SCOM 472: Media and Politics Final Exam

Can the media ever be completely objective?

(current argument) I don't think so

4 categories of advertising

1. Broadcasting: seeks to reach millions of voters through television networks 2. Narrowcasting: focus on narrow audiences as opposed to the masses.This allows political aspirants to narrow their vote search and appeal to voters based on specific interest 3. Micro-casting: internet opened up new voter outreach strategies. Candidates created websites-to reach voters, address interests and run ads 4. Nano-casting: social media enhanced political persuasion. Social media has the ability to act in real time- on mobile devices etc. Voter databases

Free market place of ideas

1. Competition: best will prevail 2. Truth will defeat falsehood if we permit free debate 3. The more ideas that circulate the better 4. Freedom to think & to express without coercion 5. Jefferson: "prefers newspapers without gov't to gov't without newspapers" (watchdog notion)

Why does bias coverage matter?

1. Our belief in democratic debate demands informed citizens & different POV are allowed to be heard 2. Journalistic standards of objectivity & autonomy 3. Media coverage influences people's opinions and behaviors

***What are the three functions of the media?

1. Report on ongoing events ( surveillance) 2. Investigating matters of public concern 3. Serve as a watchdog of gov't on behalf of its citizens by putting events in contact and interpreting them

what are the three political consultants divide voters into?

1. The committed ( they support you) 2. The hopeless ( against you, little to be saved) 3. Swing voters ( primary target of campaigns)

Coverage falls into three categories

1. appears to be balanced because it presents some debate about a topic but is covered with workers perspective 2. emphasizes the business perspective because it is the focus of the story only casual or no mention of workers 3. more balanced coverage that provides a viewpoint of both workers and business

(Airwars Chapter 1) The History of Advertising Ads in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s?

1960: highlighted differences in candidate's personal traits 1970s& 1980s: took advantage of public fear about the economy-inflation and unemployement- stag flation: campaigns emphasizing a political theme 1988: ads demonstrated the ability to alter impressions of a candidate who was not known nationally !992: campaigns represented the dangers of becoming reliant on attack ads and the power of 30 min informercials

1996: Clinton's ads 2004: Bush's ads 2008L Obama's ads

1996: Clinton used ads more than a year out from the election, he defied conventional wisdom arguing against early advertising 2004: Bush used ads showing he was tested by 9/11, "Strong leadership in difficult times", & characterized kerry as a flip-flopper 2008: most wide open race, Obama pioneered digital technology and used it to revolutionize his campaign, and it was very successful

Why does Kurtz think Rather's idea will not work?

Because of a market based system and the first amendment

Who was one of the most popular journalists at the time?

Ben Franklin-began editing at 16

How do campaigns influence independent voters?

Campaigns educate independent voters by providing them with a stance on major issues and present the candidate as a likable person, trustworthy, experienced, "public servant" mentality and qualified.

Blue Ribbon Commission

Consisted of military and press officials to study the issue of press access to military operations. the press would be granted access, but only with supervised media pools (small groups representing several news organizations) These groups would be monitored by the DOD Footage of body baff/coffins was prohibited. Coverage was released pending military approval. Stories were censored/altered to fit the official story line

(Ch.3 AW) Should a candidate run ads with multiple messages?

Doing this allows candidate to appeal to a lot of voters but the media will be confused with diverse messages and it can present an unclear view of the candidate Instead, candidates should limit the number of messages, and present clear themes that are repeated

How did the republicans and democrats opinions differ on what was a priority in 2012?

GOP: wanted to focus on economy and unemployment Democrats: fairness, social issues, & foreign policy

How did president Barack Obama utilize new media?

He created a Facebook, YouTube channel, and interactive websites that raised millions of dollars- 3x the amount of Romney

"The Great Society"

Humphrey 1968, voting rights, nation in crisis use images to illustrate character, causal setting brought up to respect people, look for goodness for people interested in civil rights because " You are human" people are basically good, brought up in brotherhood

Why are editors likely to be reluctant to publish hard news?

