1. Chapter Twelve
Mass Media
American Government and Politics: Deliberation,
Democracy, and Citizenship

2. Chapter Twelve: Learning Objectives
• Identify the major news media and
describe how they have changed over
time
• Explain various ways in which the
media affect politics

3. Chapter Twelve: Learning Objectives
• Discuss strengths and weaknesses of
the American news media
• Analyze ways in which government
regulates and influences the news
media

4. Chapter Twelve: Learning Objectives
• Understand how public figures seek to
shape news coverage
• Appraise ways in which the media
foster deliberation and citizenship

5. Introduction
What are the differences between the
mass media and the news media?
What pressures do journalists face
when deciding what news stories to
cover?

6. A Brief History
How has the mass media changed over
time?
Evan Vucci/AP Photo

7. A Brief History:
The Era of Ink
Newspapers had close ties to political
parties in the early days of the nation.
After the Civil War, newspaper
circulation increased and many
newspapers emphasized the practice
of yellow journalism.

8. A Brief History:
The Era of Ink
By the late 1800s, newspapers became
a source of information for scholarship
and public deliberation.
In the early 20th century, investigative
reporters were writing about corruption
in government and were called
muckrakers.

9. A Brief History:
The Era of Sight and Sound
After WWI, broadcasting networks
began to form.
During the 1930s and 1940s, radio was
a popular method to deliver news.
By the mid-20th century, television
began to emerge as a news source.

10. A Brief History:
The Era of Sight and Sound
Two features of broadcast media that
pose problems for news broadcasters
1. Public ownership of the airwaves
2. Broadcast television networks primarily
in the entertainment business

11. A Brief History:
The Era of Cable and Conglomerates
By the 1970s, cable television was
available to many Americans.
Talk radio also emerged as a new
medium of deliberation and debate.
Newspaper chains and media
conglomerates emerged.

12. A Brief History:
The Era of Cable and Conglomerates
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism, STATE OF THE NEWS MEDIA 2009 at
http://
www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2009/narrative_networktv_audience.php?cat=2&media=6.

13. A Brief History:
The Era of Cable and Conglomerates
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism, STATE OF THE NEWS MEDIA 2009 at http://
www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2009/narrative_cabletv.audience.php?cat=1&media=7.

14. A Brief History:
The Era of the Internet
In the early years of the Internet, there
was a one-way flow of information but
that has changed with the emergence
of blogs.
How may blogs contribute to deliberative
democracy?

15. Media Impact
What role does the media play in the
political process?
How does the media contribute to
deliberation?

16. Media Impact: Informing
Research has shown that Americans
are not well-informed about politics. Is
that the media’s fault?
What are some reasons why Americans
may not be well-informed about
politics?

17. Media Impact:
Agenda Setting, Priming and Framing
Through agenda setting the media
influences what issues will be up for
public deliberation.
Priming is when the media stresses
certain issues and people use those
issues as a basis for political
judgment.

18. Media Impact:
Agenda Setting, Priming and Framing
Framing is the way the media defines
an issue by either emphasizing or
deemphasizing certain aspects of that
issue.
When the news media covers elections,
they often participate in horse race
journalism.

19. Media Impact: Direct Involvement
Media owners have used their
organizations to promote causes.
One common way to do this is through
editorials.
Journalists do try to stay out of politics
so as to maintain objectivity.

20. Professionalism, Accuracy, and Bias
Do you believe the media is fair and
accurate in portraying current events?
What types of standards should the
media be held to when reporting
information?

21. Professionalism, Accuracy, and Bias:
The Standards of the Profession
Journalists often face dangers in doing
their jobs.
People continue to enter journalism
school because they see it as an
opportunity to make a difference and
serve society as journalists may be
watchdogs against corruption.

22. Professionalism, Accuracy, and Bias:
Mistakes
Flaws do occur in news coverage,
especially as journalists are competing
to be the first to break a news story.
With the emergence of 24-hour cable
news networks and the Internet,
journalists are facing more pressure.

23. Pledges and Promises
Journalism standards
The Society of Professional Journalists
has developed an ethics code.
What types of standards do you believe
journalists should follow?

24. Professionalism, Accuracy, and Bias:
Dishonesty
While news organizations strive for
honesty, there are sometimes lapses
and false stories make it to the public.
Reporting false stories may lead to the
loss of jobs for journalists and loss of
credibility for news organizations.

25. Professionalism, Accuracy, and Bias:
The Depths and the Shallows
Many Americans have recently
criticized the media for cutting back
on the scope of coverage or the lack
of coverage of complex issues.
Do you believe the media does an
effective job covering political events
and information?

26. Professionalism, Accuracy, and Bias:
Ideological Bias in the News
Do you believe there is an ideological
bias in the news? If so, is that bias
liberal or conservative?
How may media bias affect deliberation?

27. Professionalism, Accuracy, and Bias:
Ideological Bias in the News
Source: surveys of 673 journalists, March 7–May 2, 2005 and 1,500
adults March 3–April 5, 2005, Annenberg Public Policy Center, “Public
and Press Differ About Partisan Bias, Accuracy and Press Freedom, New
Annenberg Public Policy Center Survey Shows,” May 24, 2005, at www
.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/Downloads/IoD_Survey_Findings_
Summer2005/Partisan_Bias_20050524.pdf, accessed April 12, 2009.

28. Myths and Misinformation
Journalism in the movies
How has journalism been portrayed in
the movies?
Has that portrayal been accurate?

29. Government and Media
How has
government
curbed or
protected
political
expression in
the media?
Mark Wilson/Getty Images

30. International Perspectives
Freedom of the press
As compared to other liberal
democracies, the United States is
more likely to protect free speech.
Why do you believe that is so?

31. Government and Media:
Press Freedom, the Law, and the Courts
Congress passed a Sedition Act in 1918,
but repealed it in 1921.
Two important court cases
• Gitlow v. New York (1925)
• New York Times Co. v. U.S. (1971)

32. Government and Media:
Control of the Broadcast Media
The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) was created in
1934 to regulate broadcast media.
The federal government limits
ownership of broadcast media.

33. Government and Media: Balance
In order to ensure balance and access
to media, the equal time rule and the
fairness doctrine were put into place
by the FCC.
The fairness doctrine was repealed in
1987.

34. Government and Media:
Government Information
The government relies on the media to
deliver information to citizens, but we
must be aware of how much influence
the government has over the media.
During the war with Iraq, the Defense
Department has allowed embedded
reporters with the troops.

35. Influencing the Media: Media Leaders
A few news organizations influence the
rest of the news organizations through
wire services.
Where do you believe journalists get
their ideas for stories? Do you believe
that journalists and news organizations
have influence over other journalists?

36. Influencing the Media:
Pictures, Attacks, Mistakes, and Spin
Newsmakers try to influence news
coverage through spin.
Tools for spinning include
• News conferences and news releases
• Talking points
• Leaking stories

37. Mass Media and
Deliberative Democracy:
What are potential remedies for restoring
public deliberation in the media?
• Civic journalism
• Self-criticism
• Differentiating between amateurs and
professionals

38. Deliberation, Citizenship, and You
Forms of citizen journalism include
• Contributing materials to professional media
• Community funded journalism
• Television stations recruiting college students
to be citizen journalists

39. Summary
• News media influences knowledge
• Critics concerned about corporate
control of media
• Media may show political bias
• Media help set political agenda