Presentation Plus! Civics Today
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Developed by FSCreations, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Send all inquiries to:
GLENCOE DIVISION
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
8787 Orion Place
Columbus, Ohio 43240
Chapter Introduction
Section 1 Public Opinion
Section 2 The Mass Media
Section 3 Interest Groups
Review to Learn
Chapter Assessment
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slides.
Chapter Overview
In Chapter 11 you learn how public opinion
and interest groups influence government.
Section 1 explains how public opinion is
formed. Section 2 examines the role of mass
media in politics and government. Section 3
discusses the ways that interest groups try to
influence government.
Chapter Objectives
After studying this chapter, you will be
able to: 
• Describe the formation of public
opinion. 
• Discuss how mass media affects
politics and government. 
• Examine the influence of interest
groups on government.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Click the Speaker button
to replay the audio.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.
Guide to Reading
Main Idea
Politicians and government officials at all levels pay
close attention to public opinion because they know
that public support is necessary to stay in office
and achieve their goals. 
Key Terms
• public opinion 
• public opinion poll 
• mass media 
• pollster
• interest group 
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Guide to Reading (cont.)
Reading Strategy
Analyzing Information As you read, complete a
graphic organizer like the one on page 258 of your
textbook by explaining the sources of public
opinion. 
Read to Learn
• Why is public opinion important to politicians
and government officials? 
• How is pubic opinion formed?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
George Gallup
Click the Speaker button
to replay the audio.
Forming Public Opinion
• Public opinion includes the ideas and
attitudes that most people hold about
elected officials, candidates, government,
and political issues. 
• It helps shape the decisions of every
president as well as the timing of the
decisions.
(pages 258–260)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Forming Public Opinion (cont.)
• Public opinion is not uniform. 
• Many shades of opinions exist on most
issues. 
• Enough people must hold a particular
opinion to make government officials
listen to them. 
• People’s backgrounds and life
experiences influence their opinions.
(pages 258–260)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Forming Public Opinion (cont.)
• Television, radio, newspapers, magazines,
recordings, movies, and books are called
the mass media because they communicate
broadly to masses of people. 
• Issues and events the mass media cover
and the way they cover them affect
people’s attitudes.
(pages 258–260)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Forming Public Opinion (cont.)
• Political leaders and public officials
influence public opinion. 
• They state their views in the mass
media, hoping to persuade people
to support their positions. 
• People who share a point of view about
an issue may form an interest group. 
• The group works to persuade people
and officials toward their point of view.
(pages 258–260)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Forming Public Opinion (cont.)
Why does public opinion help shape the
decisions of every president?
Presidents know they need the support of
the public to carry out their programs. They
also need the support of Congress. They
are more likely to have this support if their
public popularity is high.
(pages 258–260)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Components of Public Opinion
• Experts often describe public opinion in
terms of direction, intensity, and stability. 
• Direction refers to whether opinions on
a topic are positive or negative, for or
against. 
• Intensity refers to the strength of opinion
on an issue. 
• Stability means how firmly people hold
their views. 
• Public opinion on candidates is relatively
unstable.
(pages 260–261)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Components of Public Opinion (cont.)
What kinds of opinions are people less
likely to change?
People’s opinions are less likely to change
when they have a firm belief about a topic.
(pages 260–261)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Measuring Public Opinion
• Election results give a broad measure of
public opinion. 
• A more accurate measure comes from
asking people to answer questions in a
survey, or public opinion poll. 
• Elected officials use polls to monitor
public opinion. 
• Most presidents have a pollster–a
specialist whose job is to conduct polls
regularly.
(pages 261–262)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
• Polling organizations question people
selected at random from all over the
United States. 
• To present a fairly accurate picture of
public opinion, a sample must reflect the
characteristics of the entire population. 
• The questions must be fair and
unbiased.
(pages 261–262)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
• Some people believe polls support
democracy by allowing officials to keep
in touch with citizens’ opinions on issues. 