It can be hard to digest

Why are journalists' opinions problematic?

It can cloud judgement, obscure objectivity etc. It can lead to unbalanced coverage etc.

How can the internet further political polarization?

It can contribute to isolation, seeking bias info and partisan info, but it also allows the voter to takes matters into their own hands and seek out info. Technology has leveled the playing field, even the poorest can solicit support online

How is the internet different than traditional media?

It functions without gatekeepers- anyone can offer ideas & images for consumption by other users. Access without a central controlling authority is the most profound premise of the Internet. Users can learn widely and quickly. It has never been easier to organize like-minded people to support or denounce a person or cause. the internet pulls people from mainstream culture and generally replaces it with civic culture.

How does media affect political campaigns?

It has had the largest impact on mobilization. Campaigns now can be conducted in more ways than just broadcast media because they can post items online. Such as videos. Now campaigns can spend less money for more coverage. It allows candidates the opportunity to develop a network.

Why is campaigning so difficult?

It is short-lived and it is hard to change people's minds that quickly.

Why view events in a given place & time?

It needs context to correctly be defined. Context changes everything. The time and place determines the beliefs, attitudes, and values of a given period

Does the news media transform the public sphere?

It provides direct and immediate access to diverse political perspectives. The internet enhances the ability of ordinary people to participate in the political process, it is the hope that it will build civic awareness and engagement. It is not likely to overcome the limits of conventional news programming because individuals might not attract viewers and they might isolate themselves preferring surfing alone over community involvement or face to face interaction. Consumers do face political information overload, and can avoid content they dislike and seek out content they like

What else does the media do?

It teaches citizens about politics--> socialization, providing perspectives to inform citizens, analyze news materials, teaches us how to behave- ads we see influence us, and help develop our opinions on issues. Serves as a voice of the people: 1st amendment is crucial to this. It tells us the views of our fellow citizens, opinion, of minorities & majorities, and tells the gov't what citizens think

Why were more media materials not published?

It was expensive

Who challenged this idea?

John Pete Zenger- he was arrested, imprisoned and put to trail

How does the market based system discourage news?

Journalists may have multiple factors limiting their abilities. If you make readers uncomfortable you could lose them, ultimately losing money

Where was the first newspaper started?

London 1622 "Public Occurrences" Ben Harris This paper did not have staff and had relatively low circulation

What is politics?

NOT a category unchanging through time and space. It is a cultural set of symbols, meanings, and enacted rituals--> that have dramatically changed over the course of American history.

Where is the cradle of journalism?

New England Mass.

Why are foreign events not covered more thoroughly?

New organizations do not have the resources or the money to reach these stories

Is it ever a journalist's job to simply report what politicians say?

No, not usually, they have to explain/ interpret and provide a national forum for discussion and diverse views

Where was the closest gender parity?

O'Reilly Factor, followed by Hannity and also Fox

What is the most important long term influence of elections?

Party affiliations. Independent voters are those whose decisions vary from election to election, They are called swing voters. They may choose a candidate based on issues, performance, leadership, skills, experience, character etc.

Mass Media 1860-1920

Penny press papers: depended on news stand sales and ads for revenue journalism became a career newspapers became more national telegraph was invented.

(AW Ch.2) Why is it difficult to study the effectiveness of advertising?

People undoubtedly reflect an unwillingness to admit that external agents have any effect on individual voting behavior. Many want to believe they made their mind up on their own Analysis of campaign media activity requires awareness of advertising principles

How did social media turn election night into conversation?

President Obama thanked his supporters via tweet 2008 Election: is often called the first social media election because of the influential roles of FB and twitter

Who gets quoted?

Representatives were quoted nearly 2.5x as frequently as were workers and their union representatives

The blame game

Strategies designed to insulate themselves from voter dissatisfaction with campaign discourse. This includes using: surrogates to deliver the attacks adopting rhetoric that blames opponent for starting the fight using strikes on the opposition questioning legitimacy or fairness of attacks When the blame game is skillfully avoided candidates can use attack ads to gain electoral advantage

What was the most significant (anonymous) editorials written in the history of journalism?

The Federalist Papers: John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison

In order to benefit the voters, what change do researchers and scholars recommend for the campaign process?

The candidates should receive free air time to talk directly to the camera. This would diminish the need to raise funds and increase accountability because there is no voice over used.

Minimal effects Model

The media barely matters... 1. 1930a/1940s: Americans knew little about politics 2. Opinions are influenced from peers, church party, occupation, class, union membership but NOT media 3. Once a person decides its hard to change their mind with media messages

Kurtz argument

The problem does not lie in the biased news outlets but rather in the exclusive exposure to outlets all biased in the same direction

Muckrakers

The term muckraker was used in the Progressive Era to characterize reform-minded American journalists who wrote largely for all popular magazines. The modern term is investigative journalism, and investigative journalists today are often informally called "muckraker

Dan Rather's view on the news

There is a need for public discussion of the role of news is meant to play in our democratic system of gov't and abetter public understanding of the American news infrastructure's fragile condition. We need to know how things got this way & what we need to change

Why don't more people participate in the political process? ( video questions)

They already feel disconnected from the process and feel that their opinion does not matter, and they only have a small say.

Founding Fathers' Belief on Democracy

They believed that the populace need not have strong views about politics and issues. Voters should support candidates based on sound character & strong familiarity with local needs and preferences. Once elected, representatives are agents free to listen and make judgements for the populace. Voting is an activity that appears to be "apolitical"

How did European elites react to the idea of a press?

They did not believe that the press had any right to harshly criticize the gov't, especially to incite public anger

What do voters expect from candidates?

They expect candidates to have a detailed position on the major issues facing the country & to communicate these views clearly to voters

How does a journalist function?

They influence, interpret, act as gatekeeper to the public. They play a fundamental role in gov't in any democracy or republic even though they are not formally a part of it. The media "mediates" the relationship between the gov't & the public

What was the outcome of this?

They proceeded to deny press access to the war zones-forcing them rely on official briefings-exercised in 1983 with the invasion of Grenada. The Pentagon refused to grant access to news personnel.

How do advertisers benefit from the internet?

They target our commitment and attention.

How did Fox & CNN news do?

They were mostly white but only 10% people of color CNN had 14% color

When did views start to change about the news industry?

Vietnam Watergate

what is one way negative campaigning affect voters?

Voters will side with the candidate who have more favorable messages

What is bias in filtering?

Who do you quote? who do you invite to appear on your talk show? Whose scandals do you cover? Also filter out views that do not align with yours or your orgs.

Did men and women react differently to the "Revolving door"

Women became much more likely than men to cite crime as an issue. It hinted at rape- more sensitive issue for women. women were scared to death because this commercial alluded to a black man raping a white women (strong symbolism)

Political advertising provides...

a forum where issues can be discussed helps candidates (re)define images

When people criticize the media what do they call it?

a lap dog-because it is not serving the watchdog function

What is meetup.com?

a website that functions to encourage peer-to-peer communication, it helps people find others who share the same interests and concerns. This builds connections and energy

Do voters learn more from the news or ads? What are ads effective in doing?

ads because ads address issues and the news contains horserace coverage. The news is still more trusted than ads because it is fair and objective creating general good feelings about candidates & least effective in communicating substantial info

How can the media assist an issue voter?

aligning a candidate's viewpoint with their own

What are elections seen as?

as a means of evaluating the judgments of leaders who will do the deliberating in a representative democracy-assessments about leadership qualities & character are quite relevant to a voter's decision making

What does research show? which type of ad is superior?

