Heyman1

WillHeyman
Mr.Brennan
APGovernment
28October2014
Chapter10Outline
I.

Introduction
A. AlmostallAmericanradioandtelevisionstationsareprivatelyowned,though
theyrequirelicensesfromthegovernment.
B. Everyownerofacommunicationsmediummustsatisfytheoftencompeting
interestsofanumberofdistinctofconstituencies.

II.

JournalisminAmericanPoliticalHistory
A. ImportantchangesinthenatureofAmericanpoliticshavegonehandinhandwith
majorchangesintheorganizationandtechnologyofthepress.
B. ThePartyPress
1. Politiciansofvariousfactionsandpartiescreated,sponsored,and
controllednewspaperstofurthertheirinterests.
C. ThePopularPress
1. Changesinsocietyandtechnologymadethepressselfsupportingand
abletoreachmassreadership.
a) Highspeedpress
b) Telegraph
c) AssociatedPress,1848objectivereporting

Heyman2

d) Urbanizationallowedlargenumberstosupportpaper
e) GovernmentPrintingOfficeendofsubsidiesin1860
2. Influenceofpublishers,editorscreatedpartisanbias
a) "Yellowjournalism"toattractreaders
b) HearstfomentswaragainstSpain
3. Emergenceofacommonnationalculture
D. Magazinesofopinion
1. Middleclassfavorsnew,progressiveperiodicals
a) Nation,Atlantic,Harper'sin1850sand1860sonbehalfofcertain
issues
b) McClure's,Scribner's,Cosmopolitanlateron
2. Individualwritersgainnationalfollowingsthroughinvestigativereporting
3. Numberofcompetingnewspapersdeclines,asdoessensationalism
4. Todaythenumberofnationalmagazinesfocusingonpoliticsaccountsfor
asmallanddecliningfractionofmagazines.
E. Electronicjournalism
1. Radioarrivesinthe1920s,televisioninthe1940s
2. Politicianscouldaddressvotersdirectlybutpeoplecouldeasilyignore
them
3. Butfewerpoliticianscouldbecovered
a) Presidentroutinelycovered
b) Othersmustuseboldtactics

Heyman3

4. Recentriseinthetalkshowasapoliticalforumhasincreasedpoliticians'
accesstoelectronicmedia
a) BigThreenetworkshavemadeitharderforcandidatesby
shorteningsoundbites
b) Butpoliticianshavemoresources:cable,earlymorningnews,
newsmagazineshows
c) Thesenewsourcesfeaturelengthyinterviews
5. Noresearchonconsequencesoftwochanges:
a) Recentaccessofpoliticianstoelectronicmedia
b) "Narrowcasting,"whichtargetssegmentedaudiences
6. Politicianscontinuetoseekvisualsevenaftertheyareelected
F. TheInternet
1. Ultimatefreemarketinpoliticalnews
2. Votersandpoliticalactiviststalktooneanother
III.

Thestructureofthemedia
A. Degreeofcompetition
1. Newspapers
a) Numberofdailynewspapershasdeclinedsignificantly
b) Numberofcitieswithmultiplepapershasdeclined
(1) 60percentofcitieshadcompetingnewspapersin1900
(2) Only4percentin1972
c) Newspapercirculationhasfallensince1967

Heyman4

d) Mostpeoplenowgetmostoftheirnewsfromtelevision
2. Radioandtelevision
a) Intenselycompetitive,becomingmoreso
b) Composedmostlyoflocallyownedandmanagedenterprises,
unlikeEurope
c) Orientationtolocalmarket
d) LimitationsbyFCCwidespreadownershipcreated
B. Thenationalmedia
1. Existencesomewhatoffsetslocalorientation
2. Consistsof
a) Wireservices
b) Nationalmagazines
c) Televisionnetworks
d) Newspaperswithnationalreaderships
3. Significance
a) Washingtonofficialsfollowitclosely
b) Reportersandeditorsdifferentfromthelocalpress
(1) Betterpaid
(2) Frommoreprestigiousuniversities
(3) Moreliberaloutlook
(4) Doinvestigativeorinterpretivestories
4. Rolesplayed

Heyman5

a) Gatekeeper:whatisnews,forhowlong
(1) Autosafety
(2) Waterpollution
(3) Prescriptiondrugs
(4) Crimerates
b) Scorekeeper:whoiswinning,losing
(1) AttentiontoIowa,NewHampshire
(2) GaryHartin1984andJohnMcCainin2000
c) Watchdog:investigatepersonalitiesandexposescandals
(1) Hart'sname,birthdate,in1984DonnaRicein1987
(2) Watergate(WoodwardandBernstein)
IV.

