Chapter 8Chapter 8

Mass Media and Public Mass Media and Public OpinionOpinion

OpinionsOpinions

Private OpinionPrivate Opinion– Own ViewOwn View– Intensity DiffersIntensity Differs

Public OpinionPublic Opinion– Most or all of AmericansMost or all of Americans– Attitudes held by a significant number of Attitudes held by a significant number of

peoplepeople– EX: protest demonstrations, film, EX: protest demonstrations, film,

billboard, votingbillboard, voting

Different PublicsDifferent Publics

ManyMany Hold same view on issueHold same view on issue Public AffairsPublic Affairs

– PoliticsPolitics– Public issuesPublic issues– Public policiesPublic policies

Family and EducationFamily and Education

FamilyFamily– 11stst encounter with political world encounter with political world– Parent comments/storiesParent comments/stories– Watching television with familyWatching television with family

SchoolSchool– Learn about historic figuresLearn about historic figures– Teaches valuesTeaches values

Ex: recite Pledge of AllegianceEx: recite Pledge of Allegiance

Other FactorsOther Factors Single issueSingle issue Mass mediaMass media

– Newspapers, magazines, radio, internet, Newspapers, magazines, radio, internet, TVTV

Peer groupsPeer groups– Friends, classmates, neighbors, co-workersFriends, classmates, neighbors, co-workers

Opinion leadersOpinion leaders– Hold public officeHold public office, writers, broadcasters, , writers, broadcasters,

doctorsdoctors Historic eventsHistoric events

– Great Depression, assassinations, warGreat Depression, assassinations, war

Measuring Public OpinionMeasuring Public Opinion

ElectionsElections Interest GroupsInterest Groups MediaMedia Personal ContactsPersonal Contacts

ElectionsElections

Votes cast for different candidatesVotes cast for different candidates MandateMandate Not very accurate measure of public Not very accurate measure of public

opinionopinion Voter choicesVoter choices

Interest GroupsInterest Groups

Private organizationsPrivate organizations Share certain views and objectivesShare certain views and objectives ““Pressure Groups” and “Special Pressure Groups” and “Special

Interest Groups”Interest Groups” LobbyistLobbyist

– Letters, phone callsLetters, phone calls

MediaMedia

T.V., newspapers, magazines, blogsT.V., newspapers, magazines, blogs Not very accurate measure of public Not very accurate measure of public

opinionopinion

Personal ContactsPersonal Contacts

Try to read the public’s mindTry to read the public’s mind Bags of mailBags of mail Phone calls Phone calls EmailsEmails Trips homeTrips home Encounter public in offices, meetings, Encounter public in offices, meetings,

social gatherings, baseball gamessocial gatherings, baseball games

Polls-The Best MeasurePolls-The Best Measure

Straw VotesStraw Votes– Ask same question Ask same question – Given to large number of peopleGiven to large number of people– Fairly commonFairly common– Very unreliableVery unreliable– Literary DigestLiterary Digest

Polls Cont…Polls Cont…

Scientific PollingScientific Polling– National and regional polling National and regional polling

organizationsorganizations– Get public preference on various issuesGet public preference on various issues

Americans Just As Proud to be an American Americans Just As Proud to be an American Citizen Now as After 9/11Citizen Now as After 9/11

Two-thirds say living in freedom and owning Two-thirds say living in freedom and owning a home are parts of the American Dreama home are parts of the American Dream

The Polling ProcessThe Polling Process

Defining the UniverseDefining the Universe Constructing a SampleConstructing a Sample Prepare valid questionsPrepare valid questions Select and control how poll will be Select and control how poll will be

takentaken Analyze and report findingsAnalyze and report findings

UniverseUniverse

Whole population-aims to measureWhole population-aims to measure Opinions the polls wants to discoverOpinions the polls wants to discover EX: all voters in Ohio, Madison High EX: all voters in Ohio, Madison High

School studentsSchool students

Constructing a SampleConstructing a Sample

Not possible to poll everyoneNot possible to poll everyone Representative sliceRepresentative slice Random sampleRandom sample

– Randomly selected peopleRandomly selected people– Need sufficient sizeNeed sufficient size– Majority polls 1,500 peopleMajority polls 1,500 peopleSufficient size+Random=accurate resultsSufficient size+Random=accurate results

Quota sampleQuota sample– Less reliableLess reliable

Preparing Valid QuestionsPreparing Valid Questions

Question wordingQuestion wording Phrase questions carefullyPhrase questions carefully

– No difficult termsNo difficult terms– No emotionally charged wordsNo emotionally charged words

– Did you vote in the 2004 and 2006 Did you vote in the 2004 and 2006 election?election?

Interviewing and AnalyzingInterviewing and Analyzing

InterviewingInterviewing– Tone of voiceTone of voice– Carefully wordedCarefully worded– EX: door to door, Random digit dialingEX: door to door, Random digit dialing

AnalyzingAnalyzing– ComputersComputers– TechnologyTechnology– Publish findingsPublish findings

Evaluating PollsEvaluating Polls

Fairly reliableFairly reliable Difficulty measuringDifficulty measuring

– IntensityIntensity– StabilityStability– RelevanceRelevance

Scientific PollsScientific Polls– Most useful tool at measuring public Most useful tool at measuring public

opinionopinion

Limits on the Impact of Public Limits on the Impact of Public OpinionOpinion

Polls are not electionsPolls are not elections Opinions vs. concrete informationOpinions vs. concrete information DemocracyDemocracy

Role of Mass MediaRole of Mass Media

Means of communicationMeans of communication

1.1. TelevisionTelevision

2.2. NewspapersNewspapers

3.3. RadioRadio

4.4. MagazinesMagazines

TelevisionTelevision

Politics and televisionPolitics and television More televisions than plumbingMore televisions than plumbing Replaced newspapersReplaced newspapers CBS, ABC, NBCCBS, ABC, NBC FOXFOX CNN, Turner BroadcastingCNN, Turner Broadcasting PBSPBS

NewspapersNewspapers

17401740 11stst Amendment- Freedom of Press Amendment- Freedom of Press 10,000+ newspapers in U.S.10,000+ newspapers in U.S. Local papersLocal papers

RadioRadio

19201920 Music, news, sports, programsMusic, news, sports, programs 20 hours each week20 hours each week most are localmost are local Devote few minutes to the newsDevote few minutes to the news

MagazinesMagazines

17411741 12,000 published in U.S.12,000 published in U.S. Golf Digest, Teen, American Golf Digest, Teen, American

Rifleman, Consumer ReportsRifleman, Consumer Reports

Media and PoliticsMedia and Politics

Public AgendaPublic Agenda– Public issues that are focused onPublic issues that are focused on– Media powerMedia power

Electoral PoliticsElectoral Politics– Candidates less dependent on party Candidates less dependent on party

organizationsorganizations– Appeal to the peopleAppeal to the people– Stories Stories

Less than a minuteLess than a minute Show people doing somethingShow people doing something

Limits on Media InfluenceLimits on Media Influence

15% that vote are well informed15% that vote are well informed SelectiveSelective Few public affair programs in prime Few public affair programs in prime

timetime InterestInterest