attack and contrast ads have higher levels of policy claims and more accurate than those who simply make a case for their sponsor contrast ads are superior to attack ads because the presence of the sponsor's case increases candidate accountability & the case for the sponsor gives the voters something to vote for over the other candidate

What type of attack ads are there?

attack: simply attack opponent advocacy: makes a case for the sponsor contrast: makes a case for sponsor and attacks opponent

Pocket book voting model

based on the citizens' view of the economy. This model reveals that voters assign blame for unsatisfactory performance & access candidate's capabilities to deal with economic matters

Why doesn't advertising appear to move votes?

because both sides are making canceling out the others effect

Why do candidates shy away from personal attacks?

because it appears to be mean-spirited. 2008: high level of attack ads, but there was a record voter turnout Maybe, campaign negativity enhanced turnout because of the heightened perceived stakes of the race. Attack ads convince voters that the race is competitive

Why do shows invite guests that discuss only one side?

because it is popular. It attracts viewers-making more money for the network. This is a failure of the media to meet its goals

What is the reinforcement effect?

campaigns typically polarize the electorate along partisan lines. As the campaign progresses & more voters encounter messages, voters align with their party candidate. Exposure to an ad or debate is enough to activate or strengthen partnership

How can social media platforms be helpful to candidates?

candidates are using platforms to identify and organize supporters and raise funds. They bypass traditional news media to send their (unfiltered) messaged to the public

Likability

candidates must been known to do well at election time. Presidential nominations often have unfamiliar contenders vying for citizens who hold few prior beliefs about the candidate's Ads help create a positive view of character

Is gathering info about voters ethical?

collecting & analyzing info about individual voters has raised concerns and many worry that social networks insular nature contributes to political polarization It is privacy threat because it involves voting. Chester wants the gov't to adopt new rules that enable the voters to make the decisions about how their data can be collected and used

Stereotype

common portrait of oversimplified judgment that people hold toward a group or set of individuals

What are opinion leaders?

corporate leaders and politicians

What is central to an election?

democratic discourse, without informative material voters have little means of holding leaders accountable or engaging in popular consent

strategic manipulation

efforts are made to shift the impressions of the campaign in a direction favorable to particular candidates campaigns that are heavily dependent on media coverage gives the candidates clear incentives to seek strategic advantage through image and video manipulation

Who do journalists favor as a source?

elite sources such as gov't or business representatives over ordinary citizens. It is easier for a reporter to talk to a professional spokesperson than to find a good quote from a worker that does not represent an interest group

What does a deliberative democracy include?

exchange and critique of reasoned reasoned reflexivity, ideal role taking and sincerity. The internet has made the social discourse more course and the culture has changed as aspects of our private lives have eased their way into the public sphere.

news aggregate

gather news, curating info from other news sources

Why is there biased coverage?

influence of corporate ownership Advertisers decline of labor Failure of onions to communicate with media personal bias towards reporters and editors

What is the problem with political commercials?

is as much a function of campaign structure & voter's reaction as a candidate's behavior. Voters are vulnerable to candidate's messages because the forces that used to provide social integration have lost their influence. Intermediary organizations have lost the power to control people's impressions of political reality Voters are bombarded with spot ads because of their short term effectiveness ads are a form of expression

biased analysis

is the editorial page balanced? Do producers pick balanced slates of analysis?

Selective perception

is the process by which individuals perceive what they want to in media messages while ignoring opposing viewpoints. It is a broad term to identify the behavior all people exhibit to tend to "see things" based on their particular frame of reference.

