The Mass Media

Development of the Media

            19th century growth of newspapers.  Evolution from outlets for party propaganda to sensationalism to professional journalism (and back to sensationalism?).

            Introduction of radio in 1920.

            Television in the 1950s.  Quickly became the main source of news for most people.   Remains so today.

            Internet in the last 15 years.   Big age gap in early years.  That gap is falling in recent years.

 

Content of the news – internet and newspapers have far more content than network or cable news.  More detailed stories.  Entire network news show (about 21 minutes) would fit on the front page of the paper.

 

 

Functions of the media

Report the news – “all the news that is fit to print.”  But can’t cover everything.  Cutting back on reporters, international news.  Internet-based news correspondents filling some of the gap.

 

Interpret the news – not simple reporting, but tell us how to think about the news (more on this later).

 

Oversight – important role of the media in a democracy.  Partisan differences (Pew study)

Agenda control – whale story.  How the media chooses what to focus on.  Drugs, 9/11, war in Iraq, Britney’s dancing ability, Paris Hilton’s social life, etc.

 

 

Views of the media

Ideological bias?

            Reporters – general perception is of a liberal bias, but it varies by party and by type of news one watches (see Pew survey).

            Ownership – concentration of corporate ownership.  Rupert Murdoch buying the Wall Street Journal.

 

General impression of the media (Pew survey).

 

Coverage of the war in Iraq – “Bushwhacked” or bias in other direction?

 

 

Media Megacompanies

 

 

A different kind of bias in the media

Patterson – “Out of Order”

    Negative news – much more likely to be negative of all politicians, not just Republicans. 

    Superficial coverage of the news – focus on the game rather than policy.  Wayne (chap 8) shows that it was a bit better in 2004.

    Shift from descriptive to interpretive – news anchors used to simply present the news.  Now they interpret the news.  They become the news.

Supporters of the media – focus on oversight.

What is the appropriate role of the media, especially in presidential campaigns?  Study came out a few days ago:  the media has essentially reduced the campaign to five candidates.

 

Negative Bias of News

•Negative coverage and public opinion:

Superficial News

•The “Game” vs. Policy News:

Media as Spin Doctors

•Descriptive vs. Interpretive News: