Chapter Five Public Opinion and the Media Enduring Questions • Under the United States Constitution, how big a role should public opinion play in making policy? • What are the biggest sources of the political views of Americans? • What is meant by “liberal” and “conservative”? • Why is television news different from that in newspapers? • Are reporters biased in how they cover politics? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-2 Introduction: Public Opinion Polling • Government policy often at odds with public opinion • Media and government officials often have adversarial relationship • What is public opinion? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-3 Why Do We Distrust the Federal Government? • Steady decline since 1960s • Vietnam, Watergate, Clinton impeachment • Pre-WW II trust levels • September 11, 2001 Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-4 Figure 5.1: Trust in Government Index 1958–2002 Source: The National Election Studies, September 16, 2003. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-5 Origins of Political Attitudes – Political Socialization • The role of the family • Effects of religion • Education, especially college and postgraduate education • The “gender gap” Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-6 Table 5.1: The Relationship Between Politics and Religion (Among White Voters Only) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-7 Table 5.2: The Gender Gap: Differences in Political Views of Men and Women Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-8 Cleavages in Public Opinion • Cleavages are complex and reflect the heterogeneity of the U.S. society • Occupation • Race • Region Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-9 Table 5.3: White Versus Black Opinions Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-10 Political Ideology • Many people are neither liberals nor conservatives • Consistent attitudes • Activists • Various categories of opinion • Analyzing consistency Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-11 The Impact of the Media • Members of the media have more adversarial relationship with government • Due to Vietnam and Watergate • Economics force change; number of media outlets and competition have increased • Media covers what public wants to see; competing for viewers Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-12 The Structure of the Media • Degree of competition • The national media Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-13 Rules Governing the Media • Freedom of the press • Regulation and deregulation Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-14 Government and the News • Government officials seek to shape public opinion • Prominence of the president • Coverage of Congress Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-15 Interpreting Political News • Public relies on, yet distrusts, TV news coverage • Are news stories slanted? • News leaks • The influence of media opinions on public opinion and politics • The influence of politicians on the media Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-16 Figure 5.2: Young People Becoming Less Interested in Political News Source: Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press (June 28, 1990). Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-17 Reconsidering the Enduring Questions • Under the United States Constitution, how big a role should public opinion play in making policy? • What are the biggest sources of the political views of Americans? • What is meant by “liberal” and “conservative”? • Why is television news different from that in newspapers? • Are reporters biased in how they cover politics? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 5-18