II.                   The Structure of the Media

1.       The relationship between media and politics is a two-way street: while politicians can try to use media for their own gain, the media can use politicians for humorous or informative purposes.

                                                               i.      The media does not simply deliver the truth; there is a process of editing and choosing behind the scenes, dictating what really is shown and what is not.

2.       The number of newspaper companies has not declined, but the number of cities with competing paper companies HAS; only 4% of America’s cities have competing newspapers.

                                                               i.      However, many smaller cities have access to different papers due to readership overlaps.

3.       Television and radio, on the other hand, are highly competitive, for although there are only five major networks, there are over 1000 TV stations, and each one has its own news programs.

                                                               i.      There are a multitude of cable TV channels and a plethora of radio stations.

                                                             ii.      Astonishingly to foreigners, the American press—radio, television, and newspapers—is independently operated by local enterprises, not national ones.

4.       However, the American newspaper is more locally geared (more local stories than national ones) then European papers.

                                                               i.      The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prohibits people from operating more than one newspaper, AM radio station, FM station, or TV station in a given market, and companies cannot own more than 12 TV stations and 12 AM and 12 FM stations in the country.

                                                             ii.      Networks cannot make a local affiliate accept any particular broadcast (it’s all voluntary).

                                                            iii.      The recent 1996 Telecommunications Act gives broadcasters greater freedom to enter new businesses and purchase more TV and radio stations; its effects are unknown as of now.

5.       Certain publications and broadcast services have offset local orientation: the Associated Press and United Press International supply most of the news reported in local papers; the Cable News Network shows news 24/7; certain magazines like Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News & World Report have national influences; network evening news broadcasts from ABC, NBC, and CBS are usually shown by local affiliates; and the New York Times and Washington Post have acquired national influence because they’re read by practically every important person in Washington, thus joining the three truly national papers—the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and USA Today—in popularity and scope.

                                                               i.      The existence of a national press is important because politicians pay attention to the opinions of a writer in a national paper; also, reporters for national papers tend to come from more prestigious colleges, be more liberal, be better paid, and seek the chance to write stores that are not accounts of a certain news event but rather investigate about issues and policies.

6.       The national press can play the role of the gatekeeper by deciding what topics and stories get attention and what topics do not (i.e. auto safety, H₂O pollution, quality of prescription drugs weren’t big issues till the press covered them).

7.       It can also be the scorekeeper by keeping track of and helping to make national reputations.

                                                               i.      This is where the exposure that politicians so dearly desire comes from.

                                                             ii.      As a result, though, the news often covers presidential elections as if they were horse races rather than choices among policies (i.e. the attention lavished on the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, the “discovery” of Gary Hart in 1984 and George McGovern in 1972 after they finished second in primary races).

8.       The press can be the watchdog, exposing scandals and corruption when and where needed (i.e. the press discovering Gary Hart’s infidelity to his wife).

9.       Newspaper folks have more freedom and less pressure than TV folks, but they make less money.