• Critics claim polling makes officials more
concerned with following the public than
in leading.
(pages 261–262)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
• Many people worry that polls distort
elections. 
• During campaigns, the media constantly
report who is ahead at the moment,
taking the focus off the issues. 
• Also, some people may decide not to
vote if they think the outcome has been
determined.
(pages 261–262)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
• The Framers succeeded in creating a
representative democracy that responds
to the wishes of the people yet is shaped
by other influences as well.
(pages 261–262)
Measuring Public Opinion (cont.)
To get a fairly accurate picture of public
opinion, who should pollsters include in
their polls?
A well-constructed sample will reflect the
characteristics of the entire population.
It will usually include men and women
of nearly all races, incomes, ages, and
viewpoints.
(pages 261–262)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
D 1. a survey in which individuals are
asked to answer questions about
a particular issue or person
__
B 2. a mechanism of mass
communication, including television,
radio, newspapers, magazines,
recordings, movies, and books
__
C 3. a group of people who share a point
of view about an issue and unite to
promote their beliefs
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
A. public
opinion
B. mass media
C. interest
group
D. public
opinion poll
E. pollster
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
A 4. the ideas and attitudes that most
people hold about elected officials,
candidates, government, and
political issues
__
E 5. a specialist whose job is to conduct
polls regularly
A. public
opinion
B. mass media
C. interest
group
D. public
opinion poll
E. pollster
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Identify People who organize to
influence public opinion about a
particular issue have formed what?
They have formed an interest group.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Describe In polling, what are random
samples? Why must pollsters carefully
create the questions they ask?
Random samples are a group of people
selected at random that reflects the
characteristics of the entire population.
Questions must be fair and unbiased.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Making Judgments Do you think political
polling supports or distorts democracy?
Explain your opinion.
Polling supporters believe that polls allow
office holders to keep in touch with
citizens’ ideas about issues. Critics claim
that polls make officials more interested
in following public opinion rather than
exercising leadership.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Visuals
Compare Review the line graph on page 260
of your textbook. Which president enjoyed
greater public approval, Truman or
Eisenhower? Which president received
the lowest approval ratings?
Truman enjoyed greater public approval
than Eisenhower. President Nixon
received the lowest approval ratings.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Close
Should public opinion polls be used in
election campaigns? Explain your answer.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.
Guide to Reading
Main Idea
The mass media–both print and electronic–play a
vital role in politics and government in the United
States, linking the people to their elected officials. 
Key Terms
• print media 
• leak 
• electronic media 
• prior restraint 
• public agenda 
• libel
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Guide to Reading (cont.)
Reading Strategy
Organizing Information As you read, note the
impact of the media on politics and government
by completing a graphic organizer like the one
on page 264 of your textbook. 
Read to Learn
• What are the types of mass media? 
• How do the media influence politics and
government?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Election 2000
Click the Speaker button
to replay the audio.
Types of Media
• The mass media influence politics and
government. 
• They also form a link between the people
and elected officials. 
• Newspapers, magazines, newsletters,
and books are print media. 
• Radio, television, and the Internet are
electronic media.
(pages 264–265)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Media (cont.)
• The media are businesses that operate
for a profit. 
• They run the news they think will attract
the largest audience. 
• Television is the most important medium
for politics because it reaches the most
people. 
• However, print media provide deeper
coverage.
(pages 264–265)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Media (cont.)
• Internet users can get information
whenever they wish. 
• They can also get more information than
brief radio or television reports provide.
(pages 264–265)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Media (cont.)
Why do media outlets run the news they
think will attract the largest audience?
The media are private businesses run to
make a profit. The larger the audience
they can attract, the more money they
can charge for advertising.
(pages 264–265)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
The Media’s Impact on Politics and
Government
• The problems that receive the most time,
money, and effort from government
leaders make up the public agenda. 
• The media have great influence on which
problems governments consider
important. 
• They publicize some while others go
unnoticed. 
• The modern media enable people with
little political experience to run for office.
