The Medium Is The Message: The Medium Is The Message: The Role of Media In PoliticsThe Role of Media In Politics

Frank BakerFrank Bakermedia educatormedia educator

fbaker1346@aol.comfbaker1346@aol.com

October 22, 2010October 22, 2010

Informed VoterInformed Voter

BY BY JOE HELLERJOE HELLER, GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE  -  10/20/2010, GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE  -  10/20/2010

Source: USA Today, 10/21/10Source: USA Today, 10/21/10Mike Smith, Las Vegas SunMike Smith, Las Vegas Sun

www.frankwbaker.comwww.frankwbaker.com

Greenwood Press (2009)Greenwood Press (2009)

The Medium Is The Message: The Medium Is The Message: The Role of Media In PoliticsThe Role of Media In Politics

What do you want your What do you want your students to know aboutstudents to know about

the media?the media?

Media Literacy’s Core ConceptsMedia Literacy’s Core Concepts

All media are constructionsAll media are constructions Media are languages with their own set Media are languages with their own set

of rulesof rules Media convey values and points-of-viewMedia convey values and points-of-view Audiences negotiate meaningAudiences negotiate meaning Media= power & profitMedia= power & profit

From NY Times, Week of October 17, 2010

The Medium Is The Message: The Medium Is The Message: The Role of Media In PoliticsThe Role of Media In Politics

“ “Our Founding Fathers understood that a Our Founding Fathers understood that a democratic republic could not survive democratic republic could not survive without an informed and participatory without an informed and participatory citizenry….It is essential in our citizenship citizenry….It is essential in our citizenship role to role to view critically, analyze ask view critically, analyze ask powerful questionspowerful questions and draw our own and draw our own conclusions. Media literacy, then, is conclusions. Media literacy, then, is essential to the citizenship role.” essential to the citizenship role.”

Denee MattioliDenee Mattioli, , past president, NCSSpast president, NCSS

Media Literacy Questions:Media Literacy Questions:

Who created the message? (author)Who created the message? (author) Why was it created? (purpose)Why was it created? (purpose) For whose eyeballs (audience)For whose eyeballs (audience) What does it attract attention? What does it attract attention?

(techniques)(techniques) Who/what is omitted?Who/what is omitted? Where can you go to verify the info?Where can you go to verify the info?

The Medium Is The Message: The Medium Is The Message: The Role of Media In PoliticsThe Role of Media In Politics

What do you want your students to know What do you want your students to know

about the role media plays in elections?about the role media plays in elections?

1. Candidates need the media1. Candidates need the media2. Candidates depend on media consultants2. Candidates depend on media consultants3. Candidates & their consultants try to control 3. Candidates & their consultants try to control

their image…but they’re not always successfultheir image…but they’re not always successful4. The reason candidates must raise millions of 4. The reason candidates must raise millions of

dollars is not only to run their campaigns but dollars is not only to run their campaigns but also to purchase TV time for their adsalso to purchase TV time for their ads

5. Political ads resemble traditional ads 5. Political ads resemble traditional ads (so I believe, we should teach students (so I believe, we should teach students techniques of persuasion and production)techniques of persuasion and production)

6. New media (YouTube; Facebook; etc.) have 6. New media (YouTube; Facebook; etc.) have been extremely effective this election cycle at been extremely effective this election cycle at reaching young voters and raising money (so reaching young voters and raising money (so are cell phones)are cell phones)

AdvertisingAdvertising

Research shows (voters) get Research shows (voters) get more information on the issues more information on the issues from political ads on TV spots from political ads on TV spots than they get from TV news or than they get from TV news or the debatesthe debates

AdvertisingAdvertising

Political campaign commercialsPolitical campaign commercials

fall under FREE SPEECH; thus theyfall under FREE SPEECH; thus they

cannot be challenged in courtcannot be challenged in court

Candidates can and WILL say anythingCandidates can and WILL say anything

Thinking Like AdvertisersThinking Like Advertisers

Who is my audience?Who is my audience? What medium is best to reach them? What medium is best to reach them?

(radio, TV, sign, direct-mail, YouTube, (radio, TV, sign, direct-mail, YouTube, social network, cell phone)social network, cell phone)

How will I shape my message?How will I shape my message? What images, words, sounds?What images, words, sounds? Who or what can I associate with?Who or what can I associate with? What do I want my audience to do?What do I want my audience to do?

Types of political ads:Types of political ads:

Profile (biographical)Profile (biographical) TestimonialTestimonial

AccomplishmentAccomplishment NegativeNegative ResponseResponse

Character ChallengeCharacter ChallengeIssueIssue

Scare tacticsScare tactics

SymbolismSymbolism

PatriotismPatriotism: put flags in the shot; show : put flags in the shot; show lots of red, white, and bluelots of red, white, and blue

Supporting businessSupporting business: put candidate with : put candidate with construction workersconstruction workers

Supporting educationSupporting education: put candidate in : put candidate in school settingsschool settings

One of the regular peopleOne of the regular people: put him/her: put him/her

with farmers, senior citizens, downtownwith farmers, senior citizens, downtown

Language of TVLanguage of TV

CamerasCameras LightingLighting Set DesignSet Design Sound & MusicSound & Music Editing (post production)Editing (post production) Makeup, Wardrobe, ExpressionsMakeup, Wardrobe, Expressions

“ “The Country I Love”The Country I Love” Senator Barack ObamaSenator Barack Obama

You can find this video on YouTubeYou can find this video on YouTube

Deconstructing the AdsDeconstructing the Ads

Vincent Sheheen Nikki HaleyVincent Sheheen Nikki Haley

Fact Checking The CandidatesFact Checking The Candidates

http://newstrust.net/truthsquadhttp://newstrust.net/truthsquad

Newspaper FactchecksNewspaper Factchecks

TV Station Fact ChecksTV Station Fact Checks

WSPA TV (Spartanburg)WSPA TV (Spartanburg)