Mass Media
Myths, Realities, and other junk that journalism professors like
Overview
* What are the Media?
* Myths about Media
* Government Regulation
* Media and public opinion
* Media and politics

Media
* Newspapers
* Radio & TV (over the air)
* Cable Broadcasting
* email lists?
* Internet?

Myths
* Myth 1:
"Just the Facts, Ma'am" 

Facts, ma'am?
NY Times slogan: “All the news that's fit to print”
That’s not possible, because news is
	Selective
	Profit-oriented (competitive)
	

Myth 2: Media "mind control"

* Life is like The Matrix, but with less Keanu Reaves



Subliminal "mind control" in '00 campaign?
Exaggerations

* Media does not dominate public opinion
* Many long and short term factors blend to drive public opinion
* Mind Control? I don’t think so
Government Regulation
Constitution 1st Amendment
* Originally protected print media
* TV has some freedom, but is also regulated. 
* No protection for porno mags or films
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
* Can regulate/limit ownership of TV/radio
* Licensing of broadcast stations
* No more "fairness doctrine"
* Equal time in campaigns required

Regulation and the Press
Not all government open to public and press 
* Some Cameras in the courtroom
* FOIA (freedom of information act)
Can gov’t block publication?  
* Pre-publication censorship generally not allowed (Pentagon Papers case)
* Publisher may be sued after the fact, however.

Media and Public Opinion
* Not mind control
* Agenda setting: most-important problem
* Framing/priming

Dramatic Images: How does that affect your opinions?
* Were you against terrorism before?
* Does it seem more important?
* What if you never saw that picture?

Media and Politics
* Campaign coverage
* "Horse race"
* Pack journalism
* Sound bites
* Low quality of issue coverage
* Talk Shows and such

Political Issue coverage
* Media are drawn to:
* Conflict & competition 
* Scandal
* Violence
* Unusual (freakish?) or familiar (local)
* Print media have more "issue depth" than electronic

Who is she?
* 
Who is this guy?
* 
Who's she?
* 
Who's she?
* Fawn Hall
* Star of the "Iran Contra Affair"
* Smuggled documents in her panties for Oliver North
* Got Immunity
New Media
Talk radio
* Scared the hell out of Congress in 1992?
* Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot, by Al Franken
Internet
	
* Politician's dream: cheap and easy
* High public access
* Twitter & Facebook