(pages 265–267)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Media’s Impact on Politics and
Government (cont.)
• Elected officials and the press need one
another, yet they often clash. 
• Elected officials want the media to show
them as hardworking, effective leaders. 
• With the help of press secretaries, they
hold news conferences, give interviews,
and stage media events.
(pages 265–267)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Media’s Impact on Politics and
Government (cont.)
• Officials may secretly pass on, or leak,
information to friendly reporters. 
• Leaks allow them to test public reaction
before deciding whether to publicly move
ahead with a proposal or to quietly drop
it. 
• They also use leaks to make competing
officials look bad, to change public
opinion on an issue, or to gain favor with
a reporter.
(pages 265–267)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Media’s Impact on Politics and
Government (cont.)
• Leaks benefit reporters by allowing them
to report “inside” information. 
• The mass media play a “watchdog” role. 
• By exposing government misconduct, they
serve both their interests and the public
interest.
(pages 265–267)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Media’s Impact on Politics and
Government (cont.)
• Recently journalists have begun looking
for scandal in officials’ private as well as
public lives. 
• Critics say this practice will drive good
people out of politics.
(pages 265–267)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Media’s Impact on Politics and
Government (cont.)
• There is tension between the American
citizens’ need for information and the
need for government to keep secrets
to protect national security. 
• The government can control information
the media report by classifying it as
secret and limiting coverage of military
actions.
(pages 265–267)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
The Media’s Impact on Politics and
Government (cont.)
How do leaks benefit reporters?
Reporters benefit from being able to report
“inside” information. When they can be the
first to break a hot story, they “scoop” their
rivals and become more successful as
journalists.
(pages 265–267)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Protecting the Media
• Democracy requires a free flow of
information and ideas. 
• The First Amendment protects freedom of
the press, which today includes all media. 
• The Supreme Court has ruled that freedom
of the press includes freedom from prior
restraint, or government censorship of
material before it is published. 
• Journalists can report what they want,
even if it is unpopular or embarrassing
to officials.
(page 268)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Protecting the Media (cont.)
• Freedom of the press does not allow
reporters to publish false information
that will harm someone’s reputation. 
• This is libel. 
• The Supreme Court ruled that to win a
libel suit, public officials must prove
malice–that the publisher knew the
material was false or showed reckless
disregard for the truth.
(page 268)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Protecting the Media (cont.)
• The government has the power to decide
who gets access to the limited number of
airwaves available for radio and television
broadcasting. 
• The Federal Communications
Commission cannot censor broadcasts,
but it can penalize stations that violate
its rules.
(page 268)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Protecting the Media (cont.)
Why is freedom of the press important?
Democracy requires a free flow of information
and ideas. Freedom of the press allows
journalists to report whatever true
information they want, even if it is unpopular
or embarrassing to the government or to
individual politicians.
(page 268)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
B 1. radio, television, and the Internet
A. print media
__
D 2. the release of secret government
information by anonymous
government officials to the media
B. electronic
media
__
E 3. written untruths that are harmful to
someone’s reputation
__
A 4. newspapers, magazines,
newsletters, and books
__
C 5. issues considered most significant
by government officials
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
C. public
agenda
D. leak
E. libel
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Compare Do more people get their
news from electronic or print media?
More people get their news from
electronic media (TV).
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Explain How does the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
regulate the broadcast media?
The FCC cannot censor programs,
but it controls access to the airwaves
and establishes the rules.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Drawing Conclusions Do you think that
reporters should be prohibited from writing
about a politician’s private life or family?
Why or why not?
Critics say this trend in journalism will
drive good people out of politics.
Proponents claim it is a First Amendment
right for reporters and editors to decide
what they will say, even if it is unflattering.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Visuals
Interpret Review the bar graph on page 267
of your textbook. Which group of Americans
reads the most newspapers? What is the
most popular form of mass media?
Americans 45 to 54 years old read the
most newspapers. Television is the
most popular form of mass media.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Close
Predict what medium you think will become
the vehicle by which most Americans
receive news in the future.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.
