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Flashcards in Chapter 7 Deck (32)
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1
Q

what are the 3 functions of modern day media?

A
  1. providing information
  2. watching officials- public watchdog
  3. shaping the policy agenda
2
Q

how does the info provided by the media affect peoples’ views?

A

rarely influences people with strong existing beliefs, reinforces existing opinions instead

3
Q

what is the paradox of news media?

A

it is most likely to influence the people who pay the least attention to it

4
Q

what are loud signal stories?

A

widely reported media stories with an unambiguous message

5
Q

what is the public watchdog function of the media?

A

media coverage alerts the public when a problem arises in politics or society

6
Q

when did the public watchdog function really begin?

A

Watergate

7
Q

what is the policy agenda?

A

the issues that the media covers, the public considers important, and politicians address

8
Q

how does the news media shape the policy agenda?

A

editors choose which stories are headlines, that politicians have to address, congress may investigate, talk shows debate, and people discuss

9
Q

in what 2 ways does the news media control what issues the public cares about more in the policy agenda?

A

priming and framing

10
Q

what is priming?

A

affecting public perceptions of politicians or issues by reporting on topics in ways that either enhance or diminish support

11
Q

what is framing?

A

the way an issue is defined; every issue has many possible frames, each with a different tilt in describing the problem and highlighting solutions

12
Q

what is replacing traditional media?

A

digital sources

13
Q

what is mass media?

A

information and entertainment for broad popular audiences including newspapers, magazines, radio, and television

14
Q

what is personal presidency?

A

the idea that the president has a personal link to the public; made possible by the invention of the radio, whose influence remains strong today

15
Q

what is infotainment?

A

the blurred line between news and entertainment

16
Q

what are 3 concerns about the rise of new media?

A
  1. most web-based outlets’ stories aren’t developed by traditional reporters, which leads to a loss in revenue and the possibility of cost cutting, which leads to important stories not getting covered
  2. important stories may get lost
  3. traditional media tends to include a variety of viewpoints which results in an echo-chamber of arguments
17
Q

what is fake news?

A

the deliberate spread of falsehood or misinformation

18
Q

are reporters politically biased?

A

even though mainstream reporters are less likely to identify as republican, multiple studies have failed to show systematic bias

19
Q

what does the media actually sell?

A

its audience to advertisers

20
Q

what is the prime directive of media outlets?

A

to expand their audience, so the market forces each news source towards to politics of its audience

21
Q

what is most likely to deliver an audience to a news story?

A

drama, a narrative arc

22
Q

what is investigative bias?

A

the transformation of the media into skeptics of powerful figures after a series of events including the civil rights movement and the Watergate scandal

23
Q

what is the fairness bias?

A

the effort to be fair about every issue and present two sides that leads to the creation of a second side on a one sided debate

24
Q

what are the 3 ways democratic governments organize their media?

A
  1. government funded outlets
  2. governments regulate media to ensure protection of public interest
  3. governments stand aside and let the market guide the media, with the assumption that private companies will give people and advertisers what they want
25
Q

what is public ownership?

A

a situation in which media outlets are run by the government and paid for by tax dollars

26
Q

what is the fairness doctrine?

A

an FCC regulation that required media outlets to devote equal time to opposite perspectives

27
Q

how is media organized in the US?

A

strong watchdog tradition, near absolute freedom of the press

28
Q

how did the media begin in most other nations?

A

with government owned stations

29
Q

what type of coverage historically attracts more viewers?

A

wartime coverage

30
Q

how does the media cover campaigns?

A

with DRAMA, conflict, horse race narrative

31
Q

what is a sound bite?

A

a short audio clip usually from a politician’s speech

32
Q

what do campaigns do that often attracts more media coverage?

A

attempt to influence or bypass media and speak directly to supporters