Government Regulations of the Media

Unlike most countries the United States Media is very open, and that is because of Amendment One of the Constitution. In most countries the media undergoes prior restraint or government censorship. One of the major issues that arise from the media is libel which means that a persons reputation or career was damaged by what was said, and if this occurs the victim cam sue on that account. The Supreme Court ruled that the press is not granted special access to information that is not available to the public. The federal government has more power over broadcast media then it does print media. The Federal Communications Commission(FCC) is in charge of over -the-air and cable television, AM and FM radio, telephones, satellites, telegraph, and CB radio. They require stations to operate in the public interest, and they grant licenses to all radio and television stations. Due to Amendment One FCC cannot censor the broadcasts, but they influence these stations to broadcast for the good of the people.

The Benefits of the Media in Politics

The mass media have a powerful influence on politics. They shape the perceptions of the political world that average people and political leaders hold. These perceptions become the basis for political beliefs and actions. The mass media are particularly important during periods of rapid political changes, during elections, and in times of war and political violence. That is why political leaders try hardest during such times to control what the news covers.
This can be very beneficial to some candidates and detrimental to others. It is important for politicians to have a clean slate, but since they are only human its not very likely. It seems that the public takes what they learn and the have to choose the lesser of two evils. I believe people have to consider that these politicians make mistakes in their personal life, but that it shouldn't affect the professional part of their job.

Evolving Mediums

The eight current mass mediums are Books, Newspaper, Magazines, Recordings, Radio, Movies, Television, and the Internet. Two possible candidates to be added to these are Cell Phones and Video Games. In the past cell phones have just been a mode of communication to other people, but modern cell phones now have access to the Internet, so the question is that if it qualifies as a mass medium. Then there are video games, users of the games are having the same experience as the other million people that bought the game, so is that mass communication? This is a controversial topic in the mass media, there are many debates by experts in this industry, and most disagree that these are mass mediums.

I believe that I can see the points on both sides, but I believe that is possible for this to evolve into a mass medium. It is possible that in the near future that advertising companies could tap into the satellites of phone companies and send advertisements directly to peoples phones. I believe this sounds a little like a conspiracy yet totally possible. In the aspect of a cell phone being a portal to the Internet therefore not making them a mass medium. BUT if the conspiracy is true I believe that should be considered as a mitigating factor in this case. With the video games, I think there is a stronger possibility of it being promoted to a mass medium. All an advertising company would have to do is to add an ad into the game or even just have product placement, like they have in most movies now a days. This would add a lot of income to the video game industry and potentially make it a mass medium, because it would be providing the millions of gamers information about the outside world, which might become a good thing for some of them:)

What is mass media?

Mass Media is EVERYTHING that broadcasts information to the public. Mass Media includes the Internet, television, radio, billboards, and magazines. When most people think of mass media they think it pertains to the news, but it also includes educational programs, political communications, and entertainment; like T.V. shows, books, and films. This is also referred mainstream media meaning that it generally reports stories that will draw the interest of a general audience. This means that it ignores some breaking news. If a person can understand the mass media of a country then they can also understand the culture of population of people. Using mass media to get a message across is one of the key things the the country uses to announce emergency alerts and public service announcements. One of the key issues in mass media is understanding the legal balance between freedom of speech and censorship.

Bibliography

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• Remy, Richard C. "Chapter 12: The Mass Media." United States Government: Democracy in Action. 104th ed. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1996. 322-49. Print.


• "Mass Media and the Political Agenda." Government in America. Pearson Education, 2010. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.


• Balkin, J.M. "How Mass Media Simulate Political Transparency." Yale University. Yale University, 1998. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/jbalkin/articles/media01.htm.


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• Smith, S.E. "What Is Mass Media?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Ed. O. Wallace. Conjecture Corporation, 04 Oct. 2011. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mass-media.htm.