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The mass
media as a tool of opinion formation:
- The
opening vignette in COD deals with media coverage of
presidential sex lives
- Chapter on
the Mass Media in the previous edition opened with my
experience in Budapest, in October 1993.
- Was
there on a Fulbright as John Marshall
Chair.
- Had
cable TV and could watch English-language
stations.
- Saw the
body of an American soldier being dragged through the
streets of Mogadishu
- Stressed
the international implications of the broadcast
media.
The mass
media's role in communicating from government to
people
- The mass
media are in business to make money, which they do by
selling advertising through their major function of
entertainment.
- The mass
media also perform specific functions for the political
system:
- REPORTING
the news
- INTERPRETING
the news
- SOCIALIZING
citizens about politics
- INFLUENCING
citizens' attitudes and behavior
- SETTING
THE AGENDA for government action
- Where do
people get their news?
- Virtually
all citizens must rely on the mass media for their
political news.
- A 1998
survey about sources of news asked which of these news
sources you use regularly:
- 68%
- Local Newspapers
- 64 -
regularly watch local news
- 40 -
Cable TV news
- 38 -
regularly watch a network evening news programs
(60% in 1993)
- 28 -
read USAToday; 10% read the New York
Times
- 20 -
Online sources
- "Online"
sources are less "mass media" than "group
media."
- Despite
the public's regular use of various news sources, most
people report that they get most of their news from
television
- Since
the 1960s, most people report getting most of their
news from television.
- Television
is also rated as the most trustworthy news
source.
The mass
media are privately owned in the United
States.
- Private
ownership of the mass media gives the news industry more
political freedom in the U.S. than in most other
countries.
- But
private ownership also makes the media more dependent on
advertising profits.
- Potential
news stories are judged for NEWSWORTHINESS by their
audience appeal -- which means high impact,
sensationalism, familiarity, close-to-home character,
and timeliness.
- Media
in the US particularly television, are more likely to
color the news as they report it.
- Report
on Somalia--pouring money into a
"Hell-Hole"
- "In
an effort to appeal to the party's right-wing,
Senator Dole announced support for . . .
."
- Media
in other countries are less likely to editorialize
on the news as they report it.
What's the
media's role in promoting the values of freedom, order, and
equality?
- Media's
role in promoting order
- Once
media was more controlled and functioned more to
maintain order than it does now.
- Franklin
D. Roosevelt paralysis
- World
War II: military helping Hollywood
- Blacklisting
leftist writers in the 1950s
- Now it
functions more to stimulate disorder--which makes for
good "visuals"
- Publicizing
protests
- Exposing
politicians
- Publicizing
criticisms of government
- Nosy
census questions
- Faulty
consumer protection
- High
taxes
- Media's
role in promoting equality--different results from
different programming
- In news
programming, promoting equality makes for good news by
tugging at emotions
- Civil
rights movement
- Plight
of the poor
- Help
for the sick
- In
entertainment programing, promoting inequality appeals
to material wants
- Lifestyles
of the rich and famous
- So
you want to be a Millionnaire
- MasterCharge,
I'm bored!
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