1. THIS MORNING:
1. How the media "creates" reality
2. Characteristics of news presentation



2. MEDIA AND REALITY CREATION:
1. The media do no supply a direct, unadulterated photo of "reality."
1. The "mirror" analogy and myth of objectivity
2. Instead they must choose what stories they will tell and how they will tell them.
2. In this sense, the media inevitably "create realities" (note the plural) as well as describe it.
1. What "elites" see, hear, and read differs from the information that is readily available to the public.




3. CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWS PRESENTATION:
1. Reprinted from Monday's notes.
2. Here are some generalizations. Check them by looking at the "popular" press (network news and local newspapers) to see if they are accurate.
1. Government point of view: official interpretations of events and issues are the primary source and topic of most news stories. One seldom finds independent accounts or analysis.
1. See Squire and others, Dynamics of Democracy, Table 8.3
2. Personalization: news stories are most frequently reported in personal terms. How individuals are affected by an event. Who won, who lost, who was hurt or helped, etc. Compare the number of statements about or by individuals with the number about policy content.
1. The "News Hour" video showing Shields and Gigot provides a perfect example: events were described in terms of how they affected President Clinton, Al Gore, and Trent Lott.

1. Fragmentation: stories are usually short, superficial, devoid of contextual explanation (i.e, they do not show how on issue relates to another or how it depends on prior history, etc.).
1. Lack of context is one of the most serious of the media's shortcomings.
2. Drama: Wherever possible the story's dramatic and emotional elements are emphasized. As the narrator talks what visual images are portrayed. What feelings does the story arouse? Are you angered, saddened, gladdened, etc. or are you "informed." Is coverage dispassionate or does it arouse your feelings?

1. Politics over substance: the "political" aspects of news (who did what to whom) frequently overshadow the "why" parts of the matter.
1. Again, the video shown Monday illustrates the media's (even the "elite" press) concern with politics: the participants only discussed who was for and against changes in the consumer price index (CPI), not the pros and cons of altering it.
2. Note, however, that other "News Hour" shows do cover the substance of the issue, quite unlike the nightly news.
2. Remoteness: there is usually little effort to show the individual how a controversy relates to his or her personal life or interests.

1. Mystification: reports usually do not explain issues or policies or controversies to the reader or viewer. Because emphasis is on personalities and drama, the substance is often left out.

1. NEXT TIME:
1. How politicians use the media to their advantage.
1. Are the media the watchdogs of democracy?
2. Reading:
1. "Two Views of Public Opinion," "The Mass Media and Enlightened Understanding" (Two essays.)
2. Start Chapter 8, Squire and others, Dynamics of Democracy.
3. Start Postman and Powers, How to Watch TV News, although it will not be covered on the first exam.

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