the mass media and political communication

The Mass Media and Political Communication

Introduction

• The media can be defined as including all aspects of the transmission of cultural, social and political values in society.

• Although the written word is centuries old, mass communication (including radio and television) has only been firmly established in this past century.

Introduction

• Most people are not closely involved with politics. So, communication of ideas and information has to be undertaken by other means – the media is essential to effective function of society.

• Look at where people get their ‘world news’ from– 62% T.V– 23% Newspapers– 14% Radio– 1% Talking to other people

Introduction

• Public attitudes are affected by exposure to the media though there is strong disagreement over how.

• Although the media is a favourite target of abuse by politicians and the public, both sides enjoy a symbiotic relationship.

• Serious disagreements exist over how the media’s role and power in society should be interpreted which gives rise to conflicting theories

• Events like the Hutton Inquiry maintain the interest and topicality of this subject.

The All-Pervasive Media

• Media take up is almost universal in society – whether electronic media or print.

• ¾ adults reads a daily national newspaper

• Look at Newspaper sales in 2003 ….

The All-Pervasive Media

• The Sun 3.52m• Daily Mail 2.35m• Daily Mirror

1.96m• The Express

0.91m• Daily Telegraph

0.90m

• The Times 0.59m

• Daily Star 0.50m

• FT 0.49m

• Guardian 0.37m

• Independent 0.18m

The All Pervasive Media

• Divisions between tabloid and broadsheet readers is becoming known as the ‘knowledge gap’.

• TV has become crucial with it dominating the sector and our lives. Average viewing figures of 3 hours per day per adult are typical.

• More educated people watch serious TV programmes, read broadsheets & are politically aware.

• Less well educated people watch entertainment TV, read tabloids and are less politically aware.

Trivialisation of Politics

• Media blamed for trivialisation – the resulting knowledge gap stifling intellectual discussion and undermining democracy

• Undue concentration on personalities and gossip rather than the policies of politicians has detracted from serious debate.

Trivialisation of Politics

• The politics of the ‘sound bite’ and the messages of the spin doctors who manipulate the flow of information to the media compound matters.

• The age of ‘infotainment’ is here – the OJ Simpson trial, the Louise Woodward trial, the antics of Bill Clinton when president.

Impact of the Media

• Difficult to measure its actual impact on people in relation to other influences.

• Different types of media have different effects which mean that its difficult to generalise.

• Problem of establishing cause and effects with all media.

Theories of the Media

• Reinforcement theory – can only reinforce attitudes which already exist because

– a) in a competitive market the media are forced to give the public what they want to hear/read

– b) unwanted messages are ignored, distorted, filtered out by readers

• Conclusion – media effects are minimal


• Agenda Setting – media can’t determine what we think but can determine what we think about

– Widespread media attention helps concentrate the public attention on issues

– Can keep hardcore politics off the agenda by filling papers full of mindless rubbish

– Journalists in ‘echo chambers’ (talking among themselves and taking cues from each other about what's important)


• Priming Theory – the way in which the media presents the story determines or influences how citizens see the story and evaluate it.

– Human interest story or gov statistics– Bad news – sells papers but creates

videomalaise– Fast forward syndrome


• Pluralist Accounts

– media is generally objective, issuing facts, offering balanced coverage, carrying criticisms of government and aiding the democratic process – extending free speech in a free society.

Theories of the Media• Pluralist Accounts

Impartiality is required. of broadcasters

Free competition ensures that newspapers provide a range of competing and different perspectives.

Any bias in sympathies is a reflection of popular opinion.

That the media comes into conflict with politicians and government demonstrates a healthy system of checks on political behaviour.


Pluralist Critique

‘Pure’ and ‘objective facts are illusory since all news is sifted, ordered and presented in a certain frame of reference.

Power in the media tends towards oligarchy, prejudicial to minority &/or unpopular issues/groups/opinions

High barriers to entry – capital costs are prohibitive; ownership increasingly concentrated


Dominant Values•Media power is not diffuse but concentrated.

•Ownership is in few hands.

•Viewpoints expressed reflect this imbalance of power.

•Media sustains dominant values of establishment – big business, high finance, party political elites.

•Media moguls crave influence but also profit.

Analysing Bias and Distortion

• With so much at stake it is not surprising that the question of bias and distortion is a constant concern.

• Restrictions do exist on the unfettered right of newspapers, and more especially, broadcasters to behave as they please.


• For newspapers, the Press Council, later the Press Complaints Commission (from 1991), exist to promote decent standards but have few powers.

• Paparazzi and chequebook journalism produced calls for a right to privacy and a right to reply.

• In response to ‘excesses’ by some newspapers, the Calcutt Report (1993) recommended a statutory code of conduct – the government rejected it.


• Television is seen as less prone to overt bias but distortion occurs all the same.

• The BBC, ITC, ASA, BSC, all existed to regulate the electronic media - Now OFCOM.

• TV news reporting and documentaries can be more objective and can shape public opinion and force the hand of politicians. Similarly, investigative journalism in newspapers can be to the public good.

The Future

• The Hutton Inquiry has put the nature of the relationship between the media and the government sharply into focus.

• "What the report shows very clearly is this: the prime minister told the truth. The government told the truth. I told the truth. The BBC, from the chairman and director general down, did not.“ Alistair Campbell

• What of Greg Dyke’s new book deal?

the mass media and political communication

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