Chapter 11: The Media and
Cyberpolitics
• Objectives:
– Identify the major functions performed by the mass media in our society,
including entertainment, reporting news, identifying public problems,
socializing a new generation and providing a political forum.
– Trace the historical development of the press from the colonial period to
modern electronic media.
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political press
development of mass-readership newspapers
popular press and yellow journalism
age of the electromagnetic signal
revolution in electronic media
– Describe the relationship between the First Amendment protection of
freedom of the press and government’s regulation of the media.
– Explain the media’s impact on politics, both on the impact in electoral
politics and investigative reporting of the government.
– Describe the arguments for the public’ right to media access.
– Describe the different forms of bias in the media.
What If . . . The Internet Replaced
Broadcast News?
• The growth of the Internet reflects its popularity as a tool
for:
 communication,
 business,
 information
• If the Internet replaced broadcast news, chances are that
many television and cable news agencies would have
websites to provide news and information.
• These websites, however, would be complemented with
many other sources. There would be an enormous
variety of sources of information, with some sites
catering to specific kinds of news or to different
viewpoints.
What If . . . The Internet Replaced
Broadcast News?
• Possible disadvantages:
– there would be large differences in the bias and the
accuracy of such sources (some sites would be
monitored carefully for inaccuracy.)
– Other sites would not check their facts, and would
present any information as long as it was in keeping
with its views.
– there would be fewer chances for the country to
share the news and bond as a community (ie. the
assassination of President Kennedy and his funeral,
the first walk by the man on the moon, President
Nixon’s resignation, the Challenger explosion, the Gulf
War, and the Columbine massacre, and so on)
Introduction
• Historically, the printed media played the most important role in
informing public debate.
• The media exists to provide the public with information.
• In many countries the media is controlled by the government. When the
government controls the media, the information the public receives is
usually determined by the governmental leaders. (e.g. Venezuela)
– This can lead to biased information that is favorable to the government
position on issues.
• In the United States the flow of information is not directly controlled by
the government.
– The various types of media are owned by people in the private sector,
meaning the media is a business. The purpose of the media is to make a
profit for the owners.
– If the business is not providing the public with the type of information the
public desires the business will not be successful.
– How much space, or air time, is devoted to the government is determined
by the purchasing power of the public.
The Media’s Function
(pg. 333)
• Name six different functions the mass media
performs:
A. Entertainment
• Many current political issues are presented in the
various types of media. While the purpose is to
entertain the public, this type of program or article
does serve to stimulate public discussion on
important issues. For example, the television show
The West Wing often focuses on public policy
debates, and another television show is attempting
to select a candidate for the U.S. presidency.
B. Reporting the News
• Primary function of the media.
• In a democracy the public must be informed
about issues that will affect them.
• The media must serve as the eyes and the
ears of the public if it is to be informed about
important issues related to the governing
process.
C. Identifying Public Problems
• Public Agenda• Identifying public problems occurs in two ways:
1. Setting the Public Agenda.
•
The media identifies public problems and serves as a
forum for various policy alternatives. The primacy of
certain issues on the agenda is the importance that the
media places on these issues.
2. Investigative function.
•
•
The media also uses investigation to uncover wrong-doing
by the government or government officials or candidates.
The most important media investigation was conducted by
Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl
Bernstein. Their reporting uncovered high-level Nixon
administration misconduct, thus prompting President
Nixon’s resignation in 1974.
D. Socializing New Generations
• This occurs by the transmission of historical
information that is important for the continuation of
the political culture.
• This function is particularly important in the
socialization of immigrants and of children who
“learn to be American” through the transmission of
values from television.
E. Providing a Political Forum
• Officeholders attempt to gain support for
policies.
• This functions refers both to the ability of
politicians to use the media to generate
interest in
– their campaigns and
– ability of voters to express their opinions through
the media. (e.g. an important example of this is
the “letters to the editor” section of newspapers)
F. Making Profits
• Most of the news media is owned by private
individuals and therefore, is run as a business.
• If the business is profitable the owners will
make money.
• Most of the profit is made by selling
advertising.
• The cost of the advertising is based on the
circulation (print media) or the size of the
audience (electronic media).
History of the Media in the United
States
• The role of the media has increased drastically from
what it was during our nation’s founding.
• Part of the early media’s weakness was the inability
to rapidly move information within the vast
geographical area of the United States.
History of the Media in the United
States
• The rise of the political press began with the
founding of the nation.
• President Washington set the example by managing
information the government allowed the press to
receive.
• Most papers were affiliated with partisan issues or
factions. Some periodicals were even subsidized by
the government.
History of the Media in the United
States
• Technological changes
• The development of the high-speed rotary press
• Increase and circulation leads to advertising.
• The telegraph
History of the Media in the United
States
• Fierce competition in the popular press.
- The more papers sold meant larger profits.
• Yellow Journalism – The era when
• In order to attract more readers, the press sought
stories that were exciting.
History of the Media in the United
States
• The electromagnetic signal greatly transformed the media in
the 20th century.
• Radio began in the 1920s and this development dramatically
altered the media and the government.
• Information could be transmitted from almost anywhere on
the globe if individuals had the right equipment.
• This allowed the print media to obtain information about
global events and report this to their readers within hours.
