CHAPTER #19MASS MEDIA AND THE

INTERNET 

SECTION #1HOW MEDIA IMPACT GOVERNMENT

• The mass media includes all the means for communicating information to the general public

• • 2 types of Mass Media• Print Media- such as daily newspaper and magazine• Broadcast Media- Radio/ television/ internet

•  • The relationship between the media and US government is

complex- they need to work together but often have differences

• Politicians- they need media to get their name out and help reach their goals

THE PRESIDENT AND THE MEDIA

• Both benefits from each other- the President is a great source of news and the news helps people “see his ideas”

• Before the TV the President used the radio to get messages out (FDR fireside chats)

• TV politics really began with the JFK/ Nixon Debates

NEWS RELEASES AND BRIEFINGS

• A government news release is a readymade story prepared by officials that work for the President.

• • News briefings- a government official makes an announcement or

explains a policy, a decision, or an action- they answer questions• • Press Conferences- involve the media questioning of a high government

official.

OTHER MEANS OF SHARING INFORMATION

• Backgrounders- president or top official will give the media important pieces of information- reporters can use the story but cannot give away the sources.

• Top Officials also leak and release top secret info on purpose (Ex- expose corruption)

MEDIA EVENTS

• Media Events- an event designed to reinforce the president’s position on an issue

• Media and Presidential Campaigns• 1952- First Presidential Campaign advertisement: Eisenhower vs.

Adlei Stevenson

IDENTIFYING CANDIDATES

1. Presidents must have a pleasing appearance, strong features, and a good speaking voice

2. TV gives unknown exposure

3. TV has encouraged celebrities to run for office

THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING PROCESS• The presses have changed elections because they choose what candidates

to cover and who to declare the front runner- this gives candidates a big lead in popularity and money donations

• Campaign Advertising

• Pre 1900- parades, speeches

• 1900- Newspapers and magazines

• 1924- Radio Campaigning

• 1952-TV

• Financing TV Advertising- candidates rely on fundraising efforts for the huge fees

• Congress and the Media- Media also cover the House and Senate

• Every member of Congress has a press secretary to prepare press releases and arrange interviews

WHAT MEDIA COVERS IN CONGRESS

1. Confirmation Hearings

2. Oversight Activities- scandals and investigations

3. Personal Business- the media also looks for scandals in personal business of Congress

4. C-Span television- coverage of Senate debates

THE COURT AND THE MEDIA

• Mass Media is used to tell people about Supreme Court Decisions

• The Supreme Court receives the least amount of coverage after the President and Congress.

• Why?

• Remoteness of Supreme Court Judges- they are appointed so they don’t need publicity

• Technical Issues- Many SC issues do not interest a lot of people

SETTING THE PUBLIC AGENDA

• The media plays an important role in discussing issues and getting them out to the public (Wars, homeless, healthcare)

• Networks and the Media-they cover what will market the bigger audiences and give ratings (EX- scandal over federal budget)

• Attitudes and Values- The media has a basic effect on political attitudes and values- give negative or positive effect on people

CHAPTER #19SECTION #2REGULATING PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA

• Protecting the Media

• 1st Amendments says freedom of the press- means that print media are free from prior restraint (government Censorship) of information before it is published

• Libel- Freedom of the Press is not absolute- false written statements are called libel.

• Libel- can damage people’s reputation or career

• However, it is a very hard for a government official to win a libel suit because there is no law against criticizing the government.

• THE RIGHT TO GATHER INFORMATION

• The Right of Access- the press has gone to the court many times to get info from the federal government- the results have been mixed

• High Courts usually side with the government

• Lower Courts usually side with the press

• Protection of Sources- Reporters often need secret informants when investigating government officials, political radicals, and criminals

• People do not want to be named in public when giving information

• Shield Laws- many states have these to protect reporters from having to reveal their sources

REGULATING BROADCAST MEDIA

• In US most mass media are private, money making businesses- subject to some government regulation

•  

• FCC (Federal Communications Commission 1934)- regulates all communications- phone, television, ect,- they make rules that require stations to operate in the public’s interest.

• Content Regulations- The FCC can fine stations and threaten to shut them down if they don’t follow rules

• Requirements have changed over the years- one change was the removal of the fairness doctrine- it required broadcasters to provide airtime to both sides of a controversial issue

•

• Ownership Regulation- The FCC will only let people own so many radio stations or have control of both newspapers and radio or TV in the same market- they don’t want anyone to have too much control

•

• Telecommunications Act of 1996- law ended and relaxed many limits on media ownership- Company could own no more that 35% of the national market

• The goal was to increase competition- however, it did the opposite

• Media and National Security• Sometimes government has to limit media in time of war

for national security protection• Military intelligence is top secret so the government has

to control this information

CHAPTER #19SECTION#3THE INTERNET AND DEMOCRACY

• The internet offers several distinct benefits for politics and government

•

1. Widespread Audience- the web is rapidly growing and has the dominant audience

2. Interactivity- The internet is interactive- you can respond back, cant with TV, radio, newspaper

3. Global Scope- the internet is a worldwide collection of websites and computer services that is accessible to people all around the world

•

GATHERING INFORMATION

1. Political Websites- Many websites offer partisan ideas- meaning that they only support one point of view

2. Tracking Legislation- Website THOMAS provides the public with access to federal legislation

3. Electronic Mailing Lists- Automatic email notifications that inform people on current topics.

4. E-government- provided services and info over the internet

5. Grassroot websites- individuals starting their own independent websites on politics

6. Volunteering- donate time and effort to an election

7. Political Blogs- online journals

8. Electronic voting- there has been a push for this to replace current ways of voting

CHALLENGES TO PUBLIC POLICY

• The Rise of Technology- creates a need for new laws to deal with the impact of politics

1. Offensive Content- led to the 1998 Child Online Protection Act- this law orders website operators to require an adult identification device such as a credit card, before granting access to material that could be considered harmful to minor.

• Taxing E-Commerce- internet has led to the sale of goods and services online- because of this states have pushed to tax online sales but the Supreme Court has blocked attempts thus far.