Role o f Media in Government

Fairness Doctrine

(now defunct) required broadcasters to be fair in coverage of news ebents and present contrasting views.

Press Release

A document offering an official comment or position.

Muckraking

A form of mas media, comprising of magazines, newpapers and journals.

Yellow Journalism

A form of newspaper publishing in vogue in the late 19th century that featured pics, comics, color, and sensationalized, oversimplified news coverage.

Press Briefing

A relativly restricted session between a press secretary or aid and the press.

Equal Time Rule

Requires that if a station sells time for campaigns, they must sell it equally to all candidates,

Right of Rebuttal

Requires that the person being attacked be offered an opportunity to respond.

Watchdog

The role played by the national media in investigating political personalities and exposing scandals.

Scorekeeper

The role the press plays by keeping track of and helping make political reputations, note who is being mentioned as a presidential candidate, and help decide who is winning and losing in Washington politics.

Gatekeeper

the role the press plays by influencing what subjects become national political issues and for how long.

Print Press

traditional form of papers, magazines, and journals.

Agenda Setter

Tv news influences the standards by which government, presidents, policies and candidates are judged.

FCC (Federal Communications Commission)

Independent regulatory agency that oversees electronic media.

Network

An assc. of broadcast stations, (radio or tv) that share programming through a financial agreement

Electronic media

Broadcast media, tv, computers

Prior Restraint

Censorship

New York Times vs Sullivan

Court agreed that actual malice must be proved to support a finding of libel

Wire Service

Electronic delivery of news gathered by the news service coorespondants and sent to all member news media organizations.

Affiliates

Local tv stations that carry the programming of a national network.

Press Conference

an unrestricted session between an elected official and the press.