The media and politics
The media connect citizens to government, and changes in media technology have repeatedly transformed politics.
Functions of the media
The media inform the public, act as a watchdog by investigating wrongdoing, set the agenda by deciding which issues receive attention, and frame issues by choosing how to present them. Agenda-setting theory holds that the media may not tell people what to think, but strongly influence what they think about.
From newspapers to social media
Partisan newspapers dominated early American politics. Radio allowed presidents like Franklin Roosevelt to speak directly to the nation in 'fireside chats'. Television made images central: the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debates are often cited as a turning point. The internet and social media now let anyone publish, speeding the spread of both information and misinformation.
Regulation and concerns
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates broadcast licences. Concerns today include media consolidation, echo chambers in which people see only views they already hold, the spread of false information, and declining local news coverage. The First Amendment strongly protects the press from government censorship.
Flashcard
The media's influence over which issues people think about
Check your understanding
After weeks of heavy news coverage of a bridge collapse, polls show infrastructure has become a top public concern. This illustrates: