Essentials of American Politics 2nd Edition by Robert J. Spitzer, Benjamin Ginsberg, Theodore J. Lowi and Margaret Weir

Chapter 5. Public Opinion and the Media

Definitions

Public opiniondefined: citizens’

attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events

Values/beliefsdefined: basic principles

that shape a person’s opinions about political issues and events

political ideologydefined: a cohesive set of

beliefs that form a general philosophy about the role of government

attitude (or opinion)defined: a specific

preference on a particular issue

Political Values

We often think of opinion in terms of differences of opinion and while the media are more likely to report on political differences, much of American public opinion is defined by consensus.

The consensus fundamental values in American politics include:

Equality of opportunity Liberty Democracy

Still, this focus on consensus in American politics is not to say that Americans lack vigorous and contentious political debates.

How Political Values are Formed

The processes by which political values are formed are known collectively as political socialization.

Agencies of socialization include:

Family Social groups Education Prevailing political

conditions

The Impact of Family

Party preferences are initially acquired at home.

Liberalism and conservatism are similarly learned at home.

It is important to note, however, that these are merely tendencies and many people have different political outlooks than their parents and other family members.

Groups as agencies of political socialization:

“Involuntary” social groups – like gender, race and ethnicity – provide specific life experiences and responses to political acts that shape our political values.

There exists, for example, a gender gap on a number of issues where women tend to have different political views than men.

Groups as agencies of political socialization:

“Voluntary” social groups – like political parties, labor unions, and professional associations – tend to raise the political awareness and sensitivity of their members and, in doing, shape their values.

These groups often “educate” their members on political matters including pointing out their common political interests.

Education and political socialization:

Governments use public education to instill common civic values to most citizens.

The amount of education that a person receives is tied in important ways to their political activism and their political views.

Political Conditions as an agency of socialization:

Inspiration or recruitment by politicians or political movements can lead to individuals becoming more politically aware.

Coming of political age at a particular time can have a powerful impact on a person’s political values throughout his or her life.

From Political Values to Ideology

When citizens’ political values cohere around a core set of beliefs or a philosophy, they are said to have a political ideology.

In contemporary American politics …

Liberals generally support: Political and social reform Extensive government intervention

in the economy Expanding social services Vigorous efforts on behalf of the

poor, minorities, and women Greater concern for consumers and

the environment

In contemporary American politics …

Conservatives generally: Support the social and economic

status quo Are suspicious of efforts to introduce

new political formulae and economic arrangements

Support expansions of military and police powers

Believe that a large and powerful domestic state poses a threat to citizens’ freedom

Copyright © by W.W. Norton and Company 2003Copyright © by W.W. Norton and Company 2003

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

What factors have had the strongest effects on your political socialization?

What is the basic difference between liberals and conservatives in contemporary American politics?

In what ways do liberal and conservative ideologies cohere around a few basic ideas? In what ways are they internally contradictory?

How We Form Political Opinions

Opinions about specific political questions are formed, in part, by citizens’ interactions with others.

Political opinions are also shaped in the “marketplace of ideas” by

Political leaders Private groups The media

Governments and politicians seek to monitor and shape public opinion to build public support for governmental actions and policies.

In recent years, politicians have increasingly used technologies such as public opinion polls and media appeals to shape public opinion.

Other political actors, such as outside interest groups and the mass media itself, seek to sell their ideas and influence “tastes” in the idea marketplace.

Measuring Public Opinion

Traditionally, politicians would gauge public opinion in informal ways:

Measuring applause Counting newspaper editorials Talking to people on the street Taking “straw polls” of gatherings of people

Measuring Public Opinion

Public opinion polls, scientific instruments for measuring public opinion, are now prevalent in American politics.

Media organizations – newspapers and television – often have in-house polling operations and report public opinion data on a regular basis.

Pollsters begin by choosing a sample of the total population to interview.

A sample is a small group selected by pollsters to represent the most important characteristics of an entire population.

Selecting a representative sample is key to being able to make generalizations about a poll’s results.

Poor construction and mistaken interpretations of polls can misrepresent public opinion.

Poor sampling Question wording and

ordering Illusion of saliency Illusion of central tendency

Polls and their results can also influence public opinion.

Poll results can produce the bandwagon effect whereby there is a shift in support to a candidate or opinion because the polls portrays its popularity.

Push polling is a technique in which the questions asked in a poll are designed not to measure a respondent’s opinion but to change it.

Still, when polls are conducted correctly they are remarkably accurate. For this reason, politicians and political observers pay a great deal of attention to polling.

Public Opinion and Democracy

To retain its democratic characteristics, American politics must reflect public opinion in important respects.

But, to remain republican, American politics must avoid constant decision-making by plebiscite.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do you think that politicians, the media, and interest groups rely too much on public opinion polls?

What is the appropriate use of polls by politicians and the government? Can you think of potential uses of polls that are inappropriate?

The Media Industry and Government

The United States news media are among the world’s most vast and most free.

Nevertheless, there is seemingly little variety in what is reported.

Types of Media

Different media (mediums) have distinct characteristics on the communication of political news.

Television News reaches more individuals

than any other news source.

provides little depth of coverage.

resembles newspaper headlines connected to pictures

Radio News a headline service (but

without pictures). all-news stations

provide some more coverage but are repetitious.

talk-radio has become an important political force in recent years.

Newspapers have lost their place as

the dominant news source.

often set the agenda for broadcast news sources.

continue to be the primary source of news for the educated and influential.

Internet has grown in

importance in recent years

could provide the depth of print coverage with the timeliness of broadcast

Media Organization and Ownership

Regional and local news and television organizations are the main source of diversity of voice and perspectives in the American media as they emphasize the local stories most relevant to their audience.

There is far less variation in the reporting of national news and events. Most local newspapers are owned

by large media organizations. Most local television stations are

affiliated with the major networks. A great deal of news is influenced

by major publications like the New York Times and the Washington Post.

CNN has considerable influence on cable television news.

The nationalization of the news in the 20th century has contributed significantly to the nationalization of American politics.

Regulation of the Broadcast Media

Through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the government issues licenses and regulates the business and content of broadcast media.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Is there enough variety and diversity of voices in American media?

Why might people be concerned that fewer and fewer businesses own more and more media outlets?

Should the government take active steps to proliferate the number of voices in American media?

News Coverage

Journalists

Whereas publishers like William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer used to be among the most politically powerful media officials, the news as become more of a reporters’ medium in recent years.

Sources

Reporters and news organizations depend on sources who have expert knowledge or access to valuable information.

Consumers

Because they are businesses, news organizations must cater to the preferences and interests of their readers and viewers.

Media Power in American Politics

Shaping EventsThrough their coverage, media can shape American politics. Coverage played important roles in: The Civil Rights Movement Vietnam Watergate

Sources of Media Power

Agenda setting the power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues and problems

Framing the power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted

The Rise of Adversarial Journalism

Whereas in the 19th century news organizations were controlled by political parties and, even for much of the 20th century, reporters were beholden to the politicians they covered, starting with Vietnam and Watergate, the press started to perform the role of government “watchdog.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do reporters have too much power in American politics?

Does how an issue is framed affect politics?

Should reporters be better “watchdogs” of the government? Do they sometimes take this role too far?

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