Politics of Journalism: CMC Government 115, Fall 2019  

General

The purpose of this course is to explain the relationship between newsmakers and the mass 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 is not a "how-to" course on the practice of journalism.  Instead, it poses these questions:

• What are the media in the 21st century?  

• How have economic pressures damaged the traditional print media?

• Who runs the media?

• How is new technology reshaping American media politics?

• 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, I will take account of the quality of your writing, applying the principles of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. If you object, 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.  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.
• In addition to the required readings (below), I may also give you handouts, emails, and web links covering current events and basic factual information.
• As a courtesy to your fellow students, please arrive on time, and refrain from eating in class.   
• Please do not use electronic devices (tablets, laptops, smartphones) in class. Take notes the old-fashioned way, by hand, on paper.  Why?  Research suggests that it works better. 
• Check due dates for coursework. Do not plan on extensions.

• Plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty are not a victimless offenses, because they 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."  

• This class welcomes viewpoint diversity. See: https://heterodoxacademy.org/teaching-heterodoxy-syllabus-language/  

• If you have any questions related to Disability Support Services at Claremont McKenna College, please get in touch with disabilityservices@cmc.edu.

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..
• Thad Hall and Betsy Sinclair, A Connected America: Politics in the Era of Social Media (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019).  

"[T]o the press alone, chequered as it is with abuses, the world is indebted for all the triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity, over error and oppression." -- James Madison   
 

Sept 9, 11:  Media History I

• Campbell, ch. 1-5.

• Campbell, ch. 6-12.

• Graber, ch. 1-3.

• Penelope Muse Abernathy, "The Expanding News Desert," UNC School of Media and Journalism, 2018, https://www.usnewsdeserts.com/reports/expanding-news-desert/ .
  

Sept 30, Oct 2: News Routines in a Changing Media Landscape 

• Graber, ch. 4-5.  

Oct 7, 9:  Audiences and Media Impact  

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

• Graber, ch. 6, 11. 

• Jeffrey Gottfried, Galen Stocking, and Elizabeth Grieco, "Partisans Remain Sharply Divided in Their Attitudes About the News Media." Pew Research Center, September 25, 2018, https://www.journalism.org/2018/09/25/partisans-remain-sharply-divided-in-their-attitudes-about-the-news-media.
  

Oct 14, 16: Campaigns and Elections I

• Graber, ch. 12.
• Hall and Sinclair, ch. 1-2.
  

OCT 23:  Campaigns and Elections II

• Hall and Sinclair, ch. 3.
  

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

• Graber, ch. 13.
• Campbell, ch. 13.

Nov 4, 6:  Bias, Incivility, and "Fake News" II

"Oceania was at war with Eastasia: Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia. A large part of the political literature of five years was now completely obsolete. Reports and records of all kinds, newspapers, books, pamphlets, films, sound-tracks, photographs — all had to be rectified at lightning speed. Although no directive was ever issued, it was known that the chiefs of the Department intended that within one week no reference to the war with Eurasia, or the alliance with Eastasia, should remain in existence anywhere."  -- George Orwell

• Hall and Sinclair, ch. 4-6. 
• Claire Wardle, "Misinformation Has Created a New World Disorder," Scientific American, September 2019, at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/misinformation-has-created-a-new-world-disorder.
• United States v. Internet Research Agency, February 16, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/file/1035477/download

• 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.
• Sheera Frenkel, et al., "Delay, Deny and Deflect: How Facebook’s Leaders Fought Through Crisis,," New York Times, November 14, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/technology/facebook-data-russia-election-racism.html.
• Jack Nicas and Matthew Rosenberg, "A Look Inside the Tactics of Definers, Facebook’s Attack Dog," New York Times, November 15, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/15/technology/facebook-definers-opposition-research.html.

Nov 25:  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 25, DUE IN SAKAI DROPBOX BY DEC 13

 Dec 2, 4: 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
• Hall and Sinclair, ch. 7.