Politics of Journalism: CMC Government 115, Fall 2017

General

The purpose of this course is to explain the relationship between newsmakers and the news media.  It asks how political figures try to influence the traditional media and broadcast their messages via social media. It also asks how the media influence the behavior of officials and activists, as well as ordinary voters.   It poses these questions:

• Who runs the media?

• How is new technology reshaping American journalism?

• What political and social biases affect the media?

• What is "fake news"?

• What ethical standards should journalists observe?

Classes  

Class sessions will include lecture and discussion.  Finish assigned readings before the class because our discussions will involve those readings.  Do not assume that your instructor agrees with everything in the assigned readings, or that you must do so.  Feel free to agree or disagree with any of the material, provided that you can back up what you say.

We shall discuss breaking stories, so you should read news sources every day.   

Blog

Our class blog is at http://gov115.blogspot.com .  I shall post videos, graphs, news stories, and other material there.  We shall use some of this material in class, and you may review the rest at your convenience.   You will all receive invitations to post to the blog.  (Please let me know if you do not get such an invitation.)  I encourage you to use the blog in these ways:

• To post questions or comments about the readings before we discuss them in class;

• To follow up on class discussions with additional comments or questions.

• To post relevant news items or videos.

Remember that the blog is on the open Internet. Post nothing that would look bad to a potential employer. If you want more confidentiality, post to the forum on the class Sakai page.

Grades  

• One four-page paper: 20%
• Two six-page papers: 25% each
• One three-page paper: 15%
• Class participation & blog: 15%

• The papers will develop your research and writing skills.  In grading your papers, I will take account of the quality of your writing, applying the principles of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. If you object to this approach, do not take this course, or anything else that I teach.

• Class participation will hone your ability to think on your feet, as I shall call on students at random.  If you often miss class or fail to prepare, your grade will suffer.  Because we have papers instead of a sit-down, I shall use the cold calls to judge how well you are keeping up with the material.  If you object to this approach, do not take this course.  I also expect you to post relevant material to the blog.

• As a courtesy to your fellow students, please arrive on time, and refrain from eating in class.  I reserve the right to withhold class handouts from latecomers.  Check due dates for and arrange your schedule accordingly.  Do not plan on extensions.   

• Plagiarism is not a victimless offense, because it hurts fellow students.  Please study our Statement of Academic Integrity, which reads in part:  "The faculty of Claremont McKenna College is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity. Each faculty member has the responsibility to report cases of academic dishonesty to the Academic Standards Committee, which has the duty of dealing with cases of alleged academic dishonesty."

• If you might need accommodations for disabilities, please see https://www.cmc.edu/dean-of-students/dss.

Required Books 

• W. Joseph Campbell, Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism 2d ed. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2016). MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE 2D EDITION. 
• Doris A. Graber and Johanna Dunaway, Mass Media and American Politics, 10th ed. (Washington: CQ Press, 2017).  MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE 10TH EDITION..   

“But, that's all right, it's okay. You can look the other way. We can try to understand The New York Times’ effect on man.”  -- The Bee Gees    

• Campbell, ch. 1-5

 Sept 12, 14:  Media History

• Campbell, ch. 6-12.

• Graber, ch. 1-3.

• Penelope Muse Abernathy,  The Rise of a New Media Baron and the Emerging Threat of News Deserts,The Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2016, http://newspaperownership.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/07.UNC_RiseOfNewMediaBaron_SinglePage_01Sep2016-REDUCED.pdf.  READ PAGES 1-36
  

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Sept 26, 28: News Routines in a Changing Media Landscape 

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“My use of social media is not presidential – it’s MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL. Make America Great Again!”  -- Donald J. Trump.

• Graber, ch. 4-5.

• Joshua Green, "This Man is the Most Dangerous Political Operative in America," Bloomberg, October 8, 2015, https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/graphics/2015-steve-bannon/
  

Oct 3, 5:  Audiences and Media Impact  

"Imagine a world without free knowledge." -- Wikipedia, January 18, 2012

• Graber, ch. 6, 11. 

