Topic 5.13 The News Media AP Government

Summary

This video discusses the changing landscape of news media, focusing on media bias and the rise of ideologically driven news outlets. It highlights how increased media choices, consumer-driven content, and partisan programming can lead to misinformation and polarization. The speaker explains how sensationalism and commentary have replaced in-depth reporting, making it harder for the public to stay informed. Additionally, the video touches on the challenge of discerning trustworthy news in an era of 'fake news' and bots. The video concludes with encouragement for AP exam preparation and review resources.

Takeaways

• 📺 Media bias debates focus on conservative outlets like Fox News and liberal outlets like MSNBC and CNN.
• 📰 News has shifted towards sensationalism, commentary, and dramatic stories, often losing substance.
• 🌐 Rise of partisan news websites reinforces ideological slants, leading to biased perspectives.
• 📉 Increased media choices don't necessarily mean better-informed citizens; many remain misinformed.
• 💻 Ideologically driven news programming leads people to seek out content that reinforces their pre-existing beliefs.
• 🔁 Social media often creates echo chambers, where users only hear from those who agree with them, causing polarization.
• 💰 Consumer-driven media prioritizes profit, often focusing on sensational content to gain more views and advertising revenue.
• ⚖️ There is growing uncertainty over the trustworthiness of news sources, partly due to the spread of fake news.
• 🤖 Bots and fake news outlets aim to sow discord and mistrust by spreading false or biased information.
• 📚 The speaker provides review videos and study materials to help students prepare for their AP exams, with a focus on Supreme Court cases and key documents.

Q & A

What is one of the main debates discussed in the video about the media?

One of the main debates discussed is over media bias, with claims that Fox News is more conservative, while MSNBC and CNN are more liberal.

How has the news coverage changed in recent years according to the video?

News coverage has become more sensationalistic, dramatic, and biased, with a focus on commentary and dramatic stories rather than substantive reporting.

What role do ideologically driven news programs play in today's media landscape?

Ideologically driven news programs cater to specific political views, reinforcing the beliefs of their audiences and contributing to a biased understanding of the news.

What are the five factors affecting public knowledge mentioned in the video?

The five factors are: increased media choices, ideologically driven news sources, consumer-driven media outlets, emerging technologies reinforcing political beliefs, and uncertainty over the validity of news reports.

Why is increased access to information not necessarily leading to better-informed citizens?

Increased access to information is not leading to better-informed citizens because many people consume news from biased or ideologically driven sources, limiting exposure to diverse viewpoints.

How do consumer-driven media outlets contribute to biased reporting?

Consumer-driven media outlets prioritize profit by attracting more viewers through sensationalism and commentary that aligns with the audience's pre-existing beliefs, rather than offering in-depth, unbiased journalism.

What impact does social media have on people's political beliefs?

Social media often reinforces people's existing political beliefs by surrounding them with like-minded individuals and content, leading to a polarized environment where opposing views are rarely encountered.

What are the concerns about the trustworthiness of news reports today?

Concerns about news trustworthiness include claims of 'fake news' and the existence of websites or social media bots spreading completely fictitious or highly biased stories, making it difficult to know what to trust.

What is the effect of ideological news consumption on public polarization?

Ideological news consumption leads to public polarization by reinforcing partisan beliefs and isolating people from opposing viewpoints, contributing to divisions both in Congress and among the general public.

What advice does the video give to students preparing for the AP Government exam?

The video advises students to watch review videos on each unit, Supreme Court cases, and key documents, and to subscribe to the channel to access more resources for exam preparation.

Outlines

00:00

📰 Debates Over Media Bias and Changes in News Reporting

This paragraph dives into the ongoing debates surrounding media bias, highlighting how networks like Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN are perceived as conservative or liberal. It also discusses how media ownership changes have led to more sensationalistic and biased reporting. The rise of ideologically driven news sites, especially on the internet, creates a fragmented public knowledge where people seek news that aligns with their political views. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion of five key factors that impact public knowledge: increased media choices, ideologically driven sources, consumer-driven outlets, emerging technologies that reinforce beliefs, and the uncertainty of news validity.

05:02

🔍 The Rise of Ideologically Oriented Programming and Media Polarization

This paragraph explores the implications of ideologically driven media programming. It suggests that individuals often consume news that aligns with their preexisting beliefs, creating an echo chamber. People tend to avoid sources that challenge their views, which results in a less informed or misinformed public. The consumer-driven nature of media outlets focuses more on sensational and dramatic content to attract viewers rather than in-depth reporting. Social media further exacerbates this issue by reinforcing people's beliefs instead of challenging them, leading to greater political polarization among the public, beyond just Congress.

