Chapter 12 The Media n WHO GOVERNS 1

n WHO GOVERNS? 1. How much power do the media have? 2. Can we

The Media and Politics n n n Freedom of the Press The United States

Journalism in American Political History n n n The Party Press The Popular Press

Powerlineblog. com. Reprinted with permission. Blogs, both conservative and liberal, have become an important

The Structure of the Media n n Degree of Competition The National Media •

Rules Governing the Media n n n Newspapers – least governmental regulation Radio and

Are the National Media Biased? n n n Do members of the media have

Are the National Media Biased? n n A liberal majority Neutral and objective? •

Figure 12. 2 Public Perception of Accuracy in the Media Source: Pew Research Center,

Government and the News n n n Prominence of the president Coverage of Congress

Brown Brothers When President Theodore Roosevelt cultivated the media, reporters usually were unknown and

In 1933, White House press conferences were informal affairs, as when reporters gathered around

© 1991 Dana Fradon/The New Yorker Collection from cartoonbank. com. All Rights Reserved. Copyright

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? MEMORANDUM To: Matthew Wilson, senator From: Margaret Drinker, legislative assistant

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Arguments for: 1. Thirty-four states now have shield laws similar

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Arguments against: 1. Every person accused in a criminal trial

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Your decision: Support Bill? Oppose Bill? Copyright © 2011 Cengage

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Chapter 12 The Media

The Media and Politics n n n Freedom of the Press The United States versus Europe Freedom of Information Act Newspapers Radio and Television Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Journalism in American Political History n n n The Party Press The Popular Press Magazines of Opinion Electronic Journalism The Internet Copyright © 2011 Cengage Bettmann/Corbis Before television and the Internet, news came by radio, as here in 1939. p. 292

Powerlineblog. com. Reprinted with permission. Blogs, both conservative and liberal, have become an important form of political advertising. p. 289 As appeared on www. dailykos. com. Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Rules Governing the Media n n n Newspapers – least governmental regulation Radio and TV – most governmental regulation Confidentiality of Sources Regulating Broadcasting Campaigning Copyright © 2011 Cengage Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo Activists urge Congress to pass a law shielding reporters from being required to testify about their sources. p. 296

Are the National Media Biased? n n n Do members of the media have a distinctive political attitude? Does that attitude affect what they write or say? Does what they write or say affect what citizens believe? Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Are the National Media Biased? n n A liberal majority Neutral and objective? • Routine stories • Feature stories • Insider stories n Media’s influence • Selective attention Hillaryclinton. com Spanish-speaking voters have become so important that candidates, such as Hillary Clinton, run Spanish web sites. p. 299 Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Government and the News n n n Prominence of the president Coverage of Congress Why do we have so many news leaks? Sensationalism in the Media Government constraints on journalists Copyright © 2011 Cengage

In 1933, White House press conferences were informal affairs, as when reporters gathered around Franklin Roosevelt’s desk in the Oval Office. Bettmann/Corbis Today, there are huge gatherings held in a special conference room, as on the right. p. 305 Copyright © 2011 Cengage JASON REED/Reuters/Landov

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? MEMORANDUM To: Matthew Wilson, senator From: Margaret Drinker, legislative assistant Subject: Protecting Journalists The Supreme Court has held that forcing a reporter to testify does not violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. But Congress could pass a law, similar to that in many states, banning such testimony if it reveals a confidential source. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Arguments for: 1. Thirty-four states now have shield laws similar to the one proposed by Congress. 2. Effective journalism requires protecting sources from being identified; without protection, a lot of important stories would not be written. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Arguments against: 1. Every person accused in a criminal trial has a right to know all of the evidence against him or her and to confront witnesses. A shield law would deprive people of this right. 2. A shield law would allow any government official to leak secret information with no fear of being detected. Copyright © 2011 Cengage