chapter 10 the media. what do these organizations have in common?
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 10 The Media
What do these organizations have in common?
What Makes Up the Media?
• Broadcast Media • TV
• Cable TV news networks….
Broadcast Media (con’t)
• ….And Radio
Print Media
• Newspapers…..
Print Media (cont)
• ….And News Magazines…
….And The Internet….
What Roles Do the Media Play in Government?
• Gatekeeper: They influence what subjects become national political issues and for how long.
• Watchdog: Investigates personalities and exposes scandals
• Scorekeeper: • Tracks political reputations and
candidacies• Cover elections as horse races rather than
choices of policy alternatives.• Media momentum during presidential
primary season is crucial
How Does the Media Influence Politics?
• National Conventions have been changed to fit the needs of TV broadcasts
• Candidates win nominations with media ads that bypass parties
• Interests groups use it to get items on the national agenda
How Do Politicians use the Media?
• Trial Balloons: Information sent to the media to gauge the public’s reaction.
• The President’s Press Secretary
Duties of the Press Secretary
• Brief the president on questions he is likely to be asked and …
• Meet regularly with reporters, putting a favorable “spin” on events and…
• Attempt to control the flow of news coming from the White House
Bias and the Decline in Public Trust of the Media
Government Influence on the Media
• Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press….• United States Constitution, Amendment I
BUT…There Are Legal Restrictions
• Defamation: (Libel and slander)• National Security: Troop movements
and highly secret issues can be censored
• Obscenity• “Clear and Present Danger”• Radio and TV rules are different….
Defamation
• New York Times v Sullivan (1964)• To be held responsible for libel of a public
official, the plaintiff must show that the newspaper printed the story with malice, i.e. “with reckless disregard for the truth.”
National Security
• New York Times v United States (1971) aka “The Pentagon Papers Case”
• “Prior Restraints” on the publication of info are illegal except in narrowly defined situations (Troop movements)
Obscenity
• Miller v California (1972)• Material is obscene if:
• It appeals to the prurient interests• It is patently offensive because it violates
contemporary community standards• It is without redeeming social value
“Clear and Present Danger
• Schenk v United States (1919) and • Abrams v United States (1919)
• Actions (or words) that incite someone to engage in actions that pose an immediate threat to government can be punished.
Radio and TV
• Licensed and regulated by the FCC that must be renewed periodically. Complaints about the station will prompt scrutiny in the renewal process.
• Campaigns:• Equal access for all candidates• Rates no more than the cheapest
commercial rate
• Telecommunications Act (1996)• A company may own as many as eight
radio stations in a large market (5 in a small market)
• May own as many stations as it wants nationwide
• Consequences: • A few companies own most stations
(Clearchannel owns over 1200)• Looser editorial restrictions mean a greater
variety of opinions can be found on radio