Rulesgoverningthemedia
A. Newspapersversuselectronicmedia
1. Newspapersalmostentirelyfreefromgovernmentregulation
prosecutionsonlyafterthefactandlimited:libel,obscenity,incitement
2. Radioandtelevisionlicensed,regulated
B. Confidentialityofsources
1. Reporterswantrighttokeepsourcesconfidential
2. Moststatesandfederalgovernmentdisagree
3. SupremeCourtallowsgovernmenttocompelreporterstodivulge
informationincourtifitbearsonacrime
4. MyronFarberjailedforcontempt

Heyman6

5. Policesearchofnewspaperofficeupheld
C. Regulatingbroadcasting
1. FCClicensing
a) Sevenyearsforradio
b) Fiveyearsfortelevision
c) Stationsmustserve"communityneeds"
d) Publicservice,otheraspectscanberegulated
2. Recentmovementtoderegulate
a) Licenserenewalbypostcard
b) Nohearingunlessopposed
c) Relaxationofruleenforcement
3. Radiobroadcastingderegulatedthemost
a) TelecommunicationsActof1996permitsonecompanytoownas
manyaseightstationsinlargemarkets(fiveinsmallerones)
b) Results:
(1) Fewlargecompaniesnowownmostofthebigmarket
radiostations
(2) Greatervarietyofopiniononradio
4. Otherradioandtelevisionregulations
a) Equaltimerule
b) Rightofreplyrule
c) Politicaleditorializingrule

Heyman7

5. Fairnessdoctrinewasabolishedin1987
D. Campaigning
1. Equaltimeruleapplies
a) Equalaccessforallcandidates
b) Ratesnohigherthanleastexpensivecommercialrate
c) Debatesformerlyhadtoincludeallcandidates
(1) ReaganCarterdebatesponsoredbyLWVasa"news
event"
(2) Nowstationsandnetworkscansponsor
2. Efficiencyinreachingvoters
a) Workswellwhenmarketanddistrictoverlap
b) Failswhentheyarenotaligned
c) MoreSenatethanHousecandidatesbuyTVtime
V.

Theeffectsofthemediaonpolitics
A. Studiesonmediainfluenceonelections
1. Generallyinconclusive,becauseofcitizens'
a) Selectiveattention
b) Mentaltuneout
2. Productscanbesoldmoreeasilythancandidates
3. Newspaperendorsementsofcandidates
a) OftenofRepublicanslocally,whereasofDemocratsnationally
b) Butworth5percentofvotetoendorsedDemocrats

Heyman8

B. Majoreffectisonhowpoliticsisconducted,nothowpeoplevote
1. Conventionsscheduledtoaccommodatetelevisioncoverage
2. Candidateswinpartynominationviamediaexposure,forexample,Estes
Kefauver
3. Issuesestablishedbymediaattention
a) Environment
b) Consumerissues
4. Issuesthatareimportanttocitizenssimilartothoseinmedia
a) TVinfluencespoliticalagenda
b) Butpeoplelesslikelytotakemediacuesonmattersthataffect
thempersonally
5. NewspaperreadersseebiggercandidatedifferencesthandoTVviewers
6. TVnewsaffectspopularityofpresidentscommentarieshaveshortterm
effect
VI.

