Lecture 6: Democracy and the Media

How should the media deal with the political process? Two camps:
literalists and idealists.

Literalists: Strict interpretation of the First Amendment

Idealists: media's role is to inform citizens about their government in a manner that's completely independent of government interference.

Ancient Greek principles:

Adios: a sense of concern for the good opinion of others

Dike: a sense of justice achieved through mediation

Three basic roles of media in helping citizens understand political process:

• provide facts about politicians and issues
• provide a context for the issues
• keep track of progress of the issues

Dangers of political reporting:

Pack mentality: Covering front-runners and popular issues covered at the expense of everyone and everything else.

Concentrating on private lives of politicians when it has no bearing on public issues

Characteristics of political advertising: emotional, sometimes bordering on libelous, use of persuasive imagery, often negative.

Public journalism: a new movement designed to get private citizens more involved in public life and the politics of their communities. Goals:
to increase voter participation and volunteerism.

The leak, or information from a secret source, can serve several functions:

• a trial balloon to measure reaction of the public to an idea
• to foment public opinion for or against an issue
• a form of whistle-blowing
• deliberate misinformation to mislead the press and public
• a way to send a message to a third party

ethical issues involving leaks: using an uncredited source, being manipulated for the source's purpose.

BACK