What is the most powerful predictor of voter turnout?

is whether people feel their vote counts (political efficacy) negative ads appear to enhance the likelihood of voting

When issue ads are used as negative ads

issue more frequently contain attacks on opponent's issue stands & consistency attack ads on issues are more popular than attack ads on personality negative ads work also making them come across nasty. Voters do not like attack ads even if they learn from them. There is always an inevitable black-lash against the person who is seen as responsible for those appeals. When attacked opponents always position themselves as victims & focus on attacker

What is the dilemma with anonymity?

it allows users to construct personas & criticism may be a performative gesture, a way to communicate independence and individualism. It is a challenge to keep civic engagement online because most people seek light news or entertainment

will the internet lead to democratization?

it cannot counter the obstacles of regimes. It is a tool

Why was unrestrained media coverage a problem for the president's administration?

it could weaken public support for military conflict

What is the internet good/bad for?

it is goof for disseminating information but not enough to teach social and cultural values

What is bias?

it is if you can't tell if they covered it accurately It is hard to detect bias in polling depending on the political views of the publication, network; bias in the selection of letters to the editor etc. As a viewer, you can check their sources

What is the forecasting model?

it suggests that at margin, campaigns produce small deviations from the outcomes one would see if voter only cared about the state of the economy

Predictions regarding the future of e-democracy?

it will be an efficient integration of technology and improve democracy- citizens voice is acted upon in gov't

Substantive information

leaders deceive citizens about policy matters

Why do we have conventions? (ch.6)

less drama, suspense reduced newsworthiness; less press coverage use of celebrities opportunity for new faces to appear VP are now revealed before convention

What are some criticisms of political campaigns?

light on substance (issues) intend to deceive and manipulate

Association

linking a candidate or cause to some other idea or person, unlike tying their opponent to things that are unpopular, controversial or divisive ex: Hillary used this technique to tie Obama to Rev. Wright and Obama used it to tie Romney to big Oil

Selective exposure

listen to media messages. We agree with; reinforce existing views. We are exposed to a lot

Why was the Australian ballot so important?

literacy is now required to vote Voters are able to put their preferences over a party voting is now a private matter "informed citizen" emerged

Red tape obstacle

making new media accessible to disabled individuals

What is an "open door policy" in reference to reporters?

maximize candidates availability of reporters popular with trailing candidates, less funded candidates Front runners: limited access to reporters risk averse: front runners become target for aggressive coverage

Indexing (ch.4)

means that the press can represent an adversarial posture only when the opponents of gov't policy prove more vocal than the proponent--works well for domestic issues

Staging frame

media personnel will manipulate a situation to make their organization seem favorable. yiu change change the frame of the storyt-different angles/perspectives on the same event pseudo-event: staged event

War in Vietnam

media's ability to challenge the official accounts. Facts reported by the administration about a torpedo attack had proven false. The vietnamese gunboats did not deliberately attack us they were provoked. As the war continued reporters were sent over to roam about. Their coverage was supportive of U.S. policy but journalists avoided details and depictions of military combat

In ads, what is more effective images or text? What are the most effective ads?

memory of a message is enhanced with visual text and spoken word with descriptive images basic message reinforced by news media

How often do you broadcast their messages? How many different spots?

messages must be repeated and internalized by voters determine the proper mix of local and national ads (expensive) websites can be an effective place for ads (free) Candidates usually focus on swing states (15-20 not 50)

What does multiplying the number of info do?

multiplying sources only widen the info gap between the more and less interested. Among those with political interest people may prefer to find information that supports their view. People may also seek info not based on agreement but because of political interest.

How does name recognition vary on a local and national level?

name recognition is easier in a presidential campaign than a senate race for example. In local elections candidates are less visible and expend more effort to achieve familiarity. Incumbents also have higher name recognition than challengers.

How does Newman see the internet?

network of networks and disperses every kind of subject matter to mostly unknowable audiences spread across demographics and national boundaries. Traditional methods are not useful anymore. It is useful to analyze the T.V. and internet. The Internet can threaten political structure because it does not have hierarchy such as traditional political systems. Internet diffuses power outward decentralizing control of content.

What has reduced news?

news organizations have fallen under corporate mandates to increase quarterly profits

Can networks censor political ads?

no, it is illegal. A station can only refuse to air an ad based on length. If stations were allowed to deny candidates they would have a lot of power...

