Dr Simon Boucher ~ bouches@tcd.ie

The Media andUS Politics

Government and Politics of the USALecture 7:

Required reading…

– McKay chap 7– Singh chap 7

Additional resources…

• Andrew Paul Williams and John Tedesco, The Internet Election: Perspectives on the web campaign in 2004 (LEN 351.0285 P61;1)

• John Street, Mass Media, Politics and Democracy (LEN 301.16 P15;1)

• Kathleen Hall Jamieson, The Interplay of Influence: News, Advertising, Politics and the Internet (LEN 301.16 P692)

Readings for today

• Function of the media• Free speech and the US Constitution• Media ownership• Power of the media In US politics• Different forms of traditional media• Exploiting the media for political advantage• Bias in US media

Agenda

“New media” - week 9

Function of media

Media function in a liberal democracy

Public watchdog

Public representative

Source of public information

…Best enabled by market conditions

Participation avenue for non-institutional actors

The 4th branch of US government?

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

THE FOURTH ESTATE

The First Amendment

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of greivances”.

Free speech and the Constitution

The First Amendment

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of greivances”.

Free speech and the Constitution

• Under the 1st amendment, Americans are guaranteed freedom of speech

• Little direct censorship in US history- only prevented if “immediate and irreparable harm to the nation”

• Indirect political pressure occasionally restricts free expression

• Sheer number of media outlets in past made controlling free speech difficult – less so now

• Main limit on content now is commercial consideration

Free speech and the Constitution

American media is privately owned –

• “Primary function is to attract and hold large audiences for advertisers”

• Informing and entertaining are a means to an end

• Since 1980s, has been increasingly concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer groups and individuals

• Owners often impose their own agenda into their media

• Owners help decide “what is relevant”• Concern to avoid offending advertisers

Media ownership in the US

• National media helps foster integration – builds an “imagined community”

• Constructs national identity through repetition of positive and negative role models

• Determine the extent of “national” and “international” affairs

• Reinforces “American” values

• Supports the melting pot- exposes citizens to divergent viewpoints

Media and US national integration

• Allows politicians communicate and build support

• Allows organised interests advance their arguments

• Provides citizens with information on the political process

• Has the increasingly public nature of US politics elevated the media to new heights of influence?

Power of the media in US politics

“The media is a site of

perpetual contest within American society”

Americans and their media…

• 5.6 radios per household• 2.2 televisions per

household• 60 million newspapers

distributed daily• $6.5 billion on cinema

visits per year

“Americans use media abundantly”.

• Printed political commentary important in US politics since Federalist Papers

• By end of 19th century all major cities had at least 2 newspapers; now 1,500

• Circulation and readership increased rapidly to mid 20th century – since steadily declined

• Almost all newspapers locally organised. Only 2 major national dailies, though several circulate nationally

• Increasingly less local variation on national / international news due to nationally syndicated columns

• Little foreign news; in some cases little national news

Print media and US politics

Print media and US politics

Print media political affiliation

• New York Times• Washington Post• LA Times

• Wall Street Journal• Most local papers

• Time• Newsweek

• The New Republic• The American Prospect• The Atlantic

• National Review• American Conservation• Commentary

Distinction between editorial and opinion columns. Usually “endorse” a candidate

Radio and US politics

Then…• Advent of radio in 20th century represented nationalisation of

US media- First national news bulletins • Dominant medium of the 30s and 40s• Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” exploited the new medium

Now…• Currently 3,000 radio and TV stations nationwide• Still significant given its ubiquitous presence • Small public station National Public Radio• Most local radio stations broadcast music; “talk radio” mainly

news and religious, broadcast nationally• Right-wing commentary shows by polemicists grown hugely in

popularity- syndicated to 100s of local stations – audience of over 20 million

Radio and US politics

Then…Advent of TV - media became truly national• 9% TV ownership in 1950• 87% TV ownership in 1960

Now…Most stations affiliated to 3 national networks• NBC - owned by GE• CBS - owned by Westinghouse• ABC - owned by Disney• Also… Fox and PBS• Average TV viewing time per home per day 2001 - 7.7 hours

• Late 1980s- emergence of 24 hour news channels• But less and less mainstream coverage of news• 70% of the population subscribe to cable• But poorer Americans don’t have access to NB sources of political

information

Television and US politics

Trivialising impact of television on the political process:

• Reduction of news and analysis - rise of the “sound bite”• Little international coverage - “black holes” in the news• News content tailored to reflect audiences• Emphasis on lifestyle and celebrity. Predisposition for:

• Little guys versus big guys• Good versus evil• “Bizarre” versus the routine

But also key medium for informed opinion:

• Investigative reporting• Aggressive interviewing• Expert discussion

Television and US politics

• First held in 1960 – Kennedy challenged Nixon

• Typically attract very high viewing figures

• Held late in the election cycle – opportunity to turn the tide, or seal the deal

• Formats vary – questions from moderator(s) or audience

• Rules agreed in advance by the two campaigns

• Now 3 debates typically held between two candidates

• Highly coached and staged• Vice-Presidential candidates also

hold debates

Televised presidential debates

FCC operating since 1934• Issues and revokes broadcasting licenses• Regulates the public airwaves• Keeps ownership diverse (preventing concentration of power in one

person / company)• Still local monopolies

1996 Telecommunication Act• Opened broadcasting to increased competition• Number of TV stations a company could own increased, provided

no 1 company controlled more than 35% of markets• Spurred major mergers, standardisation of programmes and

dropping quality

Federal government and the media

Throughout 20th century federal government has attempted to keep media outlets and ownership diverse

Politicians attempt to use the media to… • Set the political agenda setting• Generating positive publicity• Maintaining control over news content and tone• Attacking opponents• Bury bad news

Media strategy now a central campaign element…• Affects organisation of campaign staff – the Clinton “war room”• Creative / dramatic / humorous advertising to shape candidate image• Size of advertising budgets major determinant in who wins elections

US politicians and exploiting the media

• Initially almost completely unregulated• Whoever had most money could advertise most• Campaign finance reform in 1974 / 2002 placed

limits on political advertising• Noticeable evolution of advert sophistication

Political advertising

• Public perception of media impartiality declining:– 1985 - 55% accurate, 34% inaccurate– 2003 - 36% accurate, 62% inaccurate

• The main networks strive to achieve impartiality in news coverage equal time to both sides

• Local stations more likely to reflect biases of local communities

• Republicans long-complained of “liberal media bias”

• “New media” biased towards the right?

• Fox is clearly right-wing; Fox 24 News loved by Republicans, hated by Democrats – “fair and balanced”

Political bias in the US media

• Is highly commercial

• Has a comparatively low news content

• Increasingly trivialises the news

• Remains relatively local

• Is increasingly partisan

• Is used by politicians for electoral advantage

• Continues to evolve – more on new media in week 9

In summary, the US media…

• Mark Little’s lectures on…– His experience in the US media– “Sunbelt suburbs” – has the American Dream

survived the Bush era?

• Mark’s general suggested reading on the course website

• Both classes will involve considerable Q&A – come prepared to take part…

Preparation for week 8