Guide to Reading
Main Idea
Citizens join together in various kinds of interest
groups in order to pool their skills, knowledge, and
resources to influence decisions made by politicians
and government officials. 
Key Terms
• public interest
group 
• political action
committee (PAC) 
• public policy 
• lobbyist
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Guide to Reading (cont.)
Reading Strategy
Organizing Information As you read, complete a
graphic organizer similar to the one on page 270
of your textbook by listing various types of interest
groups and the kinds of decisions they attempt to
influence. 
Read to Learn
• What types of interest groups attempt to
influence decision making? 
• How do interest groups try to influence
government?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
A school soccer team
Click the Speaker button
to replay the audio.
Types of Interest Groups
• Interest groups form to promote a shared
viewpoint. 
• By pooling their resources, members can
increase their chances of influencing
decision makers. 
• The First Amendment protects the right
to belong to interest groups by
guaranteeing the right to assemble
peacefully and to petition the
government.
(pages 270–271)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Groups based on economic interests are
some of the most powerful. 
• The Chamber of Commerce, one of the
largest, promotes free enterprise. 
• Others, such as the Tobacco Institute,
represent specific types of businesses.
(pages 270–271)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Labor unions work for the economic
interests of workers. 
• The largest, the AFL-CIO, is an alliance
of labor unions. 
• Professionals, such as doctors and
lawyers, have their own interest groups.
(pages 270–271)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
• People have also organized to promote
an ethnic group (the NAACP, for
example), age group (AARP), or
gender (NOW). 
• Interest groups also work for special
causes, such as protecting nature (the
Sierra Club).
(pages 270–271)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Public interest groups support causes
that affect the lives of Americans in
general, rather than just the special
interests of their own members. 
• For example, Common Cause promotes
laws to control pollution and protect
consumers.
(pages 270–271)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Are interest groups biased? Explain.
By their very nature, interest groups are
biased; that is, they support a particular
viewpoint. To be biased is the opposite of
being impartial–considering all viewpoints
equally.
(pages 270–271)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Influencing Government
• Public policy is the course of action the
government takes in response to an issue
or problem. 
• The primary goal of interest groups is to
influence public policy.
(pages 272–273)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Influencing Government (cont.)
• Interest groups back candidates who
agree with their beliefs. 
• Many form political action committees
(PACs) that use money from members
to support candidates.
(pages 272–273)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Influencing Government (cont.)
• Interest groups also try to influence public
policy by bringing court cases. 
• A group may use the courts to argue
that a law or government policy is
unconstitutional.
(pages 272–273)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Influencing Government (cont.)
• Lobbyists are representatives of interest
groups who contact government officials
directly to influence their policy making. 
• Lobbyists understand how government
functions. 
• They know where to go and whom to
see. 
• They know how to make friends and talk
persuasively.
(pages 272–273)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Influencing Government (cont.)
• For lobbyists, information is an important
resource. 
• Lawmakers need information about
issues. Lobbyists supply it. 
• They suggest solutions to problems. 
• They sometimes draft bills for
lawmakers to consider and testify
in hearings on bills. 
• Once laws are enacted, lobbyists help
to see that the laws are carried out,
enforced, and stand up in court.
(pages 272–273)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Influencing Government (cont.)
Describe the characteristics of effective
lobbyists.
Effective lobbyists understand how
government functions. They know where
to go and whom to see. Of the hundreds
of government departments, offices, and
agencies, good lobbyists know which one
to contact about a particular concern.
They are also talented public relations
agents who know how to make friends
and talk persuasively.
(pages 272–273)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Techniques of Interest Groups
• All interest groups want to influence
public opinion both to increase their
memberships and to convince people
of the rightness of their cause. 
• Many use direct mail to recruit members. 
• They target potential members by using
subscriber or membership mailing lists
from magazines or groups with similar
views.
(pages 273–274)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Techniques of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Interest groups advertise on radio and
television. 