📱 Challenges to News Credibility and the Impact of Fake News

This paragraph discusses the growing mistrust in the credibility of news, fueled by claims of 'fake news' and the existence of websites or social media entities that intentionally spread false information. It explains how fake news or biased reporting can be used to sow discord and confusion, making it harder for the public to trust news sources. The challenge for Americans is discerning what is trustworthy when so many outlets are ideologically slanted or driven by ulterior motives, leaving the public uncertain about which sources to believe.

📚 Preparing for AP Exams and Wrapping Up the Year

The second paragraph is a closing message from the presenter, marking the end of new content in the AP Government course. It emphasizes the availability of review videos for the AP exams, covering topics like Supreme Court cases and key documents. The speaker encourages viewers to use these resources to prepare for their exams, wishing them success and encouraging them to aim for high scores. The video ends on a motivational note, thanking viewers for their support throughout the year and offering final words of encouragement.

Keywords

💡Media Bias

Media bias refers to the perceived or actual partiality in news reporting, where media outlets present information in a way that reflects a particular ideological perspective. In the video, media bias is discussed in the context of how different networks, like Fox News being more conservative and MSNBC being more liberal, shape public perception by emphasizing certain viewpoints over others. This contributes to the ongoing debate about whether the news people consume is balanced or skewed.

💡Ideologically Oriented News

Ideologically oriented news refers to news outlets and programs that cater specifically to certain political or ideological viewpoints. The video mentions how some news websites and television networks present stories that align with the pre-existing beliefs of their audience, such as conservative or liberal biases. This results in audiences receiving a version of events that reinforces their own views rather than providing a neutral or balanced perspective.

💡Sensationalism

Sensationalism in media refers to the practice of using exciting or shocking headlines and stories to attract attention, often at the expense of accuracy or depth. The video suggests that the drive for higher viewership has led news organizations to focus more on dramatic and emotionally charged stories rather than substantive reporting, contributing to a less informed public.

💡Partisan News Sites

Partisan news sites are online platforms that present news and opinions from a specific political or ideological stance. The video highlights that many such sites exist on the internet, catering to audiences looking for news that aligns with their political beliefs. This can create echo chambers where people only hear perspectives that match their own, reinforcing their existing views and contributing to political polarization.

💡Consumer Driven Media

Consumer-driven media refers to news outlets that prioritize content that will attract the most viewers, clicks, or advertising revenue. According to the video, these outlets often focus on stories that are entertaining or controversial rather than informative, leading to a media environment that emphasizes profit over public service. This model can diminish the quality of news and reduce the public’s overall knowledge.

💡Emerging Technologies

Emerging technologies in the context of news media refer to new digital platforms and tools, such as social media and personalized news feeds, that change how people consume news. The video discusses how these technologies often reinforce people’s existing political beliefs by tailoring content to their preferences, which can limit exposure to diverse viewpoints and deepen ideological divides.

💡Polarization

Polarization refers to the increasing division of society into distinct and often opposing groups, particularly along political lines. In the video, polarization is linked to media consumption habits, where people prefer to watch news that aligns with their views, thereby reinforcing their opinions and contributing to a lack of understanding and empathy between different political groups.

💡Misinformation

Misinformation is the spread of false or misleading information, which can be accidental or intentional. The video mentions that misinformation is a significant issue in the current media landscape, as some websites and social media channels deliberately publish fake news or biased stories to mislead the public or cause confusion, making it difficult for people to discern the truth.

💡Trustworthiness of News

Trustworthiness of news refers to the credibility and reliability of the information provided by news sources. The video addresses concerns over the credibility of news reports, noting that the prevalence of biased, sensational, or fake news has led to public skepticism about the media. This erosion of trust complicates people's ability to stay informed and make well-reasoned decisions based on accurate information.

💡Fake News

Fake news refers to false or misleading information presented as legitimate news. The video explains that fake news can range from completely fabricated stories to highly biased reporting that distorts facts. The spread of fake news, often facilitated by social media and automated bots, undermines public trust in media and can manipulate public opinion by presenting misleading narratives.

Highlights

Debates over media bias are prevalent, with outlets like Fox News being labeled conservative and MSNBC/CNN more liberal.

Recent years have seen an increase in ideologically oriented news programming, with a shift in how news is presented.

News coverage has become more sensationalistic, dramatic, and focused on commentary rather than substance.

There has been a rise in partisan news sites where individuals can exclusively get conservative, liberal, or libertarian views.

Public knowledge is impacted by increased media choices, ideologically driven news sources, and consumer-driven media outlets.

People tend to consume news that aligns with their preexisting beliefs, leading to echo chambers where opposing views are rarely encountered.

