1. The Media and Politics: Constant Evolution

2. Media ARE Plural • From the word “medium” = way of delivering information • Different outlets • Different formats • Different audiences • All of this affects the content

3. Format I -- Books and Magazines Books: • Very small (but influential) audience • Doesn’t reach as many people • Much more in-depth Magazines/Journals: • Narrow audience, but larger than books • Newsweeklies have a larger “activist” base

4. Format II -- TV & Newspapers TV: • Mass media -- Large audience • Power of imagery • Recent years = rise of cable news cycle (24 hours a day) • “narrowcasting” • “Talking Heads” Newspapers • Few national newspapers • Collectively, large audience, but readership has been shrinking rapidly • Many local newspapers are dying out

5. Format III- Radio and Internet Radio: • Homogenization of programming • News content is rare; mostly, tidbits of information • Exception = National Public Radio (NPR) • Talk radio Internet: • More people turning to the web for their news • Especially, young people • Political blogging • “narrowcasting” becomes “slivercasting”

6. Roles of the Media • What is “newsworthy”? • Media as political “watchdogs” • Carl Bernstein & Bob Woodward = Watergate scandal • Media as a 4th branch of govt • Can help set the agenda • Ultimately, the media is a business They want to make money! Selling ads, getting viewership/readership

7. Media Today • The media uses politicians and insiders for info and vice versa (ongoing relationship) • Access --leaks, background sources, trial balloons • Politicians will do press releases, hold media events/news conferences Image is all important

8. Free & Critical Press • 1st Amendment -- Freedom of the Press Public has a right to know, esp. in a democratic republic • Pentagon Papers in 1971 • New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) Limited scope of libel Had to show “actual malice” • Extended to any “public figure” in Hustler Magazine v. Falwell (1987)

9. The Future • Many newspapers are dying out • Small, independent papers have been bought out • People turning to the internet • Dependence on TV and political blogs for their info • Many worry that serious journalism has taken a real hit

10. How did the 2016 Presidential Election affect future use of media? What is the public’s level of trust in the media?

11. PRESSTHINK, a project of the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Instituteat New York University, is written by Jay Rosen

12. Why??? Is this a positive or negative trend? Is there a way we as a society can change it if it’s negative?