Chapter 8Chapter 8

Mass Media and Public OpinionMass Media and Public Opinion

Section 1Section 1

The Formation of Public OpinionThe Formation of Public Opinion

What is public opinion?What is public opinion?One of the most overused and misunderstood One of the most overused and misunderstood termsterms

A complex collection of opinions of many A complex collection of opinions of many different peopledifferent people

Different PublicsDifferent PublicsEach “Public” care about different issuesEach “Public” care about different issues

Public affairsPublic affairs events and issues that concern the people at largeevents and issues that concern the people at large

DefinitionDefinition Public opinionPublic opinion

Those attitudes held by a significant number of people on Those attitudes held by a significant number of people on matters of government and politicsmatters of government and politics

Family and EducationFamily and Education

Public Opinion is formed through the life Public Opinion is formed through the life experiencesexperiencesPolitical Socialization preformed by:Political Socialization preformed by:

FamilyFamilyParents beliefs build a foundation of views on Parents beliefs build a foundation of views on political beliefs in their childrenpolitical beliefs in their children

The SchoolsThe SchoolsUsed to indoctrinate students to become good Used to indoctrinate students to become good citizenscitizens

Family and Schools not the only factors, but Family and Schools not the only factors, but most significantmost significant

The Political SpectrumThe Political SpectrumPeople who have similar opinions on political issues are generally grouped according to whether they are “left,”

“right,” or “center” on the political spectrum.

22 33 Chapter 8, Section 1Chapter 8, Section 1

Other FactorsOther FactorsMass MediaMass Media

Those means of communication that reach large, Those means of communication that reach large, widely dispersed audiences (masses of people) widely dispersed audiences (masses of people) simultaneouslysimultaneously

TV and Internet the most common form of Mass TV and Internet the most common form of Mass MediaMedia

Peer GroupsPeer Groups Made up of the people with whom one regularly Made up of the people with whom one regularly

associatesassociatesfriends, classmates, neighbors, and co-workersfriends, classmates, neighbors, and co-workers

reinforces what a person has already come to reinforces what a person has already come to believebelieve

most tend to share the same belief on public issuesmost tend to share the same belief on public issues

Other Factors (Con’t)Other Factors (Con’t)

Opinion LeadersOpinion Leaders Person who, for any reason, has an unusually Person who, for any reason, has an unusually

strong influence on the views of othersstrong influence on the views of othersCould be anyone who people believe and tend to followCould be anyone who people believe and tend to follow

Historic EventsHistoric Events Great Depression led to the belief that the National Great Depression led to the belief that the National

Government should have a larger role in citizens Government should have a larger role in citizens liveslives

Events of the 1960’s and 70’s led to mistrust in the Events of the 1960’s and 70’s led to mistrust in the national governmentnational government

Section 2Section 2

Measuring Public OpinionMeasuring Public Opinion

Measuring Public OpinionMeasuring Public Opinion

Polls are one of the most common Polls are one of the most common means of gauging public opinionmeans of gauging public opinionElectionsElections

Votes cast for the various candidates are Votes cast for the various candidates are regularly taken as evidence of the people’s regularly taken as evidence of the people’s approvalapproval

MandateMandateinstructions or commands a constituency gives instructions or commands a constituency gives to its elected officialsto its elected officials

However an election very likely does not However an election very likely does not give mandates from the publicgive mandates from the public

Measuring Public Opinion (Con’t)Measuring Public Opinion (Con’t)Interest GroupsInterest Groups

Private organizations whose members share certain views Private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape the making and the content of public policyand work to shape the making and the content of public policy

Chief means through which public opinion is made knownChief means through which public opinion is made known

The MediaThe Media Considered many times as “mirrors” and/or “molders” of public Considered many times as “mirrors” and/or “molders” of public

opinionopinion However they are not very accurate mirrors of public opinion, However they are not very accurate mirrors of public opinion,

often reflecting only the views of a vocal minorityoften reflecting only the views of a vocal minority

Personal ContactsPersonal Contacts Public Administrators receiving calls, mail, emails, or through Public Administrators receiving calls, mail, emails, or through

meetingsmeetingshowever tend to only find views that support and agree with their however tend to only find views that support and agree with their own viewsown views

Polls – The Best MeasurePolls – The Best Measure

Public opinion pollsPublic opinion polls Devices that attempt to collect information by Devices that attempt to collect information by

asking people questionsasking people questions

Straw VotesStraw Votes Polls that seek to read the public’s mind simply by Polls that seek to read the public’s mind simply by

asking the same question to a large number of asking the same question to a large number of peoplepeople

however highly unreliablehowever highly unreliable

does not make sure that the does not make sure that the samplesample is an is an accurate cross-section of the populationaccurate cross-section of the population

1936 election and Library Digest mishap1936 election and Library Digest mishap

Polls – The Best Measure (Con’t)Polls – The Best Measure (Con’t)

Scientific PollingScientific Polling George Gallup and Elmo Roper have George Gallup and Elmo Roper have

helped polls to become highly sophisticated helped polls to become highly sophisticated levellevel

Best pollsters today are Gallup Organization Best pollsters today are Gallup Organization and Louis Harris Associatesand Louis Harris Associates

