Mass Media
I. Development
A. Newspapers
B. Films
C. Magazines
D. Radio (talk radio)
E. Television -- Compared to Print
1. Exposes greater numbers of people to more information (if not knowledge)
2. Trivializes subjects covered by greater:
-- Focus on personalities
-- Focus on events rather than issues
-- Focus scandals and sensational subjects
3. Does not require intellectual transformation (thought) of abstract
symbols (words) into mental images & constructs
F. Media Fragmentation and Its Consequences
1. Encouragement of social, cultural, racial isolation
2. Fostering of biased, singular, insular and extremist views
3. Development of Tabloid Journalism -- lurid focus on human interest stories
4. The "Celebretization" of politics and politicians
5. Hardening of pre-existing views and closing of minds by allowing viewers to
select sources of news with which they are most familiar and comfortable
G. Three Recent Changes in the Media
II. Group Media
A. FAX
B. Internet
1. The Drudge Report ; World Net Daily
2. Bloggers (defined; create; use of political blogs in 2004, in 2008)
III. Public Functions
A. Entertainment
B. News Reporting
1. Selecting
a. Gatekeeping Function
b. Media Events
2. Reporting
3. Analyzing
4. Evaluating
C. Infotainment
D. Media Bias
1. Evidence of Liberal Bias (Bias Alert)
2. Excerpt from Coloring the News
IV. Private Functions
A. Profit Making
B. Professional Recognition
C. Agenda Pursuit
V. Government Regulation
A. Federal Communication Act of 1934 (Summary)
B. Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Summary)
C. Fairness Doctrine Eliminated
VI. Media as a Campaign Tool
A. Image Development (30 second candidate)
B. Voter Activation
D Attack Ads (critique)
VII. Media as a Governance Tool
A. Agenda Setting
B. Policy Clarification (executive orders)
C. Building Popular Support
Key Websites
Federal Communications Commission
Television News Archive-Vanderbilt University
Marshall McLuhan: Is the Medium the Message ?