Federal Communications Commissson

(FCC)

(4)

-1st Ammend

Promotes:

-liberty: monitors political leaders & social groups

-democray: covering political events/activities/happenings

-equality: reporting abuses across nation

Roles of the Media in Democray

(3)

1) Watchdog

2) Clarifying ethical choices

3) Providing public policy info.

Media Around the World

(3)

1) Govt owned - publically ran

2) Govt owned & operated

3) Privately owned & controlled - partial govt regulation

Federal Communications Commisson

(FCC)

(4)

1) Est. 1934

2) License the networks & stations & allocates frequencies

3) Regulate broadcast media

4) Does NOT regulate print/satellite media

Yellow Journalism

* Irresponsible, sensationalist approach to new reporting

Muckrakers

*Criticism & exposes of corruption in govt & industry by journalists @ the turn of the 20th century

Narrow Casting

*Aiming media content at specific segments of the public

Media Segmentation

*Breaking down of the media according to the specifc audiences they target

Convergence

*Merging of various forms of media under one corporate roof & under one set of business & editorial leaders

News Enclave

*A group seeking specialized info not provided by mainstream media

Mainstream Media:

The Big Three

(3)

1)Broadcast media

-TV

-Radio

2) Print media

3) Internet media

On-line News

(2)

- Has come into its own in the past decade

-Increased from 2% of total media consumption to 31% in 2006

Where does the news get its news?

(3)

1) Wire services

2) Provided research material

3) AP, Reauters

The Size of the Media

(3)

Tv:

Papers:

Radio:

~1,000

~1,800

~9,000

Scope Can Seem Small

(5)

-Handful of wire services (AP)

- Four broadcast networks

- 2 Elite papers

- 3 news magazines

- Scattered local & national media

How the Media Works

(3)

1) Corporate ownership

2) Uniformity & diversity

3) Profit motives ( infotainment)

Media Ownership

(2)

- 3/4 of daily newspapers are owned by 3 conglomerates:

Hearst, Gannett, & McClatchy

- Corporate ownership

* Corporate Ownership*

Walt disney owns:

Westinghouse owns:

Time Warner owns:

Comcast/Viacom owns:

Rupert Murdoch & News corp own:

-ABC

-CBS, MTV, Paramount

-CNN

-NBC

-FOX & other media outlets

Who Sets the Agenda?

(3)

1) Politicians can leak news, hold press conferences & promote their policies through friendships with reporters

2) The Network

3) The Consumers

Famous Political Sound Bites

(4)

-"Axis of Evil" Bush on Terrorism

-"I am not a crook" Nixon on Watergate

-" I did not have sexual relations with that women" Clinton on Lewinski

- "I am the decider" Bush

Positive Sound Bites

*Planned actions designed to present a policy or politician in a positive light; or to elicit patrioic feelings through use of visual media

Negative Sound Bites

*unplanned actions that present a policy or politician in a negative or incorrect manner

*Powers of the Media*

Agenda Setting

*Power to bring public attention to a particular problem

ex: Balloon boy

ex: Sex Scandal vs. Egypt

*Powers of the Media*

Framing

*power of the medai to influence how we percieve & interpret events

ex: skatboard kid on FOX vs. CNN

*Powers of the Media*

Socializing

*Process of socialization that occurs when people consume various forms of media

ex: Nationalism

*Powers of the Media*

Persuading

*When an agent of the media is trying to convince you to think or believe a certain way for either benevolent or decietful purposes

Interest Group:

Who do they try to influence?

(4)

*A private voluntary association that seeks to influence public policy as a way to protect or advance some common interest

1) Politicians

2) Bureaucrats

3) Judges

4) The Public

* Interest Groups*

What do they do?

-They Lobby: an action by a group/association to influence the behavior of a public official

Pluralist Theory

*Theory that holds policy making as a competition among diverse groups to ensure representation of their individual interests

Elite Theory

*Theory that a group of wealthy, educated individuals weilds most political power

Why interst groups form in the U.S.

(2)

-To protect their economic interests

ex: business organizations

-To advance social movements

ex: NAACP

* Motivations for joining interst groups*

Solidary Incentives

*Motivation based on companionship & satisfaction from socializing with others that it offers

* Motivation for joining an interest group*

Purposive Incentives

*Motivation bases on belief in the groups cause from an ideological/ moral standpoint

*Motivation for joining an interest group*

Economic Incentives

*Group works for policies that will provide memebers w/ material benefits (or protections)

How do interest groups change the political landscape??

