What is the role of the media in policy process?

1. What is the role of the media in policy process? • Watchdog • Educator • Instrument of policy entrepreneurs? • Entertainment?

2. Changing Role of American News Media • Political Mouth Peace • Partisan funded papers • Financial Independence • Expansion of the suffrage & literacy rates leads to the penny press and financial independence from political parties. • Objective Journalism • Journalism becomes thought of as a profession with professional standards and ethics.

3. Broadcasting • Politicians could speak directly to public • TV expands the demand for news. (1963 CBS/NBC) • Cable TV brings “round the clock” coverage • How/why does culture change? • Investigatory Journalism • Don’t just convey the news, investigate it. • Media Conglomeration (5 corporations own over 50% of circulation and revenue of newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, books, and movies)

4. The Influence of the Media on the Public • Average American watches 4.5 hours of TV • Agenda Setting – attention to certain issues (or lack of attention) • Advertising!!!!! • Affects our taste in News? Sensationalism, Personality, & Image (over policy, politics, and substance) • Or are they simply giving us what we want

5. Pew 2007 Poll

6. Chermak and Weiss Article • Did the media influence federal gun control policy? • Opening a ‘window of opportunity • Influencing the range of policy alternatives • Promoting the interests of policy entrepreneurs

7. Chermak and Weiss Article • The Brady Bill and the ‘waiting period’ • Assault Weapons Ban • Event driven • Opens windows of opportunities (keep open) • Focus on specific policy alternatives

8. Do the elite control the media? • Agenda Setting • Selection of topics • Distribution of Concerns • Framing • Emphasis • Filter information • Bounding of debate

9. Agenda Setting/Selection of Topics • Strategic selection • Selection of convenience • Subconscious selections • Random selection • Market factors: supply and demand • Give us what we want

10. Shaping/Emphasis Several years after 9/11, 69 % of Americans to believe that Saddam Hussein had a role in the attacks (62 % of Democrats, 80 % of Republicans and 67 % of independents) "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on September the 11, 2001 -- and still goes on. That terrible morning, 19 evil men -- the shock troops of a hateful ideology -- gave America and the civilized world a glimpse of their ambitions."

11. Factors Limiting the Influence of Media • Socialization • Selectivity • Competition (limited) • Internet?

12. Is the Media Biased? • Liberal Bias (31% of Newspaper editors are democrats;14% Republican – 1996 survey) • Conservative Bias (Corporate Ownership) • Government Bias (relies on government for information & Licenses) • Capitalist bias (sell products)

13. What should we do about the media? • Nothing • Increase competition • Regulate content • Deregulation

14. Regulation of the Media • Broadcast licenses renewed every three years if the station meets the "public interest, convenience, or necessity." about 99.9% are renewed • Ownership restrictions • No one cable company could own more than 30% of the market (rule struck down) • Government Censorship

15. (de)Regulation of the Media • Fairness doctrine (repealed in 1987) • Equal Time provision (repealed in 1983) • New FCC Rules on ownership restrictions • Cross-ownership: F.C.C.’s decision in 2007 to relax its ban on cross ownership of a daily newspaper and a television station in the same market (under appeal) • Since 1996 TCA # of stations have increased but # of owners have decreased