Media and the Electoral Process


I.    Current Varieties of Media with Significant News Focus

    A.    Newspapers

    B.    News Magazines

    C.    Television

        1.    Broadcast

        2.     Cable/Satellite

    D.    Radio (talk radio and the "fairness doctrine")

    E.    Internet as "Group Media"

II.    "Free" Media

    A.    Varieties

    B.    Roles

        1.    Idealized

        2.    Actual

    C.    Motivations

III.    Paid Media

    A.    Varieties

    B.    Controversies

        1.    Attack Ads (effectiveness; critique)

        2.    Issue Advocacy

    C.    Impact

        1.    Intended

        2.    Unintended

IV.    Recent Changes in the Media: Fragmentation and 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

        6. News programs as "cash cows"

V.    Politicians Relations to Media

    A.    Dependence/Reliance

    B.    Suspicious/Fearful


    Key Web Sites

       Annenberg Policy Center

Mass Media and Open Democracy

Types of Mass Media:  Comparative Advertising Advantages and Disadvantages

Univ. of Iowa:  Links to Media Resources

The 30 Second Candidate