• However, as the public began to purchase receivers, the print
media had a new type of competitor. Prior to radio, the only
way for a governmental official to reach the public was in
person or through the print media.
History of the Media in the United
States
• Franklin Roosevelt became the first president to use the
electronic media to sell his programs to the public.
• Every president since FDR has used the electronic media to
gain public support for specific proposals.
• The number of competitors in the print media has dwindled in
most major markets.
• Today the number of cities that have two local daily
newspapers is very small. The decline in the number of local
papers and advanced technology led to the development of
the only national newspaper in the United States, USA Today.
• While critics complain the articles lack journalistic depth, the
public has been supportive of this paper and the entire nation
has the option of purchasing a paper that is the same
everywhere in the country.
History of the Media in the United
States
• Cable television, which is available in most areas, has
greatly increased the choices viewers have. Channels are
devoted to nonstop news (Cable News Network [CNN])
and to the operation of the government (C-Span).
• These types of options allow the public access to detailed
information about world events and the operation of the
government.
• Conversely, the public may choose to tune out events
that used to be carried by all stations, like the national
conventions, the State of the Union address, and
presidential press conferences. The public can opt to
literally tune out.
History of the Media in the United
States
• personal computer networks.
• telecommunications a way of reaching viewer/users.
- Impact on the community
History of the Media in the United
States
• Radio and television “talk” shows.
• Narrowcasting – broadcasting that is targeted to one
small sector of the population
The Primacy of Television
• Television.
– E.g. The collapse of the Twin Towers of the World
Trade Center
• Difficult for the print media or the radio media to
compete
• Most people indicate that their primary source
for news is television.
• Criticisms
– lack of depth in reporting, or it’s lack of “context.”
– uninformed public on complex topics
• Internet (cable television websites, etc.)
The Media and Political Campaigns
(pg. 342)
• Elections in the electronic media age vs. elections
that were conducted prior to television and radio.
• most information from some type of electronic
media.
• The most important of the electronic media is
television.
• There are three classifications of television
coverage during a campaign:
1. paid-for political announcements,
2. management of news coverage,
3. campaign debates.
A. Advertising
• Paid-for political announcements (advertising)
- Typically these ads run for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Negative Ad Campaigning
• Does research indicate this type of campaigning to be effective or
not effective?
- Superficial and lacking on substantive policy positions.
Management of New Coverage
– Media determine what is important vs. the
campaign staff attempts to manipulate the media
into presenting “news”
– This can be accomplished by:
• planning political events to accommodate the press
• developing a good working relationship with reporters
and sponsors
• convincing the media to put the right “spin” or
interpretation on a story
Campaign Debates
• Debates between the candidates
• offer voters the opportunity to see and hear the candidates in a
controlled setting. But typically, not all candidates are willing to
debate. If an incumbent is shown to be significantly ahead of
the challenger, the incumbent has nothing to gain by debating,
and therefore, will hesitate to agree to a debate. If the election
appears to be close, both candidates may choose to debate in
hopes of gaining support from the undecided voters.
• Presidential debates
– have generated considerable attention from the public but have
rarely resulted in a significant advantage for one candidate over
another. One reason for little change is that the candidates practice
and are coached as to how to respond to questions that are likely to
be asked.
Campaign Debates
• Internet has played an increasing prominent role,
• as candidates use websites to convey their messages as
well as solicit contributions.
• The Internet also has been used as a useful tool by voters,
– with one study reporting that one-fifth of voters had used the
Internet to obtain information about elections
The Media and the Government
• Hard to define
• At minimum, the 1.media is responsible for informing the
public about topics that are important to the public so
that the public can attempt to influence governmental
policy. 2. Some would argue that the media is also
responsible for informing the public about governmental
actions
The Media and the Government
• Need each other to thrive.
- How so?
• The media needs information about the development of policy in
the executive branch and
• The president needs the media to report his ideas to the public in
order to gain public support for these ideas. The relationship
between the media and the President is likely to remain
complicated.
• Media access determined by the government and the media
because of their need for each other
- White House Press Corps -
- Press Secretary-
The Media and the Government
• Media helps to determine the public agenda
• by focusing attention on certain issues.
– In this capacity, the media communicates the governmental
officials’ point of view for the benefit of the public,
• conversely, helps the government understand society’s
point of view.
Government Regulation of the Media
• Q: Does the United States regulate the media?
A:
• Q: Is there is a major distinction between the printed
media and the broadcast media in regards to
government regulation?
A:
Government Regulation of the Media
• The Telecommunications Act of 1996
Government Regulation of the Media
• Q: Has the broadcasting industry eliminated the
need for the government to control the content of
the media?
A:
The Public’s Right to Media Access
• The equal-time rule states….
• The personal-attack rule allows…
•
Note: Because the government determines who is allowed to broadcast over
the airwaves the government is concerned that those who have a license are
not overtly biased in the presentation of information.
Bias in the Media
• There are claims that several forms of bias exist in the
media.
– ideological or partisan bias.
– left-leaning reporters and editors who favor liberal elected
officials, candidates and policies.
– reporters are most interested in news that will further
their careers
– editors and producers are most interested in stories that
increase circulation or ratings.
– biased toward the status-quo
– media supports corporate America.
– “Loser” Bias:
• that once a candidate falls behind in a campaign, that stigma sticks
with him or her, thus further hurting the candidate’s chances.