• They may organize protests or public
events to get media coverage. 
• To promote their views, interest groups
may use propaganda techniques such
as endorsements, card stacking, the
bandwagon, glittering generalities,
symbols, “just plain folks,” and namecalling.
(pages 273–274)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Techniques of Interest Groups (cont.)
How can the card-stacking technique
mislead people?
Card stacking can mislead people because
it presents only one side of the issue, often
by distorting the facts.
(pages 273–274)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Regulation of Interest Groups
• Laws regulate the activities of interest
groups to prevent abuses, such as
winning lawmakers’ votes by offering
fancy meals and gifts.
(page 275)
Regulation of Interest Groups (cont.)
• The Federal Election Campaign Act limits
the amount PACs may contribute to
candidates for national office. 
• The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act
requires lobbyists to register and to
disclose who hired them, how much they
are paid, and how they spend money
related to their work.
(page 275)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Regulation of Interest Groups (cont.)
• These laws are not very effective. 
• They apply only to people who spend
most of their time lobbying. 
• Also, the laws provide no means
of enforcement.
(page 275)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Regulation of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Laws require a waiting period before
former government officials can become
lobbyists. 
• The purpose is to prevent ex-public
officials from taking unfair advantage of
their insider knowledge and friendships
on behalf of interest groups. 
• These laws have also proved
inadequate.
(page 275)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Regulation of Interest Groups (cont.)
• Critics claim that campaign contributions
give interest groups improper influence
over officeholders. 
• Others point out that membership in
interest groups with skilled lobbyists give
citizens a way to increase their influence.
(page 275)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Regulation of Interest Groups (cont.)
Laws regulating interest groups generally
have not been very effective. Why?
They apply only to people whose primary
job is lobbying. People who claim that only
a small part of their time is spent lobbying
are not required to register. As a result, only
a small portion of lobbyists are registered.
Also, the laws do not provide any means of
enforcement.
(page 275)
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
C 1. political organizations established by
corporations, labor unions, and other
special interest groups designed to
support candidates by contributing
A. public
interest
group
__
D 2. representatives of interest groups
who contact lawmakers or other
government officials directly to
influence their policy making
C. political
action
committee
(PAC)
__
A 3. an organization that supports causes
that affect the lives of Americans in
general
__
B 4. the course of action the government
takes in response to an issue or
problem
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
B. public policy
D. lobbyist
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Explain What was the purpose of the
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971?
The purpose of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 was to control
the amount of contributions interest
group PACs could donate to candidates
for national office.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Checking for Understanding (cont.)
Conclude With what kind of issues
would public interest groups most likely
be concerned? Give an example.
Public interest groups would be most
concerned with issues that affect most
or all of society.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Making Comparisons Compare and
contrast the benefits and dangers of interest
groups and lobbyists in our political system.
A benefit would be citizens joining together
to influence decision making. A danger
would be gaining undue influence as a
result of campaign contributions.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Visuals
Identify Review the chart on page 274 of your
textbook. Which technique is a group using
when it lists all the advantages of supporting
its cause, but fails to list any disadvantages?
This technique is called card stacking.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Close
Sometimes during a political demonstration
people are injured and property is destroyed.
Is this justifiable? Explain your answers.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.
Section 1: Public Opinion
• Public opinion helps shape the decisions
of government officials. 
• A person’s background, the mass media,
public officials, and interest groups all
play a role in shaping public opinion.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Section 2: The Mass Media
• There are two types of mass media–print
and electronic. 
• The mass media help set the public
agenda, publicize candidates, and
present information to the public.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Section 3: Interest Groups
• Economic interest groups, public interest
groups, and private groups like the
NAACP, AARP, and environmental
groups all influence decision making.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.
