Agenda Setting: the media helps determine which political part becomes part of the public debate.
Priming: occurs when media coverage affects the way the public evaluates political leaders or other candidates.
Framing: the power to decide how political events and results are interpreted by the American people
Gender Gap: the issues that divide men and women
Exit Polling: taking polls as people leave the polling booth, right after they vote
STEPS IN POLLING
Choose the population (ex. all registered voters)
Get a random sample
Prepare valid question
Control polling process
Report results
THE FAMOUS GALLUP POLL MISTAKE
Harry S. Truman v. Thomas E. Dewey
-made a mistake in counting
-resulted in Truman becoming president
EFFECTS OF MEDIA
Selective Exposure: The process by which most individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own biases.
Selective Perception: The process by which individuals perceive what they want to in media messages and disregard the rest.
Issue Ad: Commercials advertising on TV or radio advocating a particular position on an issue, paid for by the interest group, and designed to influence voters' choices on election day.
Political Agenda: A list of issues that are identified as needing government attention.
-Public media is effective towards candidates, because it allow the candidates to speak their minds to the American people, for no charge. (ex. entertainment shows)
-Candidates rely on advertisement, because the media can be biased at some points.
Two types of Media
Print media—magazines, newspapers
Electronic media—Cable TV, network TV, radio, internet
$$—The Media lives off profit.
$$—Profit relies on audience ratings.
How Politicians Use the Media
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Leaks. By leaking information to the media, politicians often hope to change public attitude about a specific issue, bill, or position. *
Free media coverage of events. This "free press" helps incumbents and