Governmentandthenews
A. Prominenceofthepresident
1. TheodoreRoosevelt:systematiccultivationofthepress
2. FranklinRoosevelt:presssecretaryamajorinstrumentforcultivating
press
3. Presssecretarytoday:largestaff,manyfunctions
4. WhiteHousepresscorpsisthefocusofpresssecretary
5. Unparalleledpersonalizationofgovernment

Heyman9

B. CoverageofCongress
1. Neverequaltothatofpresidentmembersresentful
2. Housequiterestrictive
a) Nocamerasontheflooruntil1978
b) Sometimesrefusedtopermitcoverageofcommittees
c) Gaveltogavelcoverageofproceedingssince1979
3. Senatemoreopen
a) HearingssinceKefauverTVcoverageofsessionsin1986
b) Incubatorforpresidentialcontendersthroughcommitteehearings
VII.

Interpretingpoliticalnews
A. Arenewsstoriesslanted?
1. Mostpeoplebelievemedia,especiallytelevision,fromwhichtheyget
mostnews
a) Butthepercentagethatthinksthemediaisbiasedisincreasing
b) Pressitselfthinksitisunbiased
2. Liberalbiasofnationalmediaelite
3. Variousfactorsinfluencehowstoriesarewritten
a) Deadlines
b) Audienceattraction
c) Fairness,truthimposedbyprofessionalnorms
d) Reporters'andeditors'beliefs
4. Typesofstories

Heyman10

a) Routinestories:publiceventsregularlycovered
(1) Reportedsimilarlybyallmediaopinionsofjournalists
haveleasteffect
(2) Canbemisreported:Tetoffensive
b) Selectedstories:publicbutnotroutinelycovered
(1) Selectioninvolvesperceptionofwhatisimportant
(2) Liberalandconservativepapersdodifferentstories
(3) Increasinginnumberreflectviewsofpressmorethan
expertsorpublic
c) Insiderstories:notusuallymadepublicmotiveproblem
5. Studiesoneffectsofjournalisticopinions
a) Nuclearpower:antinuclearslant
b) Schoolbusing:probusing
c) Mediaspinalmostinevitable
6. Insiderstoriesraisequestionsofinformant'smotives
a) Fromofficialbackgroundbriefingsofthepast
b) TocriticalinsidestoriesofpostWatergateera
B. Whydowehavesomanynewsleaks?
1. Constitution:separationofpowers
a) Powerisdecentralized
b) Branchesofgovernmentcompete
c) Notillegaltoprintmostsecrets

Heyman11

2. AdversarialnatureofthepresssinceWatergate
a) Pressandpoliticiansdistrusteachother
b) Mediaareeagertoembarrassofficials
c) Competitionforawards
d) SpurredbyIrangate:armsforhostages
3. Cynicismcreatederaofattackjournalism
a) Mostpeopledonotlikethiskindofnews
b) Cynicismofmediamirrorspublic'sincreasingcynicismofmedia
c) Peoplebelievemediaslantcoverage
d) Publicsupportforideaoflicensingjournalistsorfinesto
discouragebiasedreporting
4. Publicconfidenceinbigbusinessdownandnowmediaarebigbusiness
5. Driveformarketshareforcesmediatousethemeofcorruption
6. Increaseduseofnegativeadvertising
C. Sensationalisminthemedia
1. Priorto1980,sexualescapadesofpoliticalfiguresnotreported
2. Since1980,sexandpoliticsextensivelycovered
3. Reasonsforchange
a) Sensationalismgetsattentioninamarketofintensecompetition.
b) Sensationalstoriesareoftencheaperthanexpertanalysisand/or
investigationofstoriesaboutpolicyorsubstantiveissues.
c) Journalistshavebecomedistrustingadversariesofgovernment.

Heyman12

d) Journalistsaremuchmorelikelytorelyonunnamedsourcestoday
and,asaresult,aremoreeasilymanipulated.
4. ImpactofSeptember11
a) Publicinterestinnationalnews
b) Greaterconfidenceandtrustinnewsorganizations
D. Governmentconstraintsonjournalists
1. Reportersmuststrikeabalancebetween
a) Expressionofviews
b) Retainingsources
2. Abundanceofcongressionalstaffersmakesiteasier
3. Governmentaltoolstofightback
a) Numerouspressofficers
b) Pressreleases,cannednews
c) Leaksandbackgroundstoriestofavorites
d) Bypassnationalpressforlocal
e) Presidentialrewardsandpunishmentsforreportersbasedontheir
stories