The NewsThe News

What should the What should the news tell us to news tell us to

make us informed make us informed citizens?citizens?

Jon Stewart’s critiqueJon Stewart’s critique

““A free and independent press is essential A free and independent press is essential to the health of a functioning democracy. It to the health of a functioning democracy. It serves to inform the voting public on serves to inform the voting public on matters relevant to its well-being. Why matters relevant to its well-being. Why they’ve stopped doing that is a mystery. I they’ve stopped doing that is a mystery. I mean, 300 camera crews outside a mean, 300 camera crews outside a courthouse to see what Kobe Bryant is courthouse to see what Kobe Bryant is wearing when the judge sets his hearing wearing when the judge sets his hearing date, while false information used to send date, while false information used to send our country to war goes unchecked? What our country to war goes unchecked? What the f*** happened?”the f*** happened?”

What are the What are the different types of different types of

news we can news we can consume?consume?

We consume each because We consume each because they are important to us, (for they are important to us, (for

different reasons)different reasons)

HealthHealth BusinessBusiness SportsSports WeatherWeather ConsumerConsumer CrimeCrime EntertainmeEntertainme

ntnt Public AffairsPublic Affairs

As peopleAs people As investorsAs investors As fansAs fans To choose our clothesTo choose our clothes To help us make purchasesTo help us make purchases Because ???Because ??? It’s funIt’s fun It’s our duty?It’s our duty?

What kinds of What kinds of stories are stories are

important to us as important to us as citizenscitizens of our city, of our city,

state, and the state, and the United States?United States?

Two types of news storyTwo types of news story

Hard newsHard news Facts and figuresFacts and figures

Soft newsSoft news Evokes emotion, tells “the human side” Evokes emotion, tells “the human side”

of the factsof the facts

How does the news How does the news media decide what media decide what

information to information to provide?provide?

What guides news What guides news content?content?

Economics of the news businessEconomics of the news business (Benefits to society of an informed (Benefits to society of an informed

public are NOT in the bottom line)public are NOT in the bottom line)

Norms of the journalistic professionNorms of the journalistic profession

Citizens as news Citizens as news consumersconsumers

Rational ignoranceRational ignorance

People seek news for duty, People seek news for duty, diversion, and dramadiversion, and drama

Economics of NewsEconomics of News

Why is news a public good?Why is news a public good? One person’s consumption does not One person’s consumption does not

diminish the ability of another to diminish the ability of another to consume it (non-rivalrous)consume it (non-rivalrous)

Once news is provided, you can Once news is provided, you can consume it without paying for it (non-consume it without paying for it (non-exclusive)exclusive)

Why is that important?Why is that important?

Hamilton’s argumentHamilton’s argument

Production of news is costlyProduction of news is costly Profit motivates its productionProfit motivates its production If and how a story appears depends If and how a story appears depends

on:on: How many people will pay to consume itHow many people will pay to consume it Which people they areWhich people they are How desirable those people are to How desirable those people are to

advertisersadvertisers

Economic factors that affect news Economic factors that affect news coveragecoverage

CompetitionCompetition Low standardsLow standards

Low quality (“race to the Low quality (“race to the bottom”)bottom”)

Herding behaviorHerding behavior

Economic factors that affect news Economic factors that affect news coveragecoverage

CompetitionCompetition Low standardsLow standards

Low quality (“race to the Low quality (“race to the bottom”)bottom”)

Herding behaviorHerding behavior

TechnologyTechnology Cheaper to buy rather than Cheaper to buy rather than produceproduce

Homogenized productHomogenized product

Superficial coverageSuperficial coverage

Recycling of storiesRecycling of stories

Economic factors that affect news Economic factors that affect news coveragecoverage

CompetitionCompetition Low standardsLow standards

Low quality (“race to the Low quality (“race to the bottom”)bottom”)

Herding behaviorHerding behavior

TechnologyTechnology Cheaper to buy rather than Cheaper to buy rather than produceproduce

Homogenized productHomogenized product

Superficial coverageSuperficial coverage

Recycling of storiesRecycling of stories

Public good/ Public good/ pricing pricing problemproblem

Hard news under-producedHard news under-produced

Professional factors that affect news Professional factors that affect news coveragecoverage

Get a story in Get a story in the paperthe paper

Homogeneity, herdingHomogeneity, herding

Professional factors that affect news Professional factors that affect news coveragecoverage

Get a story in Get a story in the paperthe paper

Homogeneity, herdingHomogeneity, herding

Get it on the Get it on the front pagefront page

Cozy relationships with Cozy relationships with sourcessources

Bias toward conflict Bias toward conflict storiesstories

Professional factors that affect news Professional factors that affect news coveragecoverage

Get a story in Get a story in the paperthe paper

Homogeneity, herdingHomogeneity, herding

Get it on the Get it on the front pagefront page

Cozy relationships with Cozy relationships with sourcessources

Bias toward conflict Bias toward conflict storiesstories

Be respected by Be respected by your peersyour peers

Oppositional biasOppositional bias

Can the media be Can the media be mademade to serve democracy?to serve democracy?

Taxes and subsidiesTaxes and subsidies Encourage local news ownershipEncourage local news ownership Make information available cheaplyMake information available cheaply Change property rights of broadcastersChange property rights of broadcasters Stimulation of demand through Stimulation of demand through

educationeducation Creation of professional norms Creation of professional norms

What about bias? What about bias? Where is it evident?Where is it evident?

Story choiceStory choice PlacementPlacement HeadlinesHeadlines FramingFraming PhotographsPhotographs

Is there a partisan bias?Is there a partisan bias?

Journalists are partisansJournalists are partisans

Economic incentive is to sell to as Economic incentive is to sell to as many people as possiblemany people as possible

There is room for a profitable niche There is room for a profitable niche partisan marketpartisan market

Why does the press matter? Why does the press matter? How does the press affect How does the press affect

public opinion?public opinion?

Priming: the news influences which Priming: the news influences which issues we judge to be the most issues we judge to be the most important issues of the day.important issues of the day.

Ranking of most important Ranking of most important issue facing America: issue facing America:

Iyengar and Kinder, Experiment 1Iyengar and Kinder, Experiment 1

Before experimentBefore experiment

1.1. InflationInflation

2.2. PollutionPollution

3.3. UnemploymentUnemployment

4.4. EnergyEnergy

5.5. Civil RightsCivil Rights

6.6. Defense Defense preparednesspreparedness

After experimentAfter experiment

1.1. InflationInflation

2.2. Defense Defense preparednesspreparedness

3.3. PollutionPollution

4.4. UnemploymentUnemployment

5.5. EnergyEnergy

6.6. Civil RightsCivil Rights

Good sources of news?Good sources of news?

PBS—what does the news look like PBS—what does the news look like when you take away the profit when you take away the profit motive?motive?

Google/Yahoo/MSN???Google/Yahoo/MSN???

TV vs. newspaper?TV vs. newspaper?

Daily show: Americans are stupidDaily show: Americans are stupid Daily show: fact checking and cnnDaily show: fact checking and cnn Daily show: what the news coversDaily show: what the news covers Daily show: news advertisingDaily show: news advertising