Chapters 5 and 6 – Media Coverage
• Four Topics We’ll Be
Covering:
1. Bias in news reporting…
2. Propaganda Techniques
3. “Hyping up” news events
4. Ethical responsibilities of the
media
Topic #1:
Is news coverage biased?
&
“Slanted Words” used in the media
This is not rocket science,
simply be aware of “slants” or
“bias” in the news. It may be
obvious, it may be very subtle,
but it’s almost always there.
Which news sources are
biased?
Why do you say that? Proof?
Specific examples?
‘Butcher Tells U.S. – Come and Get
Me’ (New York Post, March 19, 2003)
‘War Imminent as Hussein Rejects
Ultimatum’ (New York Times, March 19, 2003)
‘Saddam Scorns U.S. Ultimatum
(New York Daily News, March 19, 2003)
‘Baghdad Rejects Bush’s Warning’
(ArabicNews.com, March 19, 2003)
Hillary spoke at the National
Convention on Friday. Her
chat was followed by an
address by Senator Joe
Lieberman.
Andre Agassi beat his
opponent soundly in straight
sets. It was also six-love, sixlove for America’s sweetheart,
Serena Williams
The Navy’s mission team
included four aviators from
Miramar and one female
aviator from the Naval Air
Station.
Two organizations sent
representatives to the hearing:
The Griffin Group, a
conservative lobbying group,
and the Burchard Group, a
non-profit advocacy institute.
11 year-old boy charged with
murder, was an avid hunter.
Young woman, 22, was bound
and raped repeatedly for 10
days.
(One station reported she was a prostitute
and went to his house for “business”, the
other station never mentioned it)
Lively/Heated
Threaten/Warn
Riot/Demonstration
Plan/Scheme
Aggressive/Assertive
Explained/Insisted
Bold/Shrill
Agenda/Platform
Lecture/Speech
Integrity/Stubbornness
YOU Slant a News Story
• Topic: “City of Beavercreek Hoping for Higher
Holiday Sales”
• Who: Brian Jarvis & Vicki Giambrone (‘Creek Council)
• What: Holiday shopping up 3.5% in Beavercreek
• When: Black Friday weekend
• Where: Fairfield Commons & The Greene
• Why: Unemployed numbers decreasing
• Quote #1: “People are hitting the stores today.” (Jarvis)
• Quote #2: “Business owners are ecstatic” (Giambrone)
Topic #2: Propaganda and the
various Techniques used
Propaganda
The methods and
approaches used to
spread ideas that
further a political,
commercial, religious
cause.
Propaganda
Propaganda is amoral
Why use
Propaganda??
To manipulate the viewers'
reason and emotions; to
persuade you to believe in
something or someone, buy an
item, or vote a certain way.
Propaganda
Many techniques are
not only used in
marketing, but in
politics as well.
Generally divided into three main
categories:
• White Propaganda: acknowledged sources
and aimed at a sympathetic audience
(your typical propaganda)
• Grey Propaganda: anonymous quotes “Some
Say” “Our Sources indicate…”
• Black Propaganda: emanates from a source
other than the true one.
Propaganda
In terms of Government, Who
regulates all of this?
The Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) regulates advertising.
Their role is consumer
protection (more on them in CH 13)
The IPA
1937-1942
An organization composed of social
scientists, opinion leaders, historians,
educators, and journalists.
“To teach people how to think
rather than what to think.”
Criticisms of the IPA
• Some argue that the IPA's approach is too
simplistic because many messages fall into more
than one category.
• They do not discuss the credibility of the
propagandist.
• HOWEVER…Few argue with the IPA's basic goal of
promoting critical thought among citizens.
The IPA created the
ABC’s of propaganda:
7 basic techniques very much used
and
discussed today
#1 Name-Calling
Barack Obama is a liberal.
Obama’s foreign policy is “feckless.”
“Romney-Hood”
“Obamaloney”
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The burning question in
the U.S. presidential election is, when will the
"your mama" jokes start?
With the fate of the world's most powerful
country hanging in the balance, President
Barack Obama and his Republican rival Mitt
Romney turned to childish name calling on
the campaign trail this week.
----Toronto Sun times
#2 Glittering Generalities
(Virtue Words)
Making broad statements
that really say nothing of
importance.
“If elected, I will get this country
back on track!”
A vote for Shawn is a vote for
peace and security
#3 Transfer
Attempting to make viewers apply
their feelings of love, admiration,
distrust, or disgust from one thing
to something else totally
unrelated.
(blatant and subliminally)
Republican endorsers say Obama
“may be a Muslim”
Transfer as “Name Dropping”
Rick Perales mentioned he
was at Mitt Romney’s $1,000
a plate fundraiser.
#4 Testimonial
“Our customers say……”
#5 Plain Folks
Thanks ya’ll! I reckon this is the greatest
class I’ve ever teached.
Many lawfirms are from other cities, Dyer,
Garafalo, Mann and Shultz have always
been from right here in Dayton, Ohio.
#6 Card Stacking
(I simply think of this one as “bias”)
Emphasizing one side and repressing
another.
#7 Bandwagon
Don’t be the last on your
block to own a new
Chevrolet !
Many different (and
similar) techniques have
been added/identified
through the years as
politics and advertising
have evolved
“Ad Hominem”
An assertion which
usually attacks a person,
rather than looking at
the merits of their
argument.
You can’t trust Jane Higgins to
be your mayor, she is simply a
soccer mom!
*Reverse ad hominem may work
as well…
Jane Higgins is such a
professionally dressed woman,
she will make a great mayor.
Appeal to Authority
Referring to a well-known
expert to strengthen an
argument.
“AP Government teacher
Shawn Cook is voting for
Vermin Supreme.
What more do you need to
know?”
Scientific Appeal
Providing the audience with
survey results and statistical
evidences to publicize their
product.
(overlaps many times with
A.T.A.)
Appeal to Elitism
Appeal to the
audience’s desire to be
better than other
people.
Appeal to Tradition
Something is better simply
because it is older.
This government has worked
for over 200 years, why
change it?
“Vote to keep the curfew in effect in
Beavercreek, after all, it’s been
around for 10 years now!
…any ad with
“since(year)”
Appeal
to
Emotion
Sex
Appeal
Euphemisms and
Dysphemisms
Euphemism: making something
sound better
Dysphemism: making
something sound worse
Car dealerships no longer sell “used
cars;” they sell “______ vehicles.”
Euphemisms
•
•
•
•
•
Kick the bucket
“Powder my nose”
“Birds and the Bees”
“Hankie-Pankie”
“Mess Around”
Dysphemisms
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Cancer Sticks”
“Feminazi”
Junk Food
Snail Mail
Idiot Box
Blow chunks
False Dilemma
Framing an argument in a
misleading way, as though
there are only two possible
options.
Superintendent Jones opposes
school prayer. She must be an
atheist.
Fear
Disaster will result if people
do not follow a particular
course of action.
Storm Center 7 Weather can save
your life!
Fear
Help! I’ve fallen….and I can’t get up!!
Obtain Disapproval
Associating the opposite
of your message with
individuals or groups your
audience dislikes.
The NRA loves this policy, let’s
be sure we get it voted down!
Straw-Man
Ignoring a person's actual
position and substituting a
distorted, or misrepresented
version of that position.
(very similar to a false dilemma)
"Senator Jones says that we
should not fund the attack
submarine program.
I can't understand why he wants
to leave us defenseless like
that."
Repetition
Topic #3:
Hype / Sensationalism
Media
The 4th branch of government?
SO ? They hype
Are the media outlets actually the
up some
onesstories
who sets the agenda?
Multiple reasons lie behind the
lack of real investigative
journalism today and the
plethora of simplistic, eyecatching stories.
$$$ and Media Conglomerates
(more on conglomerates later)
Did the shift from issues to
character result from the shift
from newspapers to television
(and computers today)?
Freedom of the Press has been
Does
the press
meet its obligation
crucial
in facilitating
the to
provide
objective,
issue-based
political discourse and
coverage or does the media tend to
education
necessary
for
the
focus on the trivial and sensational??
maintenance of democracy.
Topic #4: Ethics
Ethics
1. the study of standards of conduct
and moral judgment; moral
philosophy
2. the system or code of morals of a
particular person, religion, group,
profession, etc.
Is it ever ethical to….
WIKILEAKS
Freedom of the Press has been
crucial in facilitating the
political discourse and
education necessary for the
maintenance of democracy.
(Code of Ethics)
Activity:
What is the ethical thing
to do?