What do official press conferences aim to achieve?
Presents the official government position on contemporary issues
They hope to get their view of events presented in the media.
What is an example of information presented during official press conferences?
Daily press conferences during the COVID-19 pandemic presented key information such as infection rates
They also used this space to push policies like the ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ scheme.
What are ‘leaks’ and off-the-record briefings?
Government officials talk to journalists informally to manage reporting
Often published as ‘sources close to the government say…’.
How do journalists benefit from giving favorable coverage to the government?
They receive preferential treatment in the future
This can include more access to information or events.
What is the role of government spin doctors?
They manipulate the media to present unpopular policies more favorably
They also advise ministers on public appearance.
Who was Alastair Campbell?
A spin doctor for New Labour who advised Tony Blair
He suggested a more casual approach to communication with Cabinet ministers.
What was the impact of Alastair Campbell’s advice to Tony Blair?
The headline ‘Call me Tony’ made the PM appear down-to-earth and approachable
This helped shape public perception of Blair.
What do filtering and blocking computer software do?
Decide which software and internet sites can be accessed by citizens
Some governments restrict access to information online.
What happened to Google in China?
Google withdrew from China in 2010 due to hacking by the Chinese government
They were tracking human rights activists.
What does government surveillance include?
Electronic surveillance of emails, monitoring websites, and intercepting mobile phone calls
This can restrict internet usage due to fear of repercussions.
What significant law was passed in the UK in 2014?
A law allowing police and security services to scrutinize social media communication and emails
This increased government oversight of personal communications.
ideology definition
set of ideas, values and beliefs that represent the outlook, and justifies the interests of a social group.
dominant reading
interpretations of the message within the media content that those producing it would prefer their audience to believe
IPSO
Independent Press Standard Organisation, an independent regulator for newspapers and magazines in the UK.
OFCOM
- Office of communications, was esablished in 2003
- powerful media regulator with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communication services.
- has responsibility for several factors including ; Protecting the public, ensuring wide range of radio, tv, electronic media, safeguarding people
Morley (1999, 1980)
argues that the media puts across a dominant ideology by producing content in a way that will make the audience respond in the desired way.
Manipulative or Instrumental approach
The traditional Marxist approach, arguing that media owners directly control and manipulate media content to spread the dominant ideology.
Dominant Ideology or Hegemonic approach
The neo-Marxist approach, also suggesting that the media spreads a dominant ideology but that owners are less involved. Journalists and media managers choose to support it.
Pluralist approach
Seeing power as spread throughout society, pluralists are driven by profits!
Criticisms of Instrumentalism
- Pluralists argue there is a wide range of opinions in the media / no dominant ideology.
- The media owners are mostly concerned with making profits.
- content is chosen by providing what audiences want, to attract large audiences and advertisers, not what owners want.
- State regulation means that no one person has too much influence.
- By law, TV and radio must report news impartially.
- Sometimes, the media highlight inequalities and the wrongdoings of the ruling class (e.g., Ronan Farrow and Harvey Weinstein).
- Audiences are not passive and gullible
Neo-philiacs
Citizen journalism shows how audiences can participate in news production
Gramsci’s concept of hegemony
through the spreading of the dominant ruling-class ideology, other social classes are persuaded to accept that the values and beliefs in that ideology are reasonable and normal
Media Maintains Hegemony
media managers and journalists have some professional independence; they still generally support the dominant ideology, but by choice - not because they are manipulated or ordered by owners to do so.
actions of media moguls such as Rupert Murdoch send a strong message to journalists to conform to their views or face being undermined.
Media Maintains Hegemoney (Glasgow Media Group)
most journalists tend to be white, middle-class and male, and their socialisation means they share a similar view of the world to that of the dominant class.
