Chapter 10: The Media Flashcards
Be able to identify the part of the Constitution (Bill of Rights) that is most associated with the media and its role in politics
o Freedom of the press
not subject to federal regulation
the 1st amendment prohibits the government from engaging in prior restraint or censorship
o Prior restraint
o The supreme court has narrowed the libel laws that restrain print media
Define Prior Restraint
An effort by the government to block the publication of material it deems libelous or harmful in some other way (e.g., censorship)
Be able to identify the role that media plays in informing the public about politics and government
o 4 roles of media:
watchdogs of government
conveyors of info to the public
setting the agenda
the promoter of free flow and exchange of ideas
Provide all the different types of media
television or radio media
print media
social media
blogs
Infotainment news
Explain how television or radio media affects public opinion
• provide pictures or scripts with a level of immediacy to assist the viewing public
Explain how print media affects public opinion
- most common form is newspapers
* the depth and accuracy of sources is given much more attention
Explain how social media affects public opinion
- provides social interaction among people in which they can voice their own opinions
- it is considered a coordinating mechanism for political action
- studies show rather than polarizing political views, it moderates them due to diversity of exposure.
Explain how blogs affect public opinion
- bring new voices to the political discourse
- have the luxury of being fast and unregulated
- present a wider range of opinions
Explain how Infotainment news affect public opinion
- satire that is produced to look like news
* These programs are largely consumed by younger Americans
Be able to discuss the business model of the media (“Green”) and how it affects what is consumed by the public
o The business model of media
businessmen are neither Red nor Blue, they are “green”
o journalists don’t have the option to be biased
o the loss of distinction between entertainment and news
o “Sex sells”
o the public is as responsible for the type of news they get
o long, complex, depressing stories don’t get aired because nobody would watch them.
Be able to discuss the different mechanisms and laws that regulate the media
o Regulation of the FCC
Through the FCC, the government issues licenses and regulates the business and content of broadcast media.
- Equal time rule
- Right of Rebuttal
- Fairness Doctrine
Be able to compare and contrast the concepts of priming and framing (and give examples of each)
Framing - the power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted.
Priming - the process of preparing the public to take a particular view of an event or political actor.
Priming is often said to focus on what information is presented and framing on how information is presented, although these elements overlap in actual communication practices.
Define Television and Radio Media:
Radio and television (reach more Americans than any other single news source)
Define Print Media
Newspapers, magazines, books (oldest method for dissemination of news)
Define Social Media
The platform that enables the formation of online communities and networks through which people express thoughts, feelings, personal experiences, share information, content, videos, and messages
Define Blogs
Series, or log, of discussion items on a page of the World Wide Web.
Define Infotainment
Also called soft news as a way to distinguish it from serious journalism or hard news, is a type of media, usually television or online, that provides a combination of information and entertainment
Define Prior Restraint
Any time the government prevents or limits the freedom to publish (licensing, censorship, bans on publication)
Define Censorship
The suppression or proscription of speech or writing that is deemed obscene, indecent, or unduly controversial.
Define FCC
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government, created by Congressional statute to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.
Define Equal Time Rule
If a station sells time to one candidate for office, it must be willing to sell equal time to opposing candidates.
Define The Right of Rebuttal
The rule states that a person who is attacked on public television or radio must be given a chance to respond to the attack on the air.
Define Fairness Doctrine
A former federal policy requiring television and radio broadcasters that presented one side of a controversy to provide the opportunity for opposing points of view to be expressed at no charge.
Define Agenda Setting
A type of communication effect shows a strong link between the importance placed on issues by news media and the importance of issues to the public.
• Example: ‘Whatever Trump does is urgent, breaking news. ‘ ‘The Iran Nuclear Agreement is very problematic because Iran is allowed to keep its Nuclear Power
