Worksheet: Ch. 12 - the Media

Worksheet: Ch. 12 - The Media

1. / In general, how does American media today differ both from that of earlier American politics in the 1970s and also from England and France?
2. / Define the terms “yellow journalism” and “muckrakers.”
3. / How have the characteristics of the electronic media and the Internet affected the actions of public officials and candidates for national office?
4. / What does the book conclude about the degree of competition in the media?
5. / What is the impact of the “national press?” Define the roles of the national media as gatekeeper, scorekeeper, and watchdog. Think of examples for each from today’s politics.
6. / Summarize the rules regulating the media and the government including the following: prior restraint, libel, confidentiality of sources, FCC regulations, Telecommunications Act (1996), and the equal time rule.
7. / Summarize what the book says about the effects of the media on politics. Know what horse-race journalism is.
8. / What does the book say concerning press bias? How do members of the media differ from average Americans? What sort of evidence is there on the question of bias in the media?
9. / What is a trial balloon and what does the term loaded language mean? Pay attention to the advice in the purple box on p. 312 on how to assess how the newspapers report the news.
10. / What is the evidence about eh influence of media on how people think?
11. / How does press coverage of the president and of Congress differ?
12. / Why does American government have so many leaks?
13. / Why has the media become more sensationalist and how has this affected public perception of the media?
14. / What ways are there for politicians to get their message out?

Terms to Know

1. / Muckraker / 11. / Equal Time rule / 21. / “On (deep) background”
2. / Associated Press / 12. / Fairness Doctrine / 22. / Feeding Frenzy
3. / yellow journalism / 13. / Selective attention / 23. / Pack Journalism
4. / sound bites / 14. / C-Span / 24. / New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)
5. / Libel / 15. / Routine Stories / 25. / New York Times v. U.S. (1971)
6. / Defamation / 16. / Feature Stories / 26. / Federal Communications Commission
7. / Prior Restraint / 17. / Insider Stories / 27. / Telecommunications Act
8. / The Pentagon Papers / 18. / News Leaks / 28. / Shield law
9. / trial balloon / 19. / Adversarial Press / 29. / “Above” or “Below the fold” stories
10. / loaded language / 20. / “Off/On the record” / 30. / Freedom of Information Act (1974)

Questions and Themes

How presidents can use the media

Role of media in election campaigns, impact on campaigns

Roles of media

Changes in role of media, evolution of mass media, results of internet and new media

Laws affecting the media

o Equal access rule

o Fairness Doctrine – ended in 1985 – effect

o Role of FCC

How candidates use the media

Focus on candidate over issues

Effects of the new media, internet, cable, blogs, youtube, emails, Twitter, Facebook

Media as linkage institution

Setting the agenda

Sound bites

Bias in the media

Rules in reporting: off/on the record, on background, deep background

Trial balloons and leaks

Supreme Court cases affecting the media: prior restraint: US v. NY Times (Pentagon Papers)

Horserace journalism, scorekeeper, gatekeeper, watch dog function