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MEDIA AND THE POLITICAL AGENDA

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What should the function of the media be? Watchdog Agenda setter

Is there an obligation, on the part of the media, to present objective coverage of issues?

Warm-up

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Issue Framing

Interpret this cartoon

What is the message?

Hint Elephant

represents Republicans

Donkey represents Democrats

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Mass Media Today

High tech politics A politics in which

the behavior of citizens and policymakers and the political agenda itself are increasingly shaped by technology.

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Mass Media Today

Mass Media Television, radio, newspapers,

magazines, the Internet, and other means of popular communication.

Called mass media bc reaches the masses

In politics, media is used to agenda set Draw attention to the issues Who uses the media to

agenda set? Media Events

Events that are purposely staged for the media and that are significant just because the media are there.

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Press Conference

Press conferences Meetings of public

officials with reporters FDR started

presidential press conferences

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7371780n How is President

Obama trying to agenda set?

How is he trying to manage media coverage?

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Investigative Journalism

Press revered FDR but the cozy relationship between press and politicians ended in 1960s due to scandals

Detective-like reporting methods to check up on the statements of government officials

Anderson Cooper “Keeping them honest” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LWI06WIgnY

Is it important to “keep them honest?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E1DbIJW4oc

&feature=relmfu Explain John Stewart’s critique of Anderson Cooper’s

“Keeping them Honest.”

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Role of Journalists – Rank the categories

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Adversarial Relationship

Investigative reporting leads to an adversarial relationship between the media and politicians.

Politicians often attack the media if they don’t like how they are being covered. “Lamestream media” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiHORVn

SLzI Candidates feel the media is unfair, but

they also try to manipulate it.

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The Changing Face of Media

The Print Media Newspapers and magazines Use of print media is on the decline.

Electronic media TV, radio, internet The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

created in 1934 regulates broadcast media. Independent regulatory agency but budget comes from

Congress No single owner can own more than 35 percent of

broadcast market In order to receive a broadcasting license a station must

serve the public interest

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From Broadcasting to Narrowcasting: The Rise of Cable and Cable News

Narrowcasting Media program on cable TV or Internet that is focused on one

topic and aimed at a particular audience. MTV, ESPN, C-SPAN

The Internet Potential to inform Americans about politics. Blogs provide additional information about news stories.

Mainstream media look at bloggers as illegitimate, because they are not held to the same standard of reporting

But they are very influential Daily Beast took over Newsweek

More information is available, but that doesn’t always mean the information is high quality. Can you think of examples?

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What Gets Attention?

Make a list of all the news stories you’ve heard or read about in the last week.

What makes a topic newsworthy? For-profit media

Media is biased towards sensationalism and drawing in audiences

Non-profit public media (PBS, NPR) Informing the public

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Move over PAC, here comes the SUPER PAC

Stephen Colbert created a SUPER PAC – Citizens for Tomorrow Tomorrow

Colbert explains the difference between a PAC and a Super PAC: http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/01/13/10150439-

stephen-colbert-explains-difference-between-pacs-and-super-pacs

Ran commercials in Iowa http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/394431/augu

st-11-2011/super-pac-ad---cornography http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/394434/augu

st-11-2011/super-pac-ad---rick-perry

South Carolina http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/405930/janua

ry-15-2012/colbert-super-pac-ad---attack-in-b-minor-for-strings http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/406077/

january-17-2012/colbert-super-pac-ad---not-abel

Video link http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/

09/secret-video-romney-private-fundraiser Explanation of why 47% don’t pay taxes

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/the-reasons-behind-the-people-who-pay-no-income-tax/

Romney’s response http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/us/poli

tics/in-leaked-video-romney-says-middle-east-peace-process-likely-to-remain-unsolved-problem.html?_r=0