Chapter 9: The Effects of News and Political Content

Time-series analysis

technique used to test whether the increased doctor visits led to increased news coverage or whether the news coverage led to more doctor's visits. Clear verdict was news had impact.

Young people and the news

*Intrigued by change from 9% to 21% who said they relied on comedy shows (2000 to 2004) *Internet #1 by 41-15 over local TV news * 49 percent say the Internet provides news "only when I want it" (a critical factor to this age group)

Three Agendas

Media Public Policy

Werther effect

Another name for the copycat effect; how to avoid this? don't feature suicides on page one. • The more publicity the suicide story received, the greater the increase in automotive fatalities • Increase in single car accidents • Also looked at soap operas o Suicides and car accidents increased after soap opera plots involved suicides • Before this, this phenomenon occurred in books - The Sorrows of Young Werther - people in England killed themselves after reading book where main character dies; book was banned.

Spiral of Silence

Based on idea that most of us don't feel comfortable speaking out about our views if we perceive that we are in the minority. Evidence?: cameras showed what appeared to be uniform agreement on students at white (against the verdict) and black (for ) colleges as the OJ verdict announced HOWEVER -- people don't always remain silent (Rosa Parks) Scientific studies have shown mixed results e.g. Study of opinions on "English as the official national language" Those who perceived national opinion to be like theirs were more likely to speak out However, no consistent evidence non-supporters were silenced Local opinion didn't effect speaking out Doesn't apply to EVERYONE

2008 Pew Election Study

Comedy show pattern changed from 9% (2000) to 21% (2004) to 12% (2008) However, TV strike was going on! 37% of 18-29 felt they "missed out" Another Pew study found comedy show viewers were heavy news consumers Later: TV (cable, national & local) led Internet as 1st or 2nd source by 61 to 49% In 2004, 22% of online political users ages 18-24 said most sites they visit shared their views. Doubled to 43% of online political users in 2008.

Selective exposure

Emphasizes that people come to any communication message with their own attitudes, interests, beliefs, and values. These help to guide attention to particular messages. People tend to pay varying amounts of attention to what they watch The more interest they have in something, the more attention they pay (and information they retain)

2012 Pew Study

Fewer Americans using local TV & network news for campaign news Cable TV is top source Internet stayed about same Campaigns reach people primarily through TV/Radio ads

McCombs and Shaw Charlotte Study

H1: The press itself has some power to establish an agenda of political issues which both the candidates and the voters come to regard as important Newspaper, but not TV had an agenda-setting influence need for orientation leads to media exposure & then to agenda-setting influences Influence of agenda-setting on different voters is a product of Exposure, medium, interest, salience, need for orientation and interpersonal communication

dual coding theory

Images might be processed differently than verbal information. When vivid image is presented alongside verbal info, it may distract people from processing the verbal info. But, vivid images might enhance memory for the info that comes after the images.

Agenda-Setting Theory

Media doesn't "tell us what to think" but "what to think about" The news media sets the public agenda The topics and issues that appear in the news heavily influence public opinion about what should be an important concern.

Most memorable

Media images that invoked anger were the _________ _______________.

Agenda-Building

Looks at who sets the news agenda '99 study found that Nobel Committee was not successful at agenda-building idea for future study: Hotline's influence on news agenda

Need for cognition

People who have motivation to think a lot about issues Those with a high level of this pay more attention to government news Prefer public television & news programming

high need for cognition

People with a high need for this are more likely to be involved in politics Can develop own opinions

Applying Theory to TV News

Rule 1: Let the Emotions Talk (but use a simple structure to allow people to retain) Rule 2: When stories are complex, keep the pace slow to moderate Rule 3: Dare to be quiet (short pauses improve viewer comprehension, memory) Rule 4: Match the audio and video (easier on the mind) Rule 5: Important facts go better AFTER negative video scenes rather than before Rule 6: Use concrete words, verbal imagery, still graphics to improve memory Rule 7: Tell the story chronologically (easier for the audience to process)

Framing

Selection & emphasis of news stories has an impact on how people interpret the news limited way the media "frame" a story can affect way people interpret that story. e.g. African-Americans portrayed more similarly than whites Media can tell us what to think by framing the story in a certain way or showing a certain side.

Low need for cognition

Skeptical attitudes and mistrust were more of a factor in the decision to consume news. More likely to express their views if they are consistent with others'

Miller & Wanta

Study; Found whites and blacks didn't have different issue agendas Though Tampa minorities were more interested in issues that didn't get mainstream media coverage

Brewer & McCombs

Study; Major increase in San Antonio city funding of children's programs after editorial, articles urging action

Fear of Isolation

The fear that if our view is really the minority view, we would rather keep quiet than risk being rejected. Over time, this can lead to views that eventually die out and exert little influence (the minority opinion may be afraid to speak up) Those with high levels of this are more likely to be influenced by others' opinions.

Zero-Sum Game

These influences become all the more important if we think of agenda-setting as a ___________________ "The addition of any new issue onto the public agenda is at the cost of other issues." (Jian-Hua Zhu)

1960 Election

Those who listened to the radio thought Nixon was the winner, while those who watch the TV thought Kennedy won.

Repositioning or rescheduling effect

Would people who committed suicide after news story decide to commit suicide anyway at some later point in time? If so, the media would be the cause of a rescheduling of suicides. • Phillips didn't observe this though. Saw sudden increase in suicides following media story result in general addition to number of suicides.

Political sophistication

a function of knowledge and political ideologies; A person who knows very little and doesn't have a well-developed political ideology has a low level of sophistication. Those that are more _________________________ had learned more and had higher quality arguments after exposure to news stories. News may naturally appeal to those with disposition to think about ideas, concepts, or implications.