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The news media include newspapers, magazines, radio, television, films, recordings, books, and electronic communications, in all their forms. These means of communication have been called "the other government" and "the fourth branch of government." The news media are a pervasive feature of American politics and generally help to define our culture. The rise of new communications technologies has made the media more influential throughout American society. The news media provide a "linking" function between politicians and government officials and the public. Our modern news media emerged from a more partisan and less professionalized past. The autonomy of the media from political parties is one of the important changes. Now journalists strive for objectivity and see themselves as important to the political process. They also engage in investigative journalism. Broadcasting on radio and television has changed the news media, and most Americans use television and radio as primary news sources. The role of corporate ownership of media outlets, especially media conglomerates, has emerged in the past few years and raises questions about media competition and orientation. The influence of the mass media over public opinion is significant yet not overwhelming. People may not pay much attention to the media or believe all they read or see or hear. They may be critical or suspicious of the media and hence resistant to it. People tend to "filter" the news in part through their political socialization, selectivity, needs, and ability to recall or comprehend the content of the news. The media are criticized as biased both by conservatives (who charge that the media are too liberal) and by liberals (who claim that the media are captive of corporate interests and major advertisers). Little evidence exists of actual, deliberate bias in news reporting. A major effect of mass media news is agenda setting--that is, determining what problems will become salient issues for people to form opinions about and to discuss. The media are also influential in defining issues for the general public. Presidential campaigns are dominated by media coverage during both the pre- and post-convention stages. One effect of media influence is that most people seem more interested in the contest as a "game" or "horse race" than as an occasion for serious discussion of issues and candidates. Another effect has been the rise of image-making and the media consultant. Perhaps more than any other invention, television has changed the character of American politics. The average American watches 4.3 hours per day, and most homes have at least two sets. While television is primarily an entertainment medium, most Americans use it for news as well. Most Americans watch some kind of television news network on a daily basis. Television provides instant news from around the country and the globe, permitting citizens and leaders alike to observe, firsthand, the events of September 11 or a looming war with Iraq. This instant coverage increases the pressure on world leaders to respond quickly to crises, permits terrorists to gain widespread coverage of their actions, and elevates the role played by the president in both domestic and international politics. The press serves as observer of and participant in politics, as watchdog, agenda setter, and check on the abuse of power, but it rarely follows the policy process to its conclusion.
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