William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare Topic: The Media and Social

Welfare Text: Wilson, James, and John DiIulio, Jr. American Government. 11th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 2008. Print Chapter 12: the Media Chapter 19: Social Welfare Objectives: by the end of this lesson, the student will be able to 1) understand the power and influence of the media 2) examine bias in the media 3) discuss the importance of an informed society 4) analyze the demographics of welfare recipients 5) recognize the changing public opinion on welfare 6) identify the structure of welfare programs Lesson Part A: the Media In class discussion, the students will identify current media outlets (cable news stations, radio talk shows, newspapers) and their exposure to the media. Students will discuss their opinions on media bias, and the Smart Board will be used to display and compare various news websites: Headlines on the Huffington Post will be placed beside headlines from the Drudge Report; the Washington Post will be compared to the Washington Times; Fox Newss website will be compared to MSNBCs; NPRs website will be used as a control to base the rate of bias of each news site. huffingtonpost.com; drudgereport.com; washingtonpost.com; washingtontimes.com; foxnews.com; msnbc.msn.com; npr.org Students will then be asked to listen to NPR Morning Editions report on the rise of Opinion Media talking heads. The students will react to the podcast and talk about the consequences of influential opinionated people in the media. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3854517 A historical reference to President Theodore Roosevelt will relate his ability to capture the attention of the media to his political success. The class will analyze how the roll of the media changed because of his administration. This website will be used for historical analysis: http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9909/tr.html Lecture will then begin, and will follow this outline: I. Media influences public opinion a. New media allows wider audience: television, blog, internet news b. Public officials depend on media for careers, policies; media can criticize, expose, destroy c. America has a high degree of media freedom; less strict libel laws, leaking i. Freedom of Information Act allows extracting documents from government d. America has mostly privately owned media; most other modern countries have own media i. Internet owned by no one

William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare e. Newspapers require no permission to operate, unlike radio and television i. Federal Communications Commission f. Two limits to medias freedom i. Must make a profit 1. Need to build audience, advertisers, might distort news ii. Media bias- most reporters and editors have similar views Journalism in American Political History a. The Party Press i. In early republic, newspaper reflected specific factions and parties that could afford the high cost; political elites 1. Small circulation and limited advertising ii. Party subsidies iii. Rarely could citizens find a paper that presented both sides of an issue b. The Popular Press i. High speed rotary press laid path for self-supporting, massreadership daily newspaper ii. Associated Press 1848- systematic news information telegraphed to newspapers iii. 1860 Government Printing Office for large newspapers iv. Partisanship in writings of publishers, editors v. SensationalismWilliam Randolph Hearst vi. Publishers became political forces vii. Common national culture c. Magazines of Opinion i. Reaction to yellow journalism, market of magazines discussing public policy 1. Nation, Atlantic, Monthly, Harpers 2. National constituency for issues like trustbusting, civil service reform ii. Today political magazines make up small part of national magazine market d. Electronic Journalism i. Radio in 1920s, television in 1940s 1. No filters of reporters or editors ii. News became easier to ignore; less news carried on radio or TV iii. Officials struggle for access to electronic media, purchasing expensive time iv. Average sound bite length dropped from 42 seconds in 1968 to 7.3 seconds in 2000 e. The Internet i. Range of newspapers magazines, blogs 1. Liberal, conservative, libertarian perspectives ii. Political campaigning on Internet The Structure of the Media

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William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare a. Degree of Competition i. Decline in newspapers 1. Many cities papers are owned by the same businessjoint operating agreement ii. Young people read less political news than do older people iii. Radio and television very competitive 1. 5 major television networks, 1000 TV stations iv. American press made up of locally owned and managed enterprises 1. Most countries media owned and operated for national audience v. Federal Communications Commission 1. Until 1990s, no one could own and operate more than one network b. The National Media i. Associated Press and United Press International have most news that newspapers publish ii. Network affiliation of ABC, CBS, NBC 1. CNN, Fox, MSNBC have broadcast news iii. New York Times, USA Todaynational audience 1. Distribute a lot of copies 2. Carefully followed by political elites 3. Radio and TV stations decide broadcast based on papers 4. Editors and reporters for national press are better educated and paid than in local outlets iv. As Gatekeeper, national press can influence what subjects become national political issues, how long v. As Scorekeeper, national press keep record of political reputations, careers, winners, losers vi. As Watchdog, national press watches over rumors, stories; investigate vii. Newspaper can cover stories in more detail than TV, less brutal competition, more development The Rules Governing the Media a. Newspapers operate under fewer restrictions than electronic media i. Once something is published, newspaper can be sued if material is libelous or obscene or incites illegal acts ii. Illegal to use printed words to advocate violent overthrow of government b. Confidentiality of Sources i. Courts must decide whether need of a journalist to protect confidential sources outweighs interest of government in gather evidence in a criminal investigation ii. Congress passed a law forbidding searches of newspaper offices, requiring police subpoena documents c. Regulating Broadcasting

