Public Opinion

I. Does the media influence public opinion?

a. YES
i. Television "__________" candidates and elections, making them seem known, __________
ii. Media stress ______-term elements of elections at expense of ______-term elements
iii. Those who "consume" media in turn __________ others; News junkies share their opinions w/ others
more often
iv. Media help set national __________; what's important for the nation to discuss
v. Rise of advocacy journalism/__________ journalism rather than objective journalism
vi. Studies show that journalists are far more __________ than the general public. Influences choice of story.
vii. Media are a primary __________ mechanism between PUBLIC and __________
viii. Profit motive >>> emphasis on boosting ratings >>> "__________" of news >>> people ______ informed
on important issues
b. But also, NO?
i. Mass public pays ______ attention to news according to surveys; people often forget what they see/read
ii. __________ attention: people focus on media source they agree with
iii. Selective __________: people see what they want to see and filter out the rest
iv. Media are only ONE source of influence - political __________ suggests importance of family, schools,
peers, etc.
v. People consume media for variety of reasons other than __________ (boredom, entertainment) >>>
these people more likely to pay less attention to "real" news/analysis >>> when bored, people just turn to
a different channel
SECTION QUESTIONS

1. What is the evidence that media DOES influence public opinion?

2. What is the evidence that media DOES NOT influence public opinion?

3. What do YOU think and why? Reference the points made in section I and II

II. Impact of Newspapers

a. Complaints from both liberal and conservatives:
i. Conservatives claim that reporters are __________ college graduates (often from elite liberal campuses)
w/ hostility towards middle class values who liberal bias __________ into news stories in a variety of ways
ii. Liberals claim that publishers are __________ and therefore more concerned w/ ______ and ______ than
exposing social/political/economic evils >>> __________ bias
b. Lack of __________: most cities/counties have only one newspaper, same stories with same slants
c. Largest amount of presidential campaign coverage devoted to day-to-day campaign activities (__________
coverage)
III. Impact of Television
a. Most people now get news from TV. Most get political info from TV too >>> decline of __________ in coverage and
rise of image and slogans >>> __________ of news
b. Concern that TV is allied with "big" govt.: Use of TV as __________ throne of President
i. President can __________ journalists' annoying questions and go right to people with speech
ii. There has been a decline in the number of presidential press __________, again bypassing journalists
iii. White House manipulation of TV w/ _______________ (photo ops) and sound bites
1. Photo op: an occasion that lends itself to (or is __________ arranged for) taking photographs
that provide favorable publicity for those who are in or running for office
2. Sound bite: a short __________ from a speech/interview use to add punch to a news story or
party-political broadcast: a one-liner deliberately produced for this purpose (Obama: "Change we
can believe in"; Trump: "Make American great again")

SECTION QUESTIONS

1. What is the liberal and conservative argument that the news is biased?

2. Where do most people get their news?

3. What effects or impacts has television made?

Effects of Media on Politics

I. __________ relationship between government and press: journalists need politicians to inform and entertain their
audiences; politicians need journalists for media attention
II. Roles of the Media:
a. Gatekeeper or Agenda Setter: Influences which subjects are of national __________, i.e. helps set national agenda.
Choosing to cover a story or not and how it will be covered shapes the nation's response to it
b. Scorekeeper: keeps track of and helps makes political __________; Who is winning? Who is in first? Horse-race
coverage
c. Watchdog: scrutinizes people, places, events; helps prevent govt. from amassing too much power or exercising its
power __________
III. Nature of Media Influence
a. Most influential at the _______________ phase of the policy making process
b. Provides forum for building __________ images
c. Provides means for politicians to get public __________
d. Acts as __________ mechanism between govt. and people
i. in the past: people > __________ > govt.
ii. now: people > __________ > govt.
e. Contributes to higher cost of campaigning
i. 2002: 36,000 political ads ran in Wisconsin alone at cost of $12.8 million
ii. Nationally, $995.5 million spent on 1,497,386 ads on 561 stations
iii. Obama spent $3.5 million a day on his campaign
f. Contributes to candidate-centered __________; the party is not in the spotlight
g. Increased role of campaign __________. Instead of parties telling candidates what to do/say, __________
consultants report on findings of polls and focus groups and then tell candidates what __________ got the best
response and what tonal qualities/hand gestures registered well/poorly
h. __________ coverage of Congress; Congress seen as __________ foil to President
i. FAR less coverage of __________ Court than of Congress or Presidency
j. Media most influential:
i. In __________ elections rather than __________ elections
ii. On __________ voters. Most voters make up their minds before the fall campaign and many make up
their minds even before the conventions

SECTION QUESTIONS

1. In what ways does the White House and the press have a symbiotic relationship?

2. What has the media reduced as a linking mechanism as the media itself has increased its function as a linking mechanism?

3. How has the media made running for office more expensive?

4. When/where do the media have the most influence?