Interest Groups/Media
4/26/2012
Clearly Communicated Learning Objectives in Written Form
• Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:– discuss and critically analyze political events in the
United States government
– students will be able to identify and explain the role of informal institutions and their effect on policy.
Office Hours and Readings
• Pages 130-151
• Office Hours– None Today– Monday 10-2
The Media and Politics
The Role of the Media
• It is profit driven
• Reporting the news
• Setting the Agenda
Gatekeepers
• Key people who control what we watch
• Help to shape political priorities
• Driven by profit
What gatekeepers use
• The authority of the source
• The Amount of Controversy
• The importance
PROVIDING US WITH POLITICAL INFORMATION
Where we get Political Information
The Type of Media Matters
• Television is the most important
• The internet is the fastest, but has the most bias
We Would Rather Watch Mistakes
• Bad Sushi
• People Falling
• A great collection
• Rick Perry
Newspapers and Magazines
• Newspapers– Provide more
information and Detail– Very few cities have
multiple papers anymore
• Magazines- vary in content and quality
The Decline of Old media
THE MINIMAL EFFECTS MODELDoes the media really matter
The Minimal Effects Model
• The Fall Campaign is not that important
• Most people have made up their mind
Spurious/Minimal effects model
• We do not seek out political information
• We have selective/exposure perception
• We rarely make major changes
Who is influenced the most
• Those with the least political attention
• Those without stable party identification
• Elections can swing if it is close
HORSE RACE COVERAGEHow the Media Makes things exciting
Horse Race Coverage
• What is it?
• What does it contain
• Why?
The Latest Polls
The Electoral College
Map
The keys to horse race coverage
• Polling
• Perception
• No issues
Component I: Categorizer
• Sorts the candidates into winners and losers
• Creates an Image for the candidate
Component II: Expectation Setter
• Puts odds on the candidates
• You want to be at the top… duh
• But it isn't as good as you might think
Component III: Mentioner
• You want the media to notice you
• Not all press is good press
• Mentions mean money and votes
Component IV:Winnowing
• The Press Winnows (narrows) down the candidates
• Attention is on Iowa and NH
• Frontloading is the results
Type of Coverage in 2008 Primary
Content Coverage in the Primary
60%17%
15%
8%
Horse Race Background and Personal Issue Other
Horse Race Dominates 2008 General
Content Coverage in the General Election
51%
20%
19%
5% 5%
Horserace Issue Advertising/$ Personal Lives Public Record