Chapter 10 - Role of Public Opinion and Media Flashcards
FPA v IR on Public Opinion / Media
FPA better understands state-level variables, whereas IR just kind of acknowledges.
IR are bad at accounting for this because they focus on structure and unitary states.
New Liberalism and Domestic Factors
FP is determined domestically first (understanding domestic through a liberal lens)
Two Models of Media
Pluralist Model Elite Model (Both are true at varying degrees)
Pluralist Model of Media
Media acts as a restraint and check on the government
They are independent from political influence
No one group determines interests of states
Elite Model
Power is so concentrated within elite groups and dominate politics
The media is subservient to elites
Media a mouthpiece for state
BBC v CBC Model
Quasi-autonomous funding model (funded by, but not dependent on, government)
CBC is totally dependent.
Four Types of Publics within a State
Attentive
Mass
Isolationist
Internationalist
A small attentive public leads to…
More room for elites to make decisions
Casualty v Defeat Phobic
The tension in the public for not wanting defeat but not wanting mass casualties.
Interests Motivate, Principles Legitimate
State goes to war based on interests, but they persuade the public on moral grounds
Media are central to the _____/_____ nexus.
Public Opinion/FP nexus.
If so, how much of an effect does the media have on policy outcomes / agenda setting?
Public Sphere
The role of the media within democratic states to facilitate full and open debate on important issues (obviously doesn’t totally happen - won’t touch certain things)
Two Types of Media Roles and Two Media Tools
Watchdog - scrutinizes and holds to account the government and also represents the opinions of the public
Agenda-setter - the media causes people and DMs to pay attention to issues that they have raised (Within boundaries)
Priming and framing
Media Empowerment Thesis
Developments in communication tech have allowed journalists to be freer to criticize FP
Priming
The ability of the media to prepare and direct publics to the issues by which they should their leaders.
Framing
The way in which the actual presentation of news information influences how people perceive issues.
Three Parts of Sphere of Consensus
Sphere of Consensus - when elites all agree, the media won’t dissent - they are mouthpiece
Sphere of Legitimate Controversy - when elites don’t agree, the media is more comfortable to push them
Sphere of Deviance - completely separate from elites (Info-Wars, Chapo)
Procedural v Substantive Criticism and Influence
Procedural - describes media criticism and influence that relates to debates over implementation of policy decision
Substantive - describes criticisms and influences that relate to the underlying justifications and rationale for FP
Realism and Media/Public Opinion
FP should be immune from media influence
Moral communities/activists influence stays within the state, can’t be applied outside. They don’t consider interests.
Both media and public opinion should reflect this (super elitist)
Liberalism and Media/Public Opinion
They are constraints on elected leaders and therefore on the external behaviour of states
Emphasis on individual and their relationship to the government
Critical Approaches and Media/Public Opinion
All rooted in discussions of power.
Political/economic structures dominated by socioeconomic elites
Media maintains, propagates ideas of, inequality
Organized Persuasive Communication (OPC)
Propaganda
Uses: strategic communication, public diplomacy, perception management, PR, psychological operations, political marketing, political communications
Frequently includes distortion, deception, and coercion
OPC and the War on Terror
Framed in such a way that it’s a blank cheque.
Anyone can be a terrorist - it allows people to construct their own boogey-man, and therefore would be more supportive.
Liberals and the War on Terror
Hard for them to back their claim that their exists a more independent and critical post-Cold War media.
Some worry it’s an attack on the interests of individuals.
Realists, Critical Theorists on the War on Terror
The war’s impact on media autonomy and public perception of global affairs confirms subservience to broader political and economic forces
