Download - Media Coverage
9 February, 2010
Media Coverage
Media Effects Objectivity Quality of coverage Unmediated news
Role of the Media
Most people gain their information about politics from the mass media
The media report and interpret events Media help to set the agenda by highlighting certain issues
and neglecting others The media also help to shape popular perceptions and
images
Do the News Media Matter?
Most people believe the media exert considerable influence on public opinion
Early studies of media effects following WWII emphasized the importance of propaganda
Later studies found “minimal effects” Debate continues
What are the effects of merely covering an issue? What are the effects of the content of that coverage?
Objectivity Should the press be neutral?
The British Tabloids The BBC Fox News New York Times, Wall Street Journal
Public Perceptions in the United States
Definition of News
What newsmakers (politicians and other political actors) promote as timely, important, or interesting
Familiar (stories often drawing on familiar people or life experiences that give even distant events a close to home feeling)
Sensational (scandals, violence, human drama). The ‘Burglar Alarm’ Analogy; soft news on any number of issues just
because they are shocking False alarms
What is news?
Conflict Wars, fires, heated debates, scandals
Proximity ‘Pack journalism’, ie. Press converging on the same issues Television, splashy video Late night news; Comedy central’s The Daily Show
Coverage and Interest
Coverage and Interest
Source: Pew Research http://people-press.org/report/575/
Election Coverage
Politics is a game of winners and losers, not a serious debate over ideas and issues
Campaign strategies, tactics, victories, and blunders are the focus of coverage
Early primary victories build “momentum” Coverage of Iowa and New Hampshire races is far out of
proportion to their relative delegate share States compete to position their primaries & caucuses
earlier in the season Focus on candidate character and image Personality flaws are fair game Parties become less important
Tone of Coverage
View the SNL skit on the media’s love affair with Obama
Source: Pew Research (2007)
Views of Obama Coverage
Source: Pew Research Center October 2009
Media Coverage of the 2008 U.S. Campaign
Just five candidates were the focus of more than half the coverage with Clinton receiving the most coverage (17%)
Democrats generally received more positive coverage than Republicans
Friendly coverage of Obama (47% positive) compared to critical coverage of McCain (12% positive)
Newspapers more positive; talk radio negative; television more focused on personal backgrounds.
Strategy and horse race dominated coverage
Source: PEJ-Shorenstein study; see http://www.journalism.org/node/8187
Public Reaction to News Coverage
Public vs. Private broadcasting
The most respected news sources in many countries are the public radio and television news services (ie. BBC)
News is a profit making enterprise Public broadcasting allows a broader range of news to be
covered more in depth But should the government regulate media coverage? Criticisms of the BBC; ie. should it have invited Nick Griffin
of the BNP on Question Time?
Unmediated Coverage
One of the most visible examples of parliament at work is the 30 minutes devoted each week to Prime Minister’s Questions
It is one of the few points where - between elections - the legislature can act as a check upon the executive in a visible forum.
Does PMQs enhance or weaken democracy? Stealth Democracy
Would it be better if people did not see politics in action?