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William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare i. No one may operate TV or radio without license from FCC, renewable every seven years for radio and 5 years for TV ii. Movement to deregulate broadcasting; competition should determine how a station serves community needs iii. Rules, like only 16 mins of commercials per one hour of programming, no longer enforces iv. Radio broadcasting has deregulated the most 1. Telecommunications Act allowed one company to own 8 stations in large markets, 5 in smaller, as many nationally v. A few large companies own most radio stations 1. Looser editorial restrictions offer greater variety of opinions and shows vi. At one time: Fairness Doctrinebroadcasters air one side of a story, give time to opposing points 1. Controversial talk shows vii. Equal time rule: stations sell advertising time to one political candidate to sell equal time to opponent d. Campaigning i. Equal time, access ii. At one time a station had to invite all candidates to debate, not just Democrat and Republican 1. Now stations can sponsor debates limited to major candidates iii. Not all candidates take advantage of favorable rates on television iv. Market of an area reached by TV signal; 200 markets in country v. Buying a TV ad is waste of money when reaches more people than necessary Are the National Media Biased? a. What are the views of members of the national media? i. Majority is liberal, more than average citizen ii. More secular than public iii. 45 percent of public believe media are too liberal iv. Conservative media outlets. Fox News v. 1/5 of Americans listen to radio talk shows; predominantly conservative 1. More self-described conservatives than liberals 2. Conservatives dont read newspapers, newsmagazines vi. Much of the liberal audience is broken into racial and ethnic groups b. Do the beliefs of the national media affect how they report the news? i. Objective of press to be objective, newspapers ii. Routine stories cover major political events, reporters iii. Feature stories cover events a reporter has to seek out, persuade editor to publish iv. Insider stories cover secret things

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William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare v. Feature and insider stories better reflect opinions of reporter than routine vi. Public distrust of media grown c. Does what the media write or say influence how their readers and viewers think? i. Selective attention: people remember only what they want to ii. Newspapers that endorsed incumbents on editorial pages gave more positive news coverage to them than did newspapers that did not endorse iii. Fox News went on air at different times in different cities 1. 3 to 8 percent increase in vote for Republican iv. Limits to media influence 1. When people are affected by crime, economy, welfare, learn by themselves without media 2. Most people know little on foreign policy, media influence Government and the News a. Prominence of the President i. Theodore Rooseveltsystematic cultivation of press 1. Inside stories to friendly reporters, withhold from hostile ii. Franklin Roosevelt made the press secretary an instrument from managing press iii. No other country brings press so close to president b. Coverage of Congress i. House is so numerous, little individualize press attention ii. Until 1978 the House prohibited television cameras except ceremonies iii. Live coverage of committee hearings in 1974, House Judiciary Committee and Nixons impeachment iv. 1978- C-SPAN v. Radio and television not allowed in Senate until 1978 1. Committee hearings frequently televised since 1950 2. Senate TV brings senators closer to presidential hopeful spotlight c. Why Do We Have So Many News Leaks? i. Bureaucracy, Congress, White House staff leak stories ii. Separate institutions compete for power 1. Few leaks in centralized government iii. It is not against the law for the press to receive and print government secrets iv. Adversarial presssuspicious of bureaucracy, wanting embarrassing stories, money v. Medias rising cynicism about government mirrored by publics cynicism vi. Publics decreasing trust in big business causing distrust in network TV

