Overview of the roles of the Mass Media and Interest Groups in Politics

1. MASS MEDIA & INTEREST GROUPS
For use with sections 11.2 & 11.3

2. ROLES OF THE MEDIA
1. Coverage of Candidates
 news coverage is free publicity
 makes it easier to your views on issues
known
 makes it easier for voters to learn about the
candidates

3. ROLES OF THE MEDIA
2. Public Opinion
 influencing public opinion by making issues
more apparent
 media reports on and portrays how the public
feels about issues (today this includes news
media, but also YouTube, social media,
bloggers, and podcasters)
 gives politicians an idea of how the public
feels on an issue when they react to a leak

4. ROLES OF THE MEDIA
3. Watchdog
 reports on the wrong doings and corruption
of politicians
 helps the people know what government
officials are up to therefore forcing them to be
more honest

5. HOW DOES THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECT
THE MEDIA FROM GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE
OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH?
 The First Amendment protection of freedom
of speech protects the media from prior
restraint. This means that the government
cannot censor material before it is published.
This is sometimes called a “gag order.”

6. WHAT WAS THE CASE NEW YORK TIMES V.
SULLIVAN ABOUT AND WHAT PRECEDENT DID IT
SET?
 The case New York Times v. Sullivan, a government
official, sued the New York Times newspaper for libel
(deliberately printing false information to harm one’s
reputation). The Supreme Court ruled that in order to
prove libel, the plaintiff must be able to prove malice
(evil intent). In other words, there must be proof that
the publisher knew what they were printing was false.
 The precedent (or rule that has been held ever since
this case) is that in order to win a lawsuit over libel,
the plaintiff must be able to show evidence that the
publisher knew what they were printing was false
(malice)– this is not easy to prove

7. INTEREST GROUPS
1. Economic Interest Groups
 some of the most powerful interest groups
 represent types of businesses or workers
Examples:
 Chamber of Commerce – promotes free enterprise
 Tobacco Institute – represents cigarette
manufacturers
 AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and
Congress of Industrial Organizations) – alliance of
labor unions
 American Medical Association (AMA) – represents
doctors

8. INTEREST GROUPS
2. Social Issues Interest Groups
 organized to promote an ethnic group, age group, or
gender
Examples:
 National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP) – to improve the lives of African
Americans
 American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) –
the interests of older Americans
 Sierra Club – protecting nature
 National Rifle Association (NRA) – interest of gun
owners

9. INTEREST GROUPS
3. Public Interest Groups
 work to benefit society as a whole through
causes that will affect the lives of Americans in
general
Examples:
 League of Women Voters – educates voters
(not just women) about candidates and
issues
 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) –
works to protect the Constitutional rights and
freedom of Americans

10. INTEREST GROUPS
 Influencing Government Through…
1. Elections
 interest groups will support candidates that share the
same view(s) on their issue(s)
2. Going to Court
 interest groups will sue in court individuals who engage
in actions contrary to the groups ideas
3. Lobbying
 interest groups hire people who go to government to
meet with government officials and give information
about their issue in an effort to have them vote on bills
that are favorable to the interest group’s cause

11. WHAT CONCERNS DO CRITICS OF LOBBYING
AND INTEREST GROUPS HAVE?
 They are concerned that interest groups will
have an exaggerated amount of influence
over government because of the number of
members and amount of money they can
raise.