The role of the media Flashcards
What is the Protest Paradigm?
A media framework that often delegitimizes protests by emphasizing lawlessness, performative aspects, ineffectiveness, public disapproval, official sources, and negative disruption.
What are the two forms of resistance to hegemony?
War of Maneuver: Direct confrontation.
War of Position: Long-term societal shifts
What is Agonism in political discourse?
competition between rival hegemonic narratives
What were the main issues of early YVM protests in Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton?
- grassroots, ideologically right-leaning protest movement inspired by France’s yellow vest movement
- focus on Immigration, carbon taxes, and distrust of the Liberal government.
What is an Interregnum in Gramsci’s theory?
- A period of crisis where old dominant ideas weaken, but new ones have not yet taken hold, leading to ideological conflict
- This is often accompanied by turbulence and competing ideologies.
What role does Civil Society play in hegemony?
- Institutions like media, schools, and churches serve as battlegrounds for ideological struggles.
- These institutions are where ideological battles are fought—determining whose ideas become “common sense.”
Why is mass media crucial for protests?
It helps convey messages to audiences beyond the protest organization.
What is selection bias in media coverage of protests?
process where media gatekeepers choose a small number of events based on “newsworthiness,” often influenced by media agendas rather than event characteristics
What are the differences between episodic and thematic coverage?
Episodic: Focuses on specific event details (e.g., attendance, weather, arrests).
Thematic: Examines broader systemic issues behind the protes
What is description bias in protest coverage?
When media framing of protests differs from the movement’s objectives, often presenting events in ways that alter public interpretation.
What are the three media models explaining coverage?
- Organizational Model: Media favor government and authority sources.
- Structural Model: Media align with capitalist interests, marginalizing dissent.
- Ideological Model: Coverage reinforces existing power structures through framing
How does episodic framing affect public discourse?
It obscures systemic causes of social issues, making it harder for the public to hold leaders accountable.
What type of protests receive more episodic coverage and thematic coverage?
- episodic: Controversial events involving arrests, violence, or counterdemonstrations
- thematic: When they align with existing media agendas, such as coverage of ongoing wars or veteran issues.
What are counterdemonstrations, and why are they significant?
Protests staged by opposition groups; they often attract media attention and increase episodic coverage.
Why are media representations significant?
They shape public opinion and influence how movements are perceived as moral exemplars
