2.1 Media- Learning Objectives and Chapter Summary
Chapter Overview
Learning Objectives
- Trace the historical development of the news media in the United States
- Characterize four major trends in the news media today
- Summarize the ethical standards and federal
- Evaluate the influence of the news media on public policy and the impact of media bias
Chapter Summary
Roots of the News Media in the United States
The mass media are the wide array of organizations through which information is collected and disseminated to the public including print, movies, television, radio, and the Internet. Mass media entertain and inform. They both reflect and lead society framing issues and sometimes setting the agenda for both the public and the government.
Media are quite diverse and each type of media has its own strengths and weaknesses. Print media do a better job of covering issues in depth while broadcast media convey more information briefly and use more images, just as an example. What are the benefits and drawbacks of the mass media for politics?