Summary all lectures media, society and politics (1 tm 12)
Samenvatting Making Sense of Media and Politics, ISBN: 9781000550634 Media Society and Politics (S_P4SMA)
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Journalistiek
Media, Society and Politics
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Summary ‘Making Sense of Media & Politics: Five Principles in Political
Communication’, Gadi Wolfsfeld
Introduction
Politics is above all a contest, between actors who are trying to defeat their rivals. The news
media are an important part of these contests: they provide the audience. The need to be
heard is a central part of the political game, which can be fulfilled by existing in the media.
Politicians and other activists are constantly competing over the news media (chapter 1 and
2). Journalists turn political information into news and construct in that sense the news.
Journalists construct news stories which are rooted in a particular time, place, culture and
set of political circumstances (chapter 3 and 4). But journalists almost always react to
political events rather than initiate them. And citizens are influenced by the news, which can
be divided into several media effects (chapter 5).
Section I: Political Actors Compete Over the News Media
Chapter 1: Political Power and Power Over the Media
The first principle: Political power can usually be translated into power over the news media.
Power holders can much easier get coverage and thus get their message across. The news
media are more interested in elites. Those without political power are in a much more difficult
position. They have the choice of doing something outrageous or being banished to
obscurity. This also affects the ability of weaker countries to be effective on the world stage.
Even in the digital age, where everyone can produce content, the politically powerful still stay
on top.
Chapter 2: Political Control and Media Independence
Second principle: When the authorities lose control over the political environment they also
lose control over the news. Those in charge have control over the ‘political environment’,
which is everything people are doing, thinking and saying about an issue at a particular
place and time. But power holders can also lose this control (to a certain extent). Three
components of the political environment: (1) the authorities’ level of control over events, (2)
their control over the flow of relevant information, and (3) their ability to maintain a high level
of elite consensus surrounding their policies. News media can also have varying roles in
wars and attempts to make peace. ‘New’ media have made it more difficult for leaders to
maintain control, because of the free flow of information.
Section II: Turning Politics Into News
Chapter 3: No Such Thing as Objective News
Third principle: There is no such thing as objective journalism (nor can there be). News is
biased. The fact that journalists have to choose which item to report means they have to
make subjective judgements about what people need to know. News frames are organizing
devices journalists use to tell a coherent story. And news media have their own frames they
are trying to promote when competing with other news media. These choices can be helpful
in understanding how political contests play out.
Chapter 4: Telling a Good Story
Fourth principle: The media are dedicated more than anything else to telling a good story
and this can often have a major impact on the political process. Journalists are concerned
,with grabbing citizens’ attention, instead of providing intelligent coverage. This is described
as infotainment; between entertainment and information. This is one of the reasons that
political news is so negative and cynical. This infotainment also includes for example talk-
shows. Political ridicule has become a big business, which influenced how people think
about politics. Does this lead to a general decline in public trust? There is also a media
obsession with drama, seen in items covering terrorism and war. The news media are
extremely efficient for mobilizing people to go to war, but much less in attempts to bring
peace.
Chapter 5: The Media Get You When You’re No Paying Attention
Fifth principle: The most important effects of the news media on citizens tend to be
unintentional and unnoticed. About how (much) news media affects the way people think,
feel and behave. Many of the most important effects are unintended by journalists because
they do not spend most of their time attempting to sway public opinion, and unnoticed by
their audience. Journalists only want to produce good stories. Also, citizens are usually not
aware they are being influenced, and they are often not paying attention to it.
A Few Cautionary Warnings before Starting the Trip
What happens in the news: you have to overstate your case if you want people to pay
attention. Social scientists however are not really certain about anything, because of what
terms like ‘generally’, ‘often’ or ‘likely’ are often used. There are two major topics that receive
insufficient attention in the book. First, a good deal of time is spent talking about ‘the news
media’ as if all media were the same. But there are big differences between television, radio
and newspapers or between local and national news. Second, there is not enough said
about the different forms of communication between leaders and the public that can be the
result of digitalisation. Finally, the most examples in the book are from the United States,
and Israel and Northern Ireland, which leads to a lack of attention given to the role of the
news media in non-democratic countries.
Section I: Political Actors Compete Over the News Media
Political actors are all trying to have an impact: on their communities, on their country, and
on the world. One thing all these groups share is that at one point they want the news media
to help them achieve their goals. Getting (positive) coverage can bring lots of benefits. In
terms of potential, it is hard to think of many assets that can do so much for political actors
as gaining regular access to the news media. One of the major problems is that these
political actors have to compete with a lot of other actors.
, Section I: Political Actors Compete Over the News Media
Chapter 1: Political Power and Power Over the Media
Presidents have a huge number of journalists assigned to them and can appear in the news
any time they want. Other people with political power (especially in countries like the U.S.)
also have more ease in getting into the news. A good rule is that journalists run after the
politically powerful and politically weak run after journalists. This brings us to the first
principle: Political power can usually be translated into power over the news media.
One reason journalists consider the powerful more newsworthy is that these are the people
who are most likely to have an impact on the country and the world. The relation between
journalists and political leaders can be considered a competitive symbiosis, because each
depends on the other in order to achieve goals. Leaders want publicity and journalists want
interesting information they can turn into news. It is also competitive, because both want to
get the most from the other while ‘paying’ as little as possible.
The news media also have a preference for conflicts and there is also an expectation that
they will attempt to maintain a certain balance in news coverage. Many talk shows also
encourage a lively debate. However, there is still something inherently elitist about these
debates, for example only people who are known in society are invited to such talk shows.
This process can be understood as ‘indexing’: if nobody with (political) power is talking about
a certain issue, the news media will likewise simply ignore it. This obsession with elites also
limits the range of opinions that are talked about. News media often seem to serve as
‘transcribers of official utterances’.
This can have serious consequences for public debates about issues. Unless the political
leadership is debating an issue, journalists are rarely able to bring other perspectives to the
table. True democracies must have a genuinely independent press who present a wide
range of viewpoints
Power Comes in Many Forms
There are also individuals, organizations, and companies (who are not political) that are
inherently newsworthy because they have a major impact on society. The fact that power
translates into access to the media can also be applied to cities, states and countries. One is
more likely to hear news that comes from the riches and more populated places. There is
always a flood of information that flows from the haves to the have-nots, but not in the
opposite direction.
Not Just More Coverage But Usually More Positive
There are two doors to getting into news. The first is the front door, which is reserved for
powerful people. They are covered for who they are, do and say. Generally heads of state
are given much more latitude to pass their message to the public. The opposition often can
respond to an event, but cannot initiate it. Those with power and resources have the added
advantage of being able to hire ‘spin doctors’, who are experts at promoting stories to the
news media. Reporters are always pressed for time, which makes ‘ready to post’ stories
easier. They are also able to hire a talented team who are responsible for keeping journalists
in the loop of preparing interesting videos for general distribution. However, this media
attention is not always positive. Journalists often frame stories about the powerful with a
certain degree of cynicism and they also look out for scandals. But, political power can be
critical when it comes to damage control. So journalists will think very carefully before they
go against their most important sources.
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