Are nomination and primary appeals the same?

no, nominating season used more personal appeals, to distinguish themselves from opponents.

Does the press critique their sources?

no, they do not have time

Do individuals trust social media?

not as much as traditional media news outlets T.V. is still the primary source for news

Who appears on T.V?

not hispanics, (they are underrepresetnted on cable) not women *white men

What are the two key news values?

objectivity and autonomy We would hoe that journalists would be independent from corporate business and gov't. We also hope they would present facts that are more than simply two sides of the story.

Civil Service Reform

offered new, non-partisan model of service that honored expertise, not partnership, enhancing the "educated" campaign approach

Hypodermic Needle Model

once a message is under your skin our views are irrevocably changed. ~propaganda model: 1. Nazism 1930s challenged the free marketplace of ideas. 2. Ability to control powerful media becomes key: public very vulnerable to the media's influence, public has no independent judgement Another example: George Orwell's "1984"

What is voter suppression?

opposing parties want to demobilize voters on the other side. It consists of systematic effort to reduce voter turnout from a given group Voter I.D. also decreases voter turnout

what are the optimists' observations of the Internet to facilitate political participation?

optimists tend to believe it will draw individuals who hold a variety of perspectives unlike mainstream audiences. People can contribute on blogs, view, and post items. They believe it will draw inactive groups and level the playing field. The 2009 analysis suggests that individuals participate more offline than online.

What perception does consumer coverage give?

ordinary citizens, equal treatment

Bipartisan Campaign Act

outlawed soft money gifts at the national party level an increase of 2,000 per candidate per election cycle and a requirement that candidates personally appear in ads saying they paid for their commercials and take resposibility for content

(Ch.6) electibility

perception of a candidate's prospects for winning the election in nov.

Which is easier to acquire personality impressions or policy impressions?

personality impressions because they are equivalent to the everyday get to know someone process-its natural. Voters take much longer to become aware of a candidates position on policy issues. Voters are also poorly informed at the beginning and end of campaigns. Voters compensate through familiarity with groups and interests they stand to gain from GOP or democratic policies

Democratic Theory

places a premium on policy information ads that mislead voters are particularly dangerous ads about campaign judgment can alter or reinforce opinions about particular traits This model also assumes that long term party identification will protect ad viewers against excess by candidates. This model recognizes that the part attachments have shifted in recent years and that have new arenas based on intraparty contests have arisen

(Ch.4) What are policy missions? and are they the same as action statements?

policy mentions are clear statements about past positions or expectations about future actions. Action statements: promise action- not as common

What is the primary way that candidates, parties, and issue advocacy groups communicate ? When is it the most effective? (Jamieson article)

political advertising When it is unanswered by those who oppose

What are the two competing perspectives on the significance of political campaigns? ( ch.9)

political campaigns represent the "sound & fury, signifying nothing" ( minimalist view) campaign consultants claim considerable prowess in improving their client's electoral prospects. They claim the level of political advertising, travel schedules, verbal dexterity, debate demeanor make a difference to voters ( image matters)

Colonial era

press played a role in the American Revolution. Newpapers became a focal point of tensions between colonists and the British "Boston Gazette"

(Ch.5 AW) " Revolving Door"

prisoners passing through a revolving door, suggesting Dukakis is soft on crime The underlying factor: the ad was racist, Willie Horton -Dukakis did not respond to these attacks-hurt his success

What types of human activities can be described as political?

producing a political act: voting

Partisan Era

readers of newspapers were typically supporters of the party that backed that particular paper

With all of the images we see today it it necessary to...

recognize the difference between the world outside and the picture in our heads.

