Media Influence on Public Opinion in the USA

Mentor: Asst. Prof. Doc. Shener Bilalli Student: Semir Demiri

Skopje, Macedonia
June, 2017
What are Media?
• The main means of mass communication (broadcasting, publishing,
and the Internet), regarded collectively

• Types of Media (printed, television, radio)

• Media audience (two points of view: individual and mass media

• Public Opinion
Media Ethics
Media ethics is the subdivision of applied ethics dealing with the specific ethical
principles and standards of media, including broadcast media, film, theatre, the
arts, print media and the internet
Four common principles:
• Acting independently,
• Avoiding conflict of interest,
• Responsibility
• Minimizing harm
“Never plagiarize”
“Identify sources whenever feasible”
History of Media in the United States
• First newspapers: Benjamin Harris's “Publick Occurrences both Foreighn and Domestick” in 1690

• Congress supported newspapers

• Newspapers were sold at a price below cost (subsidized)

• Diversity flourished

• Filled with partisan opinions on various topics

• Growth of Newspaper companies

• Owned by rich white people

• Their political views reflected in their newspaper

Media Influence in the US: The Beginning

• First media owned by the state

• Used to promote the Constitution

• Because of their cheap price, available to everyone

• Thomas Jefferson
Media Influence in the US: 20 Century th

• Using press, radio, film to influence people’s decisions

Election or marketing campaigns to provoke a certain action such as
voting for a particular option or buying certain products

• Increasing interest

• Fixing attitudes

• Informing voters
World War I
• Committee of the Public Information: The Advertising Division was
founded

• Positive message for America’s participation in the war

• Negative depiction of Germany and Austro-Hungary

• Posters, window displays, car/bus cards, cartoons and photos

The Interwar Period
• Rise of mass media

• By 1929 approximately 40% of Americans owned radios

• Various types of magazines (detective, western, movie, and romance)

• Motion picture was main entertainment (comedy, gangster, animated films)

• Literature was still the most respected element of US culture (Ernest Hemingway,
F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner)
World War II
• The U.S. adopted the “strategy of truth,”

• Two of the largest agencies Writers War Board and the United States
Office of War Information

• Made up of infamous American writers

• Propaganda through Hollywood Studios, radio, and posters

Cold War
• USA versus Communism

• Different types of propaganda used

• Education (videos produced by Civil Defense shown in an event of

nuclear attack)

• Films (main story usually consisting of typical American families

having to deal with painful treason due to Communism)
September 11
• The World Trade Centre towers were emblems of New York City skyline

• Digitally removed from various films and shows after the attack

• New era of anti-war films (“United 93”, “World Trade Center”)

• Usually celebrating heroism of those called to action

• The image of the firemen

Media and Terrorism
• Certain patterns of how media covers terrorism

• Usage of dramatic images portraying terrorist violence prior their motives

• Determines how public perceives these actions

• Problem with identifying terrorism

• Acts of violence are defined as media see fitting

• Results with antagonism towards certain circles of people, nations or members of other faiths
Media and Elections
• Staged Political Rallies

• News-less News Conferences

• TV Commercials and Print Ads

• Friendly, Harmless Media Coverage (talk-shows)

• Social Media
CONCLUSION