GOV: Ch 12 The Media

Question 0

Media and politics

Answer 0

Adversarial: mutual mistrust
-political parties no longer control the media, it is less partisan, it provides a greater check on the government through criticizing it, the internet has provided opportunities to raise money, organize support, sample public opinion, and criticize opponents

Question 1

Regulations on media

Answer 1

• The US is less strict than Europe because most Europeans countries are socialist and not privately owned
• privately owned things: radio and TV FCC licenses, internet
• problems: May distort news for rating and media bias (typically liberal), Internet is instantaneous, is it reliable?

Question 2

National press

Answer 2

Significance: followed by political elites, sets agenda for radio and TV, tends to be more liberal, investigative
Role: gatekeeper: sets national agenda and what’s covered, scorekeeper: who’s winning and losing, watchdog: keeps politicians and government responsible

Question 3

Rules governing the media

Answer 3

FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS: no prior restraint (blocking something before it is published)
-things that cannot be said: libel (false information with intent to cause harm), obscenity, incitement illegal acts
-confidentiality of sources: get info that people want to leak but to be accountable for leaking it
FCC LICENSING:
-deregulation
-fairness doctrine abolished: said must present all sides of any story
-equal time rule: if you interview 1 candidate you must give others equal time

Question 4

Campaigning

Answer 4

• equal time rule
• price ceilings on rates
• debates can be limited to major candidates
• focuses on horse race journalism, scorekeeper role

Question 5

Media bias

Answer 5

• more liberal and more secular than average citizen
• bias is difficult to measure: often reflects the views of readers
• does bias affect viewers and readers? The public has selective attention, it may influence publics views of policy questions, personal knowledge and experiences mitigates influence

Question 6

The government and the news

Answer 6

• Prominence of president
• the senate is more open to press coverage than the House of Representatives
• increase of news leaks: separation of powers (more people know), adversarial relationship (medial looking to get good info), sensationalism (dramatizes issues), size of bureaucracy(greater chance someone tells)