(Ch.7) Agenda Setting

refers to the process by which issues evolve from specific grievances to prominent causes worthy of gov't consideration. In a political system in which citizens pay only a limited amount of attention of civic affairs it is a mechanism through which the public can influence official deliberations by conveying its sense of problems that are important. They also might try to de-emphasize matters that may be problematic for them

What should a candidate do when unflattering claims are released about them?

refute it promptly- it is crucial to the success of the candidate

What is the "war room?"

research and uncover opponent's vulnerability, and determine the best strategies to attack opponent. It is important to provide the press with a coherent story line-this helps the press sort out events and messages

Tet Offensive

resulting images on T.V. cast doubt on the official accounts of the war. Reporters began to question Pentagon Officials more aggressively in an effort to contrast the clinical tone of the daily Pentagon briefings with chaos on the ground

Code Words

shorthand devices that play on stereotypes and particular kinds of language, they are powerful because they allow voters to associate a particular message with a code word.

During primaries, why do candidates sometimes state their positions ambiguously?

so they do not turn away potential voters. They also do not want to constrain their messages later. Early press coverage of the primaries can predict candidate trajectories-those who surprise predictions are serious contenders

Definition of Practice

socially developed and patterned way of using technology and knowledge to accomplish tasks

How can user combat information overload?

spending less time online, checking sources etc.

Social media allows them to:

spread their messages, allowing them to reach hard to reach voters especially the young It enables individuals to engage in political debates-previously reserved to politicians and traditional news media. It also allows the campaign to engage people in detail on issues you might not have had the time or resources to talk about through traditional media Groups on social media: help identify interests

What is actually true about this coverage?

stories are presented way above the lives of ordinary people focusing instead on the viewpoint of business. business accounted for more than 34% of all sources used, workers 11%, Gov't: 31%, orgs: 10%, unions: 3%, and academic: 6%

What was the response to Dan rather's article?

that the president is not need to draw attention to the media plight

What was the agenda in 2008?

the agenda was the economy

how can the media compress time and space? (ch.3 woodward)

the camera can re-create the world. Evenings were not spent on a river through popular culture that channeled through every corner of the nation. WE can venture outside the environment with our T.V.

Who gets to speak on cable news?

the democrats outnumbered the GOP enjoyed a more modest advantage on the O'Reilly factor & Hannity

Where does the real divide lie?

the divide is between news junkies and entertainment fans

How do the pessimists see this?

the internet would exacerbate existing disparities in participation. The voices of the poor cant afford the internet or the less educated will not be heard. The higher class will be overrepresented. It could also weaken the bonds between individual and community. Researchers do not agree. Income and education have dramatically increased activity online

How are the issues covered by local media different from national media

the issues are more local, they give candidates the opportunity to state their views on local issues & coverage is more positive than national press

Agenda Setting

the media doesn't tell you what to think rather what to think about

Who is the fourth estate?

the press, have been called this since the French Revolution 1. Artistocrats 2. Clergy 3. The masses

Why is it difficult for news organizations to penalize advertisers?

the repetition of ads, the claims and critiques are run dozens of times

Who controlled the newspapers?

the wealthy the constitutional debate was distorted by the Federalists. The Anti-federalists gained some power w/ the Bill of Rights.

What has happened as a result?

these individuals have learned less about politics and are less likely to vote at a time when news junkies are becoming more engaged

What is the Zapple doctrine and the RIght to Access rule?

they are designed to ensure that corporate desire to maximize profits will not significantly impede the public's right to political information

What is the gov't role regarding the quality & flow of information?

they control the majority of information, aiding and dissemination process. Colin Rule believes the process needs to be more interactive

Why do journalists not write stories against gov't policy?

they do not want to seem unpatriotic or unsupportive of the military either

Why do candidate's travel from state to state?

they generate publicity-and increase support statewide.