• Michael Barthel and Amy Mitchell,  "Americans’ Attitudes About the News Media Deeply Divided Along Partisan Lines,"  Pew Research Center, May 10, 2017, http://www.journalism.org/2017/05/10/americans-attitudes-about-the-news-media-deeply-divided-along-partisan-lines/ (read complete report, not just first page!)

Oct 10, 12: Campaigns and Elections I

• Graber, ch. 12.
• Thomas Patterson, reports on media coverage of the 2016 campaign:

• ·         Pre-primary period 
• ·         Primary election period 
• ·         Convention period 
• ·         General election period

• Matt Bai, "How Gary Hart’s Downfall Forever Changed American Politics," New York Times Magazine, September 18, 2014. Online: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/magazine/how-gary-harts-downfall-forever-changed-american-politics.html

OCT 19:  Campaigns and Elections II

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I win an election easily, a great "movement" is verified, and crooked opponents try to belittle our victory with FAKE NEWS. A sorry state!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

• Nathan Persily, "Can Democracy Survive the Internet?" Journal of Democracy 28 (April 2017), http://www.journalofdemocracy.org/sites/default/files/07_28.2_Persily%20%28web%29.pdf

"The press is the enemy." -- Richard M. Nixon

• Graber, ch. 13.

Oct 31, Nov 2:  Bias and "Fake News" II

• Campbell, ch. 13. 
• Jen Weedon, William Nuland and Alex Stamos, "Facebook and Information Operations," Facebook, April 27, 2017, https://fbnewsroomus.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/facebook-and-information-operations-v1.pdf
• Neil MacFarquhar and Andrew Rossback, "How Russian Propaganda Spread From a Parody Website to Fox News,"  New York Times,  June 7, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/07/world/europe/anatomy-of-fake-news-russian-propaganda.html

• Graber, ch. 7-8

• Robert D. Novak, The Prince of Darkness (New York: Crown Forum, 2007), 359-390. On Sakai.

• Richard Nixon, memo to H.R. Haldeman, December 4, 1970, https://nixonlibrary.gov/virtuallibrary/documents/donated/120470_nixon.pdf
  
• Charlie Warzel, "Here Is Anthony Scaramucci's "Communications Plan" From Before He Was Fired," Buzzfeed, August 2, 2017, https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/here-is-anthony-scaramuccis-communications-plan-from-before
  
• David Dreyer memo to Lloyd Cutler, June 24, 1994.  Online: http://www.bessettepitney.net/2014/10/a-1994-white-house-memo-great-handbook.html    

• Graber, ch. 9.
• Helena Bottemiller, "Safe at the Plate?" Columbia Journalism Review, January 2, 2013, at http://www.cjr.org/cover_story/safe_at_the_plate.php

• Amy Mitchell, et al., "America’s Shifting Statehouse Press," Pew Research Center, July 10, 2014. Online:  http://www.journalism.org/files/2014/07/Americas-Shifting-Statehouse-Press_full_report.pdf

Nov 21:  News and the Entertainment Media

• S. Robert Lichter, Jody C. Baumgartner, and Jonathan S. Morris, Politics Is a Joke! How TV Comedians are Remaking Political Life (Boulder: Westview, 2015), ch. 1-2.  On Sakai.

FOUR-PAGE ESSAY ASSIGNED NOV 21, DUE IN SAKAI DROPBOX BY DEC 8

 Nov 28, 30: International Affairs, International Perspectives

“Don't look at the camera! Just go by -- like you're fighting!” -- Francis Ford Coppola in Apocalypse Now  

“The troops landing in Somalia yesterday jumped from their rubber boats and headed into the dunes -- and into the glare of television lights.   More than 75 reporters and camera crews were waiting on the beach with microphones on and videotape rolling.” New York Times, 12/9/92.  

• Graber, ch. 10

• Frederick Schauer, "The Exceptional First Amendment," Kennedy School of Government Working Paper No. RWP05-02, February 2005, at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=668543

• Graber, ch. 14