Chapter 18Mass-Mediated Political Communication Effects

Influences on Political CommunicationSocial scenePolitical landscapeMedia environment Media content

Functions of Mass Media in DemocracySurveillance of contemporary events that are likely to impinge upon the welfare of citizensIdentification of key sociopolitical issuesProvision of platforms for advocacyTransmission of diverse content across the various dimensions and factions of political discourse

Functions of Mass Media in Democracy (Contd)Scrutiny of government officials Incentives and information to allow citizens to become more actively informed participantsPrincipled resistance to external sources attempting to subvert media autonomyRespectful consideration of the audience as potentially concerned and efficacious citizens

Media ContentTwo types:Political advertising: primary form of communication between political candidates and the voting publicNews stories: television advertising for political candidatesusually used for major campaigns

Media Content (Contd)Political ads on television usually:Present particular candidate imagesProvide information about key issuesProvide more information about campaign issues than candidate images

Types of Media ContentFramesAbstract notions that media professionals use to present news stories News flawsPersonalizationFragmentationDramatizationNormalization

News Flaws That Influence Political CommunicationPersonalizationThe tendency for news stories to concentrate on individuals when reporting on large-scale social concernsFragmentationThe delivery of news in brief capsule summaries

News Flaws That Influence Political Communication (Contd) DramatizationNews is selected based on entertainment value rather than its importance as an issue.NormalizationNews stories show how particular problems can be solved within the existing political system.

Research on Political Communication EffectsMost political communication studies concentrate on the individual.Macro-level studies examine effects on systems.The nature and strength of effects from mediated political communication depend on a number of different factors.

Micro-level StudiesFour major areas:Formation and change of opinionEffects of cognitive processesVoter perceptions of the political systemEffects on political behavior or participation

Formation and Change of OpinionPolitical media messages produce much stronger effects than previously thought.Models used to conduct studies:Petty and Cacioppos Elaboration Likelihood ModelFishbein and Ajzens reasoned action modelVariables of interest in persuasion include:message variables, channels, timing, audience variables, and effects from polling information

Effects of Cognitive ProcessesFour types of research have been used:Agenda-setting researchPriming research Knowledge gainFramingResearchers have tried to measure audiences broader understanding of political information conveyed in news stories.

Voter PerceptionsVoters are persuaded less by personal pocketbook matters than by their perceptions about the economic health of the country.Media coverage may cause voters to perceive individuals to be responsible for particular social problems such as poverty or crime.Two types of frames for political news stories:Episodic- using case study examplesThematic- approaching an issue from a general perspective

Political BehaviorMedia effects may be direct or indirect.Political ads have proven effective in influencing voting decisions.Many people learn from political ads and may be influenced by both positive and negative ads. Negative political ads are effective in influencing voters when:Voters perceive them to be fairThey focus on issues that are important to voters

Political Behavior (Contd)People tend to remember negative ads more than positive ads.Adwatches provide analyses, interpretations and evaluations of the ads.The strength of influence on voting behavior attributed to interpersonal communication has varied.

Macro-level StudiesFew macro-level effects studies are conducted due to difficulties in measurement.Purely descriptive macro-level studies abound

Descriptive Macro StudiesFew people are politically knowledgeable and active.People with high levels of education tend to vote more often.Television has been blamed for problems with the American political system.

Effects on Policy MakingThe use of investigative reporting contributed to civic reforms in several areas.Media publicity has been shown to help lawmakers achieve their goals and raise money toward reelection campaigns.

Factors Influencing Media EffectsIndividual characteristics influence:Party preferencesPersonal images or evaluations of the news media Personal motivations for particular gratificationsInformation processingThe more attention a person gives to a story, the more the person learns from it.

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