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William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare vii. Increased prevalence of negative campaign advertising d. Sensationalism in the Media i. Media did not report affairs of FDR, JFK, MLK ii. By 1980s sexual affairs became headline news stories iii. Increased news broadcasting, intense competition iv. Programs seek sensational news to gain audience e. Government Constraints on Journalists i. Need for every reporter to have access to officials 1. Needs good sources ii. Increase in congressional staff balances expressing views and keeping a source 1. Potential source for every issue and cause iii. Increasing press officers at White House, Congress iv. Ways reporters and public officials communicate: 1. On the record: reporter can quote official by name 2. Off the record: what the official says cannot be used 3. On the background: what official says may be used but not with officials name 4. On deep background: what official says can be used but not attributed to anybody Questions on the subject of the media will be answered, students will comment on and react to the material, and the students will take a quiz on Chapter 12. See Attachment 1 for Chapter 12 Quiz Lesson Part B: Social Welfare Students will be given a copy of Lyndon Baines Johnsons 1964 Great Society speech. The class will read, analyze, and discuss Johnsons proposals. The policies implemented under Johnson will be related to policies established under FDRs New Deal. Students will examine the proposals under FDRs New Deal and Johnsons Great Society. http://www.h-net.org/~hst306/documents/great.html http://www.fdrheritage.org/new_deal.htm Two contrasting articles about the welfare state will be given to the students. They will first read 1995 House Republican vice-chairman of the Joint Economic Committee Study Jim Saxtons analysis of the negative consequences of the welfare state on the American economy. http://www.house.gov/jec/welstate/vg-1/vg-1.htm Students will then read Ezra Kleins article in the Washington Post about how A larger welfare state can mean a lower deficit. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/a-larger-welfare-state-canmean-a-lower-deficit/2011/08/25/gIQAkL9ufO_blog.html They will compare the liberal and conservative perspectives of social welfare and participate in a civil class discussion on the necessity of welfare. Lecture will illustrate the history, structure, and function of social welfare in American society:

William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare Two Kinds of Welfare Programs I. Those that benefit most people a. Social security, Medicare b. No means test: available to everyone without regard to income c. Majoritarian politics: everyone benefits, everyone pays II. Those that help only a small number of people a. Medicaid, Food Stamps b. Means tested: only for low incomes c. Client politics: few number of people benefit, everyone pays III. Social Security and Medicare are sacred, very politically risky to mention changing them a. Growth in number of retired people IV. Client based welfare appeal changes with popular opinion a. When a client program loses political legitimacy, likely to die b. People often wonder whether the program causes people to avoid working in order to claim the benefits Social Welfare in the United States I. Four factors make social welfare in the U.S. different from other nations a. Americans have more restrictive view of entitlement b. America more slowly embraced welfare state c. America insisted that states play role in running programs d. Nongovernmental organizations play large role II. Who benefits and to what extent? a. Insisted that it be to those who cannot help themselves i. Difficult to define b. Not who deserves, but what is each persons fair share of national income? c. American base welfare policy aims at helping poor, not redistributing wealth i. Encourage self reliance d. American leaders during Progressive era sought reform in civil service, trusts, instead of welfare e. Welfare not established until 1935 III. Federalism did not specifically give welfare powers to national government a. Left to states to experiment b. States provided opponents of federal welfare system, supplied lobby to campaign for national legislation IV. A lot of welfare policy is administered in grants and contracts to nongovernmental institutions a. 1996 law that abolished AFDC established provision giving religious organizations ability to compete for welfare grants: charitable choice V. Majoritarian Welfare Programs: Social Security and Medicare a. Great Depression, no state had a systematic program for supporting unemployed i. Private charities and city relief programs went bankrupt b. FDR emergency measures, Cabinet Committee on Economic Security

William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare i. Insurance program for unemployed and elderly, paid for by workers ii. Assistance program for blind, dependent children, aged iii. Everyone eligible for insurance programs; only poor, measured by means test, eligible for assistance iv. Social Security Act 1935 c. Need for healthcare act i. Difficult to pass healthcare through House Ways and Means Committee 1. Wilbur Mills of Arkansas, 1958-1975 ii. 1964 election: Johnson, Great Society iii. Medicare Act 1965 iv. Apply only to aged, cover only hospital expenses, not doctors bills v. Ways and Means Committee broadened coverage: added assistance, Medicaid, for poor; payment of doctors bills for aged Reforming Majoritarian Welfare Programs a. Need to save Social Security and Medicare without change i. Problem is that there will not be enough people paying taxes to provide benefits for every retired person ii. $4 trillion shortfall over next 75 years b. Proposals to close gap and save system: i. Raise retirement age to 70 by 2090; close long-term funding gap by 20 percent ii. Reduce benefits for high-earners 1. Close gap by 25 percent iii. Raise payroll taxes; increase tax to 6.7%; eliminate half of projected gap iv. Increase wage cap; increase wage cap from 97,500 to $150,000; close gap by half v. Have government invest 15 percent of fund in U.S. Treasury bonds; reduce gap by 15 percent vi. Let individuals invest in private retirement accounts c. Problems with Medicare- costs money and is not efficient way of paying for healthcare i. Costs over $300 billion/year ii. Population gets older, lives longer, cost grows d. Because people can visit doctor whenever they need to: i. A lot of people use services when they dont need to ii. Providers overcharge government iii. Providers paid on basis of government approved payment plan that can change e. Proposal to have doctors and hospitals work for government i. Healthcare costs less ii. Critics f. Second proposal to let elderly take Medicare money and buy health insurance from private suppliers, health maintenance organizations

