TWU Beginning of Our Democracy to The Present Politics Discussion

We have seen a big change in how he media and press has participated in the politics from the beginning of our democracy to the present.

First, define each of the four functions of the press — the signaling, common-carrier, watchdog, and partisan functions.

Second, How does each of these contribute to the public’s information needs.  

Third, provide a specific examples of each on of these, for example, the press played a function of watchdog when it uncovered the recent Facebook and Cambridge Analytica data breach and alleged election manipulation. Do not give general answer like the partisan function is Fox News. You have to include a specific show because not all of any broadcast plays the partisan function one hundred percent of the time, but there are programs within a broadcast or channel that do.

Fourth, in your opinion, which if any, of these roles does the media play most prominently. Why do you believe this is the case?

Fifth, the author of our text mentions that at one time the government regulated broadcasting.  The Federal Communications FCC imposed a restriction—the Fairness Doctrine—on broadcasters. The Fairness Doctrine required broadcasters to “afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance.” Broadcasters were prohibited from using their news coverage to promote one party or issue position at the expense of another. In effect, the objective-reporting model practiced voluntarily by the newspapers was imposed by law on broadcasters. What happened once the Fairness Doctrine was repealed? How did this contribute to our country’s current hyper-partisanship? Do you believe the Government should once again regulate the discussion of conflicting views of public importance? Why or why not?

Finally, what do you see for the future of media in politics in particular in how it is transmitted (television, radio, internet)? Will we continue to see an increase in partisan function of the media? Why or why not?