Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
A 300-level lecture on media and politics as part of a course on media and social change.
Citation preview
1
Mass Media and Politics: Lecture Overview
1. Democratic vs. totalitarian regimes
2. News filters1. Ownership2. Advertising3. Sources4. Anti-communism
2
Mass Media and Politics: Lecture Overview
3. Media regulation in democratic societies
1. Military2. Radio3. Deregulation4. Ownership regulation: US & NZ5. Content regulation: US & NZ
3
Mass Media and Politics: Lecture Overview
3. Effects theory1. Aggressor2. Victim3. Desensitization4. Structure and agency
4
Last week: Economic influence on the media
5
Political influence on the media
Mass Media & Politics
• We must consider the differences between democratic and totalitarian regimes
7
Propaganda• Propaganda is the deliberate and systematic
attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist
Mass Media & Politics
• In totalitarian regimes, audiences become adept at decoding propaganda
• This propaganda can have a domestic and/or international focus
Mass Media & Politics
• In totalitarian regimes, audiences become adept at decoding propaganda
• Of course, some attempts at propaganda are more subtle than others, even in totalitarian regimes…
…there are no protests…
Mass Media & Politics
• In democratic regimes, we pride ourselves on our relative freedom of expression…
Tiananmen Square
Mass Media & Politics
• But should we really be so secure in our superiority? Some say ‘no’…
Mass Media & Politics
• Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky: ‘The Propaganda Model’ of news creation in ‘Manufacturing Consent’ (1988)
The existence of 5 new filters:
1. Ownership2. Advertising3. Sourcing4. Flak5. Anti-communism
Mass Media & Politics
• Ownership
Mass Media & Politics
• Advertising:– Monsanto– Bhopal - Dow– BP Oil
Mass Media & Politics
• Sourcing: political elites over-relied upon
Mass Media & Politics
• Anti-communism: now better conceived of more generally as ‘threats to capitalism’
Mass Media & Politics
• ‘Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media’
• Well-worth watching• Should be available
at some video stores if your internet isn’t up to streaming the whole thing.
Mass Media & Politics
• Therefore, in democratic societies, the questions become:
– Should the media
be regulated?– And if so, how
should they be regulated?
– By who?
Media Regulation
• Military content regulation– Press pools are
established, which• Help the military
ensure safety• But they do so by
restricting press access
– Information is censored
Media Regulation
• Military content regulation– Does it just end up producing propaganda?
Media Regulation
• Military content regulation– Propaganda
• not necessarily true
Media Regulation
Military content regulation• Propaganda has a long history, and was very
prominent during WW2 on both sides
Media Regulation
Military content regulation• But is it persuasion or propaganda?• Is everything relativist propaganda?• Who controls the flow of information?
Media Regulation
Radio• ‘Pirate radio’ rebels
against idea that the radio spectrum is a protected space that can be owned…
• but the spectrum is limited
Media Regulation
Radio• Spectrum scarcity has resulted in licenses being
issued to “protect the public interest”
Media regulation
Radio• Pirate radio is based on the idea that
the radio spectrum should be free and open to everyone– Radio Hauraki: Later granted a
private land licence
Media Regulation
Radio • on the margins
– Democracy Now– Plains FM
Media Regulation
Deregulation• AGAINST
regulation• ...but what do
they favour?• …what would
media like that look like?
Media Regulation
Media regulation• Can be hard to
detect, but it is fairly widespread
• Content regulation• Ownership
regulation
Media Regulation
Advertising regulation in NZ• The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
– Public & professional with public majority– Public decision-making process
Objectives• Regulating misleading or deceptive advertising• Promote voluntary self-regulation• Fund Advertising Standards Complaints Board
Media Regulation
Regulation is generally done in the name of the public interest
• What public?• What interest?
Media Regulation
The BBC or Reithian model
• Government control of organisation & financing– Emphasizes public
service– Nationalistic– Politicized– Noncommercial (but
some private interests)
Media Regulation
Media ownership regulation
• The US situation:– 1996
Telecommunications Act in U.S.
– Eased restrictions on cross-media ownership
Media Regulation
Media ownership regulation
• The New Zealand situation:– No regulatory body
examining:– Ownership
restrictions– Programme-based
license requirements
– Programme quotas
Media Regulation
Media content regulation• The US situation
– The (repealed) Fairness Doctrine
– Broadcasters must cover public issues & provide both sides
– Result: one-sided popular programming
Media Regulation
Media content regulation• The NZ situation
– New Zealand Press Council (NZPC)• Created in response to potential for Labour
governmental interference– Mix of industry & public reps– Objectives
• Considering complaints against the press• Promoting freedom of speech/press• Maintaining professional standards of the
press
Media Regulation
Media content regulation• The NZ situation
– The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA)• Funded by Parliament & broadcasters• A government-initiated regulatory
framework– Tasks and objectives
• Receiving complaints about alleged breaches of practice
• Encouraging broadcasters to develop codes of ethics
• Conducting research on broadcast standards
Media Regulation
Media content regulation• The NZ situation
– The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA)• Responsible for programme
standards– Good taste – Fairness– Accuracy– Privacy
• They can impose fines and other punishment if the complaint is upheld.
Media Regulation
Film content regulation• In the US, the Motion
Picture Association of America (MPAA)• In NZ, the Office of Film
and Literature Classification (OFLC)
Media regulation
Content regulation• Regulation via citizen protest
– Monitorial citizen groups
Media Regulation
Film content• Realities
– 80 percent of R16/R18 rated films marketed to kids
Media Regulation
Broadcast content• Realities
– V-chips rarely used
Media Regulation
Music• Realities
– Advisory labels boost sales
Media Regulation
Content regulation• Violence
– 8,000 murders seen before finishing primary school
Effects Theory
The ‘Aggressor Effect’• Violent programming leads to violent
acts
Effects Theory
• Exposure to violence and the Aggressor Effect– Exposure to violent media DOES have short
and long term effects on children’s aggressive behavior
Effects Theory
The ‘Victim Effect’• Violent programming
leads to fearfulness of violence
Effects Theory
The ‘Desensitization Effect’• Violent programming leads to callousness
about seeing others in violent situations
Effects Theory
• Overall, there is a positive and significant relationship between television violence and aggressive behaviour
Effects Theory
How can you explain the tension between institutional structure and individual agency?