Why have people stopped watching the news?

they have abandoned news and politics because they have decided to devote their time to content that promises greater satisfaction

Why do candidate's use attack ads?

to challenge the gov't performance or to question the handling of policy problems. Neg. commercials are more likely to have policy-oriented content because campaigners need a clear reason to attack opponents, it also helps focus the viewer's attention on the message being delivered. Issue oriented ads attract public attention ( likely to be remembered)

What is one of the functions of the media?

to inform us and present us with multiple perspectives

Who do politicians pay attention to?

to voters than nonvoters, so the views of these less involved entertainment fans may not reflect political outcomes as much as they were in the past. The issue is the lack of knowledge and lack of desire to vote at all

How does the media differ from traditional point to point broadcast media? (ch.5 ) At candidates and organizations, what is the "big news story" about new technologies?

traditional point to point media occurs when there is communication between a single sender and recipient, whereas broadcasts media involves a single sender & multiple recipients. Traditional media were limited to a single form . Internet media is multi-channeled, allowing free transmission. The" big news story" is the reduced cost of collective action. sites such as twitter have given politicians new platforms and make it possible for political messages to be received on a vast scale

cognitive dissonance

try to reduce by ignoring messages protective ignorance

Demonization

turning opponent into an evil being or satanic figure

Local coverage

use less prominent news outlets to shield candidate from potentially hostile national press- they won't ask the candidate the hard questions they are less experienced, and the candidate has more control over the message

Image ads

use real world issues as an illustration for characters

Part responsibility model

uses partnership as the means of accountability Parties foster representation because they encapsulate views of thinking about major policy positions According to this model, voters can make decisions based purely on party associations advocates of this system argue that candidate's approach to issues alone is not an appropriate test because voters can be sophisticated and rational without engaging in issue based voting ~ as long as leaders can be held accountable for the broad direction of gov't performance, democratic tenets are satisfied

How do low interest independent voters differ from high interest voters?

voters ability to learn personal traits depends on who is running. Voters with high interest and strong partisan preferences will acquire this information. Campaigns widen the gap between the halves and half nots

(Ch.10) AW Why is the media important to voters?

voters are dependent on the media to help them interpret political realities. ~How detailed should candidates & the media be?

Why is content important?

voters get more information about the campaign from ads. Voters must be able to make rational decisions: consider control stance on issues

Social media creates a filter bubble?

we don't like information that does not match our views (echo chamber) The act of participating isn't working-online activity does not translate into votes, or make a more effective gov't

How was partisan press produced?

weakness in political parties. Parties had no budget, employees, buildings, headquarters etc. at the national and state level

What are two key campaign decisions?

what subjects to cover in ads do we attack the opposition?- help control the agenda and drive media coverage, which sets the tone for the campaign

spiral of silence

when an idea is not accepted or not expressed, individuals are scared to speak up. People get quieter and quieter

When does indexing break down?

when national security and foreign policy are the issues of the day. The flow of news is substantially controlled by the gov't officials

Were journalists granted granted access to the invasion of Iraq?

yes

Did African Americans publish?

yes, Fredrick Douglass (former slave) published the "North Star" that addressed slavery, sex, race, and politics ~journalists cannot be activists today like they were in this case

Were their corrections to the official record?

yes, but they were months later, when there was no public concern

Can a campaign make a difference when a candidate is trailing in the polls?

yes, campaigns can make a difference when a candidate is trailing in the polls. Considerable evidence suggests that exposure to campaign messages encourages voters, especially those with low interest and motivation-behavior is not anticipated Most Americans are socialized to identify w/ a party- involves loyalty, sometimes beginning at a very young age. Party line voting is on the increase. Swing voters chose based on individual not party affiliation. Many deny party affiliations & claim to be independent

Do we trust journalists? (U.S)

yes, unusually high credibility

Hostile media bias

you are aware of the bias in different media outlets

Definition of politics

" a recurrent, goal-directed sequence of activities using a particular technology and a particular system of knowledge. It consists of: a specific setting, technology, skills and knowledge

Does Schudson agree that contemporary political discourse and civic engagement are in decline?

" most discussions of the decline of civic virtue or poverty of contemporary political discourse are historically impoverished, I think seeking to judge (harshly) the present by some standard from the past isn't well understood