Polling ProcessPolling ProcessDefining the UniverseDefining the Universe

Universe means the whole population that Universe means the whole population that the poll aims to measurethe poll aims to measure

Constructing a SampleConstructing a Sample To poll the entire universe is very difficult, To poll the entire universe is very difficult,

and often impossibleand often impossibleMust select a sampleMust select a sample

representative slice of the total universerepresentative slice of the total universe

Polling Process (Con’t)Polling Process (Con’t)

Constructing Sample (Con’t)Constructing Sample (Con’t) Random sampleRandom sample

a probability samplea probability sampleGenerally national polls only are represented by Generally national polls only are represented by about 1,500 peopleabout 1,500 peopleMathematics tells us that 1,500 people selected Mathematics tells us that 1,500 people selected randomly, can give you the probability to have an randomly, can give you the probability to have an accurate poll (+/- 3%)accurate poll (+/- 3%)

Quota sampleQuota samplesample deliberately constructed to reflect several sample deliberately constructed to reflect several of the major characteristics of a given universeof the major characteristics of a given universe

Polling Process (Con’t)Polling Process (Con’t)

Preparing Valid QuestionsPreparing Valid QuestionsWording can affect the reliability of any pollWording can affect the reliability of any poll

try to avoid “loaded questions”try to avoid “loaded questions”

Evaluating PollsEvaluating Polls

Major National polls are fairly reliableMajor National polls are fairly reliable IntensityIntensity

Strength of feeling of an opinion heldStrength of feeling of an opinion held StabilityStability

Relative permanence of opinionRelative permanence of opinion RelevanceRelevance

How important is the opinionHow important is the opinion

However, criticized for creating a However, criticized for creating a “Bandwagon Effect”“Bandwagon Effect”

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

Polls are not electionsPolls are not elections

Requires citizens to be informed to Requires citizens to be informed to determine the possible bias of any and determine the possible bias of any and all polls or mass mediaall polls or mass media

Section 3Section 3

The Mass MediaThe Mass Media

Media StatisticsMedia Statistics

Chapter 8, Section 3Chapter 8, Section 32211

Access to media varies from country to country.

The Role of Mass MediaThe Role of Mass MediaMediumMedium is a means of communication is a means of communication

Media is plural for mediumMedia is plural for mediumTV, Newspaper, Internet, and magazines most prolificTV, Newspaper, Internet, and magazines most prolific

Through Mass Media, most people receive their Through Mass Media, most people receive their informationinformation

TelevisionTelevision Replaced newspaper as the principal source of Replaced newspaper as the principal source of

political information for a majority of Americans in political information for a majority of Americans in the early 1960’sthe early 1960’s

NewspapersNewspapers Once the strongest source of political information, Once the strongest source of political information,

however it’s influence has been diminished due to however it’s influence has been diminished due to TV, radio and internetTV, radio and internet

Most, if not all newspapers, have their publications on the Most, if not all newspapers, have their publications on the internetinternet

The Role of Mass Media (Con’t)The Role of Mass Media (Con’t)

RadioRadio Still considered one of the top sources of Still considered one of the top sources of

informationinformationGenerally lean RepublicanGenerally lean Republican

However, NPR leans DemocraticHowever, NPR leans Democratic

MagazinesMagazines Generally used by scholarly or educated Generally used by scholarly or educated

individualsindividuals

The Media and PoliticsThe Media and Politics

Public AgendaPublic Agenda The societal problems that political leaders The societal problems that political leaders

and citizens agree need government and citizens agree need government attentionattention

Ultimately the Media help influence those Ultimately the Media help influence those matters of concern to public-policy makersmatters of concern to public-policy makers

Done by featuring certain items at different pointsDone by featuring certain items at different points

Media help determine what people should Media help determine what people should think think aboutabout

Presidents currently receive a daily digest of the Presidents currently receive a daily digest of the news reports and analysisnews reports and analysis

The Media and Politics (Con’t)The Media and Politics (Con’t)

Electoral PoliticsElectoral Politics TV has lessoned the power of political party TV has lessoned the power of political party

committeescommitteescandidates can appeal directly to the populationcandidates can appeal directly to the population

All about the “image” the candidate gives offAll about the “image” the candidate gives off Extensive use of Extensive use of sounds bitessounds bites

snappy reports that can be aired in 30-45 snappy reports that can be aired in 30-45 seconds or soseconds or so

Limits on Media InfluenceLimits on Media InfluenceOnly a small part of the population actually is Only a small part of the population actually is “well informed” for elections“well informed” for elections

Those who do pay attention, tend to only listen to Those who do pay attention, tend to only listen to reports from the political parties they tend to reports from the political parties they tend to supportsupport

TV tends to share very little information about TV tends to share very little information about news due to the short amount of timenews due to the short amount of time

Left to report only what TV Editors deem most Left to report only what TV Editors deem most importantimportant

Overall, in depth information is tough to come Overall, in depth information is tough to come by in just one of the mediumsby in just one of the mediums

Requires effort to read and analyze the information Requires effort to read and analyze the information in each mediumin each medium