Mass Media and American Politics

by Graber, Doris A.

• ISBN13: 9780871877680
• ISBN10: 0871877686
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-09-01
• Publisher: Cq Pr

Summary

In this latest edition of a highly praised book, Graber covers a broad range of subjects with three focal points: the mass media and their place in the public and private sectors; the media and their impact on individuals' attitudes and perceptions; and media coverage of governmental institutions and political situations.

Cyberspace and other technological developments are bringing the worlds of mass media and government closer together. Understanding how mass media and American government impact each other requires an understanding of their functions and structures.

Author Biography

Doris A. Graber is professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Table of Contents

Tables, Figures, and Boxes	p. xi
Preface	p. xv
Media Power and Government Control	p. 1
Political Importance of Mass Media	p. 2
Functions of Mass Media	p. 6
Effects of Mass Media	p. 13
Who Should Control News Making?	p. 18
Models of the News-Making Process	p. 24
Summary	p. 29
Ownership, Regulation, and Guidance of Media	p. 33
Control and Ownership: Public and Semipublic	p. 34
Patterns of Private Ownership	p. 38
Government Regulation of the Media	p. 48
Summary	p. 55
Press Freedom and the Law	p. 59
Access to the Media	p. 60
Access to Information	p. 68
Individual Rights Versus the Public's Right to Know	p. 76
Summary	p. 87
News Making and News Reporting Routines	p. 92
Profile Sketch of American Journalists	p. 93
Gatekeeping	p. 99
Effects of Gatekeeping	p. 117
Appraising the News-Making Process	p. 127
Summary	p. 130
Reporting Extraordinary Events	p. 137
Four Crises	p. 138
Media Responses and Roles	p. 140
Covering Pseudo-Crises	p. 154
Summary	p. 155
The Media as Policymakers	p. 159
The Ethics of Melding Political Activism with Journalism	p. 160
Manipulative Journalism in Perspective	p. 161
Muckraking Models	p. 162
Beyond Muckraking: Journalists as Political Actors	p. 171
Agenda Building	p. 175
Documentaries and Docudramas	p. 184
Methods: Fair and Foul	p. 186
Summary	p. 189
Media Impact on Attitudes and Behavior	p. 195
Differential Effects of Print and Broadcast News	p. 196
The Role of Media in Political Socialization	p. 198
Patterns in Socialization	p. 201
Choosing Media Stories	p. 203
Learning Processes	p. 207
Learning Effects: Knowledge and Attitudes	p. 210
Learning Effects: Behavior	p. 219
Summary	p. 225
Elections in the Internet Age	p. 235
The State of Research	p. 236
The Consequences of Media Politics	p. 237
Media Content	p. 248
Media Effects	p. 259
Summary	p. 265
The Struggle for Control: News from the Presidency and Congress	p. 271
The Adversarial Relationship	p. 272
The Media and the Executive Branch	p. 276
The Media and Congress	p. 294
Summary	p. 304
Covering the Justice System and State and Local News	p. 310
The Media and the Courts	p. 310
Covering State and Local Affairs	p. 320
The Contents of Subnational News	p. 327
Summary	p. 336
Foreign Affairs Coverage	p. 342
The Foreign News Niche	p. 343
Making Foreign News	p. 344
Appraising Foreign News Making	p. 369
Exporting News	p. 370
Summary	p. 373
Trends in Media Policy	p. 381
Dissatisfaction with the Media	p. 382
The Impact of New Technologies	p. 388
The Shape of the Future	p. 403
Summary	p. 408
Index	p. 413
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