Reviewing Key Terms
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
C 1. representatives of interest
groups who contact
lawmakers or other
government officials directly to
influence their policy making
A. interest group
__
H 2. the ideas and attitudes that
most people hold about
elected officials, candidates,
government, and political
issues
E. political action
committees
__
F 3. government censorship of
material before it is published
H. public opinion
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
B. libel
C. lobbyists
D. mass media
F.
prior restraint
G. public agenda
I.
public opinion polls
J.
public policy
Reviewing Key Terms (cont.)
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
D 4. a mechanism of mass
communication, including
television, radio, newspapers,
magazines, recordings, movies,
and books
A. interest group
__
B 5. written untruths that are harmful
to someone’s reputation
E. political action
committees
J 6. the course of action the
__
government takes in response
to an issue or problem
F.
__7.
A
H. public opinion
a group of people who share a
point of view about an issue
and unite to promote their
beliefs
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
B. libel
C. lobbyists
D. mass media
prior restraint
G. public agenda
I.
public opinion polls
J.
public policy
Reviewing Key Terms (cont.)
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
G 8. issues considered most
significant by government
officials
__
I 9. a survey in which individuals
are asked to answer
questions about a particular
issue or person
__10.
political organizations
E
established by corporations,
labor unions, and other
special interest groups
designed to support
candidates by contributing
money
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
A. interest group
B. libel
C. lobbyists
D. mass media
E. political action
committees
F.
prior restraint
G. public agenda
H. public opinion
I.
public opinion polls
J.
public policy
Reviewing Main Ideas
Why do people form interest groups?
There is strength in numbers. Organized
groups can have more influence than
individuals.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
Why do some people criticize public opinion
polls?
Some politicians become more interested in
following polls than in exercising leadership,
and polls can distort elections by influencing
voters.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
What factors can influence a person’s
opinion on particular issues?
Personal background, the mass media,
public officials, and interest groups can
all influence opinions.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
What impact do the mass media have on
politics and government in the United
States?
The media helps set the public agenda.
It has become the primary tool for political
campaigning. Elected officials depend upon
the media for communicating to the public
and for gauging public opinion.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Reviewing Main Ideas (cont.)
What role does the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
have in regulating the media?
The FCC regulates by controlling access to
the airwaves, not by censorship. It can also
establish rules.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Critical Thinking
Analyzing Information What role do you
think public opinion polls should play in the
political process? Explain.
Possible answers: Polls should be used to
determine public opinion, lawmakers might
take this information into account when
deciding how to vote, and polls should not
be used to affect public opinion.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Visuals
Examine the photograph that opens the
chapter on page 257 of your textbook and
answer the following questions. What actions
are taking place in the photo? What type of
interest group is most likely sponsoring these
actions? Why do you think these citizens are
taking these actions? What do you think they
hope to accomplish?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Analyzing Visuals
In the photo, a crowd is listening to
speakers. Environmental groups are most
likely sponsoring these actions. The citizens
are taking these actions because they hope
to demonstrate support for their causes.
The citizens hope to demonstrate support
for their causes to the government to incite
action.
Directions: Choose the answer that best completes the following
statement.
_______ influence public policy by identifying issues,
making political contributions, and lobbying government
officials.
A
The mass media
B
Interest groups
C
Pollsters
D
Random samples
Test-Taking Tip Define each answer choice as best as
you can before answering the question. Which definition
best fits the statement?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Why are some interest groups more
influential than others?
Some interest groups have more money or
more members or are better organized. Some
interest groups represent issues that concern
more people.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.
Explore online information about the topics
introduced in this chapter.
Click on the Connect button to launch your browser and go to the
Civics Today: Citizenship, Economics, & You Web site. At this
site, you will find interactive activities, current events information,
and Web sites correlated with the chapters and units in the
textbook. When you finish exploring, exit the browser program to
return to this presentation. If you experience difficulty connecting
to the Web site, manually launch your Web browser and go to
http://civ.glencoe.com
Charts
Gallup Poll: Presidential Job Approval, 1945–1998
Americans’ Use of Mass Media
Types of Propaganda Techniques
Click on a hyperlink to view the corresponding slides.
Analyzing News Media
Why Learn This Skill?