(5)

1) Furnish info to their members

2) Politicize & inform members of the groups as well as others

3) Mediate conflict within their groups

4) Engage in electioneering

5) Promote participation in the political process by reinforcing civic engagement

Tactics of Interest Groups

(8)

1)Lobbying

2) Persauding the public

3) Public Relations

4) Alliances

5) Influencing the Judical Branch

6) Influencing Administrators & Co-Opting Agencies

7) Protest Demonstrations

8) Political Violence

Flaws in Pluralist Heaven

(3)

ARR-I

Acess Inequality

Resource Inequality

Representational Inequalities

Political Party

*Organization that tries to win control of govt by electing people to office who carry that party label

Political Parties

(2)

*Organizations that recruit & field candidates for elections

*Organize & coordinate the activities of govt officials that are members of that party

The Three Parts of American Political Parties

(3)

Party as:

-an organization

-in the govt

-in the electorate

*National Committees*

DNC:

Chair:

RNC:

Chair:

-Democratic National Committee

-Debber Wasserman Schultz

-Republican National Committee

- Reince Priebus

National Committees

(2)

*comprised of elected committeemen/women from each of the states, a sizable sfaff & a chairperson

* Rarely meet; committee run by the chairperson & assisted by committee staff

What do national Committees do?

(3)

1) Raise campaign funds

2) Try to resolve disputes within party

3) Try to improve or sustain the parties image in the media

Party in Govt

(2)

- Party candidates for public office

- State, local, & national public officials

Parties in Congress

(4)

-Their influence on the institutions of govt is significant

- Leadership is assigned based on party affiliation & existence

-Committee assignments are done through the parties

-Rules are regulated by the parties

The Party in the Electorate

(2)

-Millions of rank-and-file supporters

-Support the party through voting, volunteering, canvassing, phone banking, monetary donations...etc.

Associated & Advocacy Groups

(4)

Focus on:

(2)

1) Part of the Party in the Electorate

2) Not formally part of the party

3) Can become very closely aligned w/ a particular party

4) 527's

1) Family

-NRA

-NOW

*Political Parties*

-Major US parties (2)

-Minor US parties (4)

-Democrats & Republicans

- Libertarian, Green, Reform Party, Independent Party

* Two Major Parties*

Main Goal:

How?:

-To convince you to vote for one or more of their candidates

- Flyers, phone calls, televised, public statements, news interviews, block meetings...etc.

*Political Parties*

Promote Equality & Sovereignty by:

(6)

1)Keeping elected officials responsive

2) Including a broad range of groups

3) Stimulating political interest

4) Ensuring accountability

5) Helping people make sense of the complexity in politics

6) Making govt work

*Keeping Elected Officials Responsive*

Party Platform:

*A party's statement of its position on the issue of the day

#1

Why Only Two?

(3)

1) Cultural Consensus

2) Electoral rules

3) Restrictions on minor parties

#2

Why Only Two?

(3)

1) Winner takes all representation

2) Single-member districs

3) Only one winner 

#4

Why Only Two?

(2)

1) Restrictions on minor parties

2) Parties in power set rules for elections & often discourage 3rd party

#5

Why Only Two?

(2)

1) Minor parties or independents must petition & collect signatures

2) Every state has different rules for qualifying to be placed on the ballot

#6

Why Only Two?

(2)

1) Fed. public financing is automatic for major parties but minor parties must maintain at least 5% popular vote in election to qualify

2) No minor party has accomplished this to date (under current rules)

*Suffrage*

The right to vote

(4)

1) White males

2) African American males

3) Women

4) 18 and up 

Suffrage Timeline

(4)

1) 1790 - 5% of all Americans

2) Adult white male, property owner & possessed a certain religous belief

1) 1820's & 1830's

2) Property owner and religious affilitation- no longer qualifications

* Suffrage Timeline*

Restrictions on Minority & Poor Voters

-Poll taxes, white primaries, gerrymandering, literacty tests & "vouchers of good character"

* Suffrage Timeline*

(2)

1)1965- Voting Rights Act

2) Fed. Govt enforces the right of African Americans to vote

Election Cycles

(2)

-Pres. Election: every 4 years

- Congressional: every 2 yrs

(midterm elections)

*Election Structures*

Who is responsible for organzing elections?

(2)

1) State & local Govt

2) State law determines how elections are administered, district boundaries, candidate qualifications & voter qualifications

Types of Elections

(4)

1) Primary Elections

2) General Elections

3) Referendum

4) Recall

The Electoral College

(3)

1) Group of electors who formally select the pres. and VP of US

2) When you vote on election day, technically choosing among states of electors selected by each states party & pledged, if elected to support that party presidential candidate

3) Total # electoral college votes in 538

(535 + 3 for District of Columbia)

* Electoral College*

Can you loose the popular vote & still with the election?

(4)

1) John Quincy Adams (1824)

2) Rutherford B. Hayes (1876)

3) Benjamin Harrison (1888)

4) George W. Bush (2000)