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William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare Client Welfare Programs: Aid to Families with Dependent Children a. Social Security Act created Aid to Families with Dependent Children i. Federal aid to states to administer program; a few federal rules ii. States had to establish mandatory job-training programs, child-care programs for AFDC parents iii. Required women identify childrens fathers b. Earned Income Tax Credit- cash grant to poor working parents i. Free school meals, housing assistance, etc to AFDC recipients c. Program disliked by public because viewed as weakening family d. Demographics of recipients changed i. 1970 half of mothers were widowed or divorced, 1994half had never married at all e. Abolished in 1996, replaced by block grant program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Familiesstrict requirements about work and benefits Majoritarian Versus Client Politics I. Majoritarian Politics a. Proposals adopted if beneficiaries believe benefits exceed costs and if approved by political elite i. Debate over whether Constitution authorized programs like Social Security ii. Liberals said that obligation to help people in need iii. 1965 debate between liberals and conservatives whether healthcare a private matter II. Client Politics a. When benefits of proposal go to small group but public pays b. Most Americans believe able-bodied people on welfare should work i. Popular sentiment for giving welfare recipients job training or creating government jobs 1. Service strategytraining and education 2. Income strategygiving people money Students will once again be given the opportunity to discuss the welfare state, and to ask questions about historical, structural, or systematic ideas within welfare. Discussion will be followed with a Chapter 19 Quiz. See attachment 2. VII.

William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare Attachment 1: Ch. 12 Quiz 1.) Which of the following accurately describes the structure of American broadcasting in contrast to other industrialized nations? a. American broadcasting stations are not regulated by the government. b. America has hundreds of broadcasting networks, unlike other countries which only have a few. c. Although there are only 5 primary networks in America, there are thousands of stations which compete. d. American broadcasting is mainly public, except for a few competitive networks. 2.) Identify the false statement about the role of the media in politics: a. The press can determine which subjects are brought into national political discussion. b. The media keeps record of political gains and losses; summarizes political events. c. The press is given special access to political figures and events for immediate coverage of politics. d. The media influences the ideology and actions of politicians. 3.) To what extent are the national media biased? a. Media outlets are usually biased to the degree that their writers are biased; generally a liberal bias b. Some media actively pursue bias, while the rest of the media remain neutral. c. The national media generally reflects public opinion, and is not considered bias. d. Only newspapers report the news without bias. 4.) Short answer question: How might the national media influence political policy through its influence on public opinion?

William Scott AP Government Lesson: Analysis of the Media and Social Welfare Attachment 2: Ch. 19 Quiz 1.) Which of the following about the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program is not true? a. AFDC was established under the New Deal to help poor women with children and initially had public approval. b. African American made up a majority of AFDC recipients. c. In the late 20th century the demographics of the women using AFDC changed, with the majority of the women having never married. d. AFDC was abolished in 1996 and replaced with a block grant program. 2.) Identify the correct classification of social welfare programs: a. Insurance contributory programsOld Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, Medicare; Assistance noncontributory programs Unemployment Insurance, Supplemental Security income, Earned Income Tax Credit b. Insurance programsOld Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, Unemployment Insurance; Assistance programsMedicare, Food Stamps, Earned Income Tax Credit c. Insurance programsMedicare, Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, Earned Income Tax Credit; Assistance programs Unemployment Insurance, Food Stamps d. Insurance programsFood Stamps, Unemployment Insurance; Assistance programsOld Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, Medicare, and Food Stamps. 3.) Which of the following about Social Security and Medicare is not true? a. They are insurance programs which are funded by taxpayers to help those in inevitably difficult circumstances. b. They represent majoritarian politics, meaning nearly everyone pays and benefits, and are strengthened by strong popular support. c. Recipients of Social Security and Medicare are determined by a means test. d. Social Security and Medicare are in dire need of reform to avoid the soaring costs that come from prolonged lives and the baby boomer generation 4.) Short answer question: How has public opinion of welfare and the responsibility to help those in need changed over time?