Following the news is pretty easy in this hightech media era. Click on the radio, TV, or the
Internet. Pick up a newspaper or magazine.
You can get your fill of current events on
countless topics. However, you need to
examine your sources of information. Some
may have biases that blur the facts. Careful
analysis can help you find the true facts and
become a well-informed citizen.
Click the Speaker button
to replay the audio.
Analyzing News Media
Learning the Skill
To analyze the news media, follow these steps: 
• Know the source and the author of the article. They should
have solid credentials and reputations for accuracy. 
• Be alert for nonfactual comments in news stories. A valid
news story describes events without revealing the
reporter’s opinions or feelings about them. 
• Identify opinion pieces. Writers on editorial pages in print
media and many TV commentators are paid for their
opinions, not necessarily for reporting facts. Ask yourself
whether the news is presented in an even-handed and
thorough way.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the information.
Analyzing News Media
Practicing the Skill
On a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions on
the following slides as you analyze the news report on
page 269 of your textbook.
Analyzing News Media
1. What might be the source of this news report? Is this
source generally acknowledged as trustworthy?
The statistics come from a survey taken by the UCLA
Center for Communication Policy, a trustworthy source.
2. List two points of information from the story.
Possible answers: Internet usage does not take away
from normal family activities. Internet users watch 4.5
hours less of TV per week than non-Internet users.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Analyzing News Media
3. What opinion is expressed in the story?
The opinion expressed is that online shopping
is beneficial to the public and the private sector.
4. Explain how you would rate the news value of this
article.
Answers will vary.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answers.
Economics Because they do not always share
the same economic goals, business interest
groups sometimes differ on public policy. For
example, department stores want lower tariffs
on imported goods so they can lower their prices.
U.S. manufacturers, however, want high tariffs
to make U.S.-made goods more competitive.
President Lyndon B. Johnson was the first
president to hire a pollster, Albert Cantril, for
the White House staff. Cantril provided
President Johnson with polling data from
every state. Johnson used the polls to defend
his escalation of the Vietnam War and his
decision in 1968 not to seek another term in
the face of mounting opposition to the war.
When the Internet was created in 1971, it
consisted of four connected computers. It was
founded as part of the quest to ensure that
communication could continue during and after
a nuclear war. In 1990 the Federal Networking
Council modified the Internet’s membership policy
from only organizations with sponsorship by a
United States government agency to anyone who
wanted membership. This opened the door to
commercialization of the Internet and resulted
in its exponential growth.
The Republican Party was formed by the merger
of special interest groups. In the 1850s, FreeSoilers, Whigs, and other groups who opposed
the extension of slavery into the Western
territories banded together to become
Republicans.
The Fourth Estate The “fourth estate” is
sometimes used to describe the media. The name
comes from the three estates of feudal Europe: the
clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. This term
dates back to the eighteenth century when it was
coined by Edmund Burke, a British statesperson.
He observed that in the reporters’ gallery of the
British Parliament “there sat a Fourth Estate more
important by far than them all.”
The First Public Opinion Poll The first
presidential public opinion poll in the United
States was conducted in 1824. The Harrisburg
Pennsylvanian asked voters in Wilmington,
Delaware, who they thought would win the
presidential election that year. On the basis of
the poll, the newspaper predicted that Andrew
Jackson would win. Although Jackson won more
electoral votes than his three opponents, John
Quincy Adams was elected by the House of
Representatives.
Is the cartoonist
expressing a
favorable or
unfavorable opinion
of lobbyists? How
do you know?
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
The cartoonist
appears disdainful
of lobbyists, whom
he depicts as twofaced, lacking in
principle, and
motivated by money
(represented by the
large dollar bill sign
on the lobbyist’s
jacket).
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
Click the mouse button or press the
Space Bar to display the answer.
End of Custom Shows
WARNING! Do Not Remove
This slide is intentionally blank and is set to auto-advance to end custom
shows and return to the main presentation.
Click the mouse button to return to the Contents slide.