Chapter 8- The News Media Learning Objectives:Do the News Media Matter?Difficulty in Determining Media’s ImpactSlide 4Media InfluenceSlide 6Slide 7News Media and the Political AgendaThe News Media and GovernmentSlide 10A Two Way Street (Government <=> News Media)Slide 12Changes in the News MediaChanges in Journalistic Conventions The Evolution of press standards of coverage:Slide 15The Evolution of JournalismSlide 17Changes in Readership and ViewershipSlide 19Trends in Regular News Consumption- % of US Population 1993-2004:Slide 21Impact of Cable TVOther Sources: Talk Radio & InternetChanges in Media OwnershipSlide 25Concerns about ConsolidationSlide 27Limits to Press FreedomLimits to Press FreedomOther factors constraining press freedom:Slide 31The Electronic Media & Federal RegulationSlide 33Slide 34Slide 35Congress Constraints on FCCReporting the NewsSlide 38What Is News?Telling the StoryFour Rules for JournalistsExceptions to the RulesSlanting the story by imageSix Common Complaints about the Media:Evaluating the News MediaCynicismNews as EntertainmentThe News Media on the Campaign TrailSlide 49Media’s Response to CriticsReporting Election ResultsReporting LeaksNews Media and DemocracyThe News Media: KEY TERMS –G-8 Key Terms (2)Next Class AssignmentChapter 8- The News MediaChapter 8- The News MediaLearning Objectives:Learning Objectives: •(1). Examine News media's influence on (1). Examine News media's influence on public opinionpublic opinion & the & the political agendapolitical agenda..•(2). Analyze the News Media's relationship with the government.(2). Analyze the News Media's relationship with the government.•(3). Examine how the News Media changes over time, including: (3). Examine how the News Media changes over time, including: journalistic journalistic conventions, readership & "viewer-shipconventions, readership & "viewer-ship," ," and the changes in and the changes in media ownershipmedia ownership. . •(4). Examine press freedom & its limitations, & discuss (4). Examine press freedom & its limitations, & discuss FOIA FOIA & & pool reportingpool reporting..•(5). Discuss & electronic media & role of & (5). Discuss & electronic media & role of & FCC, FCC, equal time equal time & & fairnessfairness policies. policies.•(6). Examine how news is reported, what makes news, & rules of how it is told. (6). Examine how news is reported, what makes news, & rules of how it is told. •(7). Evaluate the media & determine if it has a "liberal bias" or is just cynical.(7). Evaluate the media & determine if it has a "liberal bias" or is just cynical.•(8). Assess the growing trend of news as entertainment.(8). Assess the growing trend of news as entertainment.•(9). Discuss news media’s role during political campaigns & role of (9). Discuss news media’s role during political campaigns & role of sound bitessound bites..•(10). Assess how well the media reports election results & explain potential impact.(10). Assess how well the media reports election results & explain potential impact.•(11). Analyze the role of (11). Analyze the role of "news leaks""news leaks" in reporting the news. in reporting the news.Do the News Media Matter?Do the News Media Matter?•Role of News Media: Role of News Media: –Enable the public to watch over their governmentEnable the public to watch over their government–Why is that important?Why is that important?•The News Media and Public Opinion:The News Media and Public Opinion:–Key QuestionKey Question::•How much influenceHow much influence does Media have on Public Opinion? does Media have on Public Opinion?–Three factors to considerThree factors to consider::•1. Media’s coverage vs. event itself1. Media’s coverage vs. event itself•2. Array of Media views and voices2. Array of Media views and voices•3. Choice of who to listen to3. Choice of who to listen toSo what exactly is the problem?Difficulty in Determining Media’s Difficulty in Determining Media’s ImpactImpact•Key Challenges:Key Challenges:–Disentangling the Disentangling the media’s coveragemedia’s coverage with the with the event itselfevent itself challenging at times challenging at times–Enormous Enormous array of media voicesarray of media voices in the in the United States with United States with conflicting viewsconflicting views–Vast Vast individual choiceindividual choice in media selection in media selection•Extent of News Media’s influence?Extent of News Media’s influence?–Modest influence of someModest influence of some News Anchors News Anchors–Role ofRole of Selective Perception?Selective Perception?Selective PerceptionA phenomenon in which people perceive the same event differently because they have different beliefs and personal experiences.What is the role of selective perception in forming Public Opinion?Re-enforces already held views & dismisses contradictionsMedia InfluenceMedia Influence•When is News Media most likely to When is News Media most likely to influence someone’s opinion?influence someone’s opinion?–When individual’s knowledge about specific When individual’s knowledge about specific issueissue limitedlimited–Or…Or… when the person has no opinion at all when the person has no opinion at all•What is the Media’s main role wrt shaping What is the Media’s main role wrt shaping Public Opinion? =>Public Opinion? =>The mediaplays a major role in shapingthe politicalagenda.Media InfluenceMedia InfluenceWhat exactly does the Media influence?The Media’s influence is over what people think about;(Not so much what they actually think)Political Agenda?PoliticalAgendaThe list of issues considered important and that government officials are actively debating.News Media and the News Media and the Political AgendaPolitical Agenda •Influence over Influence over whatwhat Americans think about is Americans think about is significantsignificant–Political AgendaPolitical Agenda – list of issues considered important – list of issues considered important•Worthy of attention & political discussion or debateWorthy of attention & political discussion or debate•Impact of News Media on Impact of News Media on Political AgendaPolitical Agenda??–Impressive power to shape the agendaImpressive power to shape the agenda•America’s political, economical, and social agenda America’s political, economical, and social agenda –Spotlight issues considered by Media to be