JOU 163 - News Media and Politics

1. Examine the relationship between the news media and the American political system
   1. Outline the relevant historical background of political news coverage
   2. Assess the development of political coverage by the news media based on advances in technology
   3. Identify structure and roles within a newspaper and television news station
   4. Identify the structure and roles within a political campaign and public office
   5. Define media conglomeration
   6. Describe the political party system
   7. Discuss treatment in news media of non-traditional parties and candidates
2. Examine the relationship between reporters and prospective and elected public officials
   1. Demonstrate an understanding of bias by reporters
   2. Develop and implement a checklist to ensure balance and fairness in reporting
   3. Demonstrate an understanding of media manipulation by candidates
   4. Analyze relationship of office of the president and White House reporters
   5. Assess the contributions of selected news media professionals
3. Examine the relationship between the news media and the public
   1. Define informed public
   2. Understand media impact on public opinion in campaigns and elections
   3. Define agenda-setting
   4. Define public journalism
4. Describe the role of political news within the news media structure
   1. Develop and apply news judgment
   2. Analyze story placement
   3. Define gate keeping and roles of gatekeepers
   4. Assess role of economics in news coverage
   5. Evaluate coverage of political news stories by individual news organizations and industry-wide
5. Construct simple political news stories
   1. Identify news elements
   2. Conduct interviews
   3. Organize facts to create inverted pyramid stories
   4. Implement proper use of quotes
   5. Examine semantics and role of word choice
6. Investigate the power of the news media in political campaigns
   1. Define a newspaper editorial
   2. Analyze the effect of endorsements
   3. Explain the impact of polling, exit polling, and surveys by the news media
   4. Compose and administer a survey
   5. Analyze campaign commercials including negative ads
7. Apply principles of journalism ethics in political news coverage
   1. Examine policies regarding use of anonymous sources in political news
   2. Demonstrate an understanding of public records and Freedom of Information Requests
   3. Analyze political roles of the journalist
8. Illustrate the role of media regulation on political news coverage
   1. Describe government regulations that affect political reporting
   2. Develop an understanding of equal coverage and the Fairness Doctrine
   3. Develop an understanding of prior restraint
9. Analyze the role of new media in political news coverage
   1. Explore the role of the Internet and electronic communication
   2. Discuss the impact of movie-making as a form of political discourse
10. Evaluate the political news coverage of the 2004 general election
    1. Apply news values of objectivity, fairness, accuracy to political stories
    2. Evaluate balance
    3. Examine persuasive values of editorials and columns