The availability of increased media choices has not necessarily resulted in better-informed citizens.

Ideologically oriented programming creates media bubbles where viewers only consume content that reinforces their own beliefs.

Consumer-driven media focuses on profits, often prioritizing sensational stories that attract attention rather than thorough reporting.

Social media plays a role in reinforcing people's beliefs rather than challenging them, increasing polarization.

Concerns over the validity and trustworthiness of news reports are growing, with claims of 'fake news' often used for news that is inconvenient for certain groups.

Fake news includes both intentionally fabricated stories and those that are heavily biased or one-sided.

There is a challenge in knowing which news sources to trust due to the increasing prevalence of misinformation.

Partisan news consumption and echo chambers contribute to greater polarization among the public, not just in Congress.

This series provides review materials to help students prepare for the AP exam, focusing on topics like Supreme Court cases and foundational documents.

Transcripts

all right welcome back to this final

video of AP gov and changing news media

let's do it one last time alright so

we're gonna begin with debates over

media bias and if you watch the news at

all or read about politics at all it's

almost a guarantee that you have heard

about these debates people charge that

Fox News is more conservative MSNBC CNN

or more liberal and is there truth to

this well in recent years there has been

definitely an increase in ideologically

oriented news program we're going to

talk about that in just a few moments we

want to step back and look at right now

though is the changes in media ownership

and the idea here is that in search of

new viewers and more viewers as many as

possible that the news coverage has

gotten more sensationalistic more

dramatic more biased more focused on

commentary and dramatic stories than it

is on substance and so there has been a

definite shift in the way that the news

is reported to us in recent years along

with this there has been a rise of

partisan new sites so if we think about

on the internet you can go to certain

websites to have conservative opinions

or libertarian or liberal and you can

just get your news from those sorts of

sources that are always gonna have a

very partisan or ideological slant to

them and so the level of public

knowledge among citizens is impacted by

several things and we're gonna discuss

each of these five things

these include increased media choices

ideologically driven new sources

consumer driven media outlet emerging

technologies that merely reinforce

people's political beliefs and

uncertainty over the validity and

trustworthiness of news reports so let's

discuss each of these one by one

so with increased media choices it is

true that today we have access to more

sources of news than ever before we have

access to more information than at any

time in human history and yet the

question remains

are we actually better informed and

there is serious doubt that we are and

part of the problem seems to be that so

many people are getting their news from

places that are ideologically or

partisan

and so they're not getting the full

story they're getting a biased version

that appeals to them based on what they

already believe and that goes right into

this idea of ideologically oriented

programming so if you're liberal why

ever watch Fox News if your conservative

why watch MSNBC why look at certain

websites or follow certain people on

Twitter and so this idea is that we end

up getting our beliefs reinforced again

not being challenged and to end up kind

of in this bubble where we're only

hearing the same side the opinions of

people who agree with us and that

probably isn't very healthy it can lead

to us being under informed or in fact

misinformed with consumer driven media

sources the idea is that their goal is

to profit it is to make money and how do

you make that money well you do it by

getting eyeballs on you by getting

clicks by getting views by getting

people to look at your website to get

them to watch your videos to watch your

channel and then you can sell that for

higher advertising revenue so the goal

is just to get more eyeballs right how

do you do that

it's not by in-depth reporting on you

know party platforms or candidates and

this good type of journalism but rather

it's a lot of times by talking about

what's dramatic by having people who

focus on commentary and give their

opinions often opinions that people seek

out that they agree with already and

again we end up with less informed

public than we otherwise would social

media often just merely reinforces

people's existing beliefs rather than

seek out opinions of people who might

think about things differently than them

have their views challenged they

typically just find themselves

surrounded by people who already agree

with them who make fun of the other side

who can't possibly understand how

anybody could disagree with them and

again thus leading to that polarization

now not just in Congress but among the

public and then we get to these concerns

over the trustworthiness or the

credibility of news reports and so you

have this you know influx of people

making claims about fake news sometimes

when it just says news that is merely

inconvenient for them or for their side

their red team or their blue team that

kind of thing so that's not good but

there is a reality to this that there

are in fact websites and social media

personalities or

companies who use BOTS that are

intentionally trying to sow discord to

sow mistrust that are presenting and

publishing news stories that are

completely fictitious and made-up that's

in addition to the ones that are just

very slanted or one-sided and biased and

so it becomes very difficult and

challenging to know what to trust when

it comes to new sources so these are

some of the challenges facing the

American people today when it comes to

how to obtain their news and how to

become informed about what's going on in

the US government all right that's it

for this video until next time which is

probably gonna be the review videos

because we're done with new content this

has been one last time of the money

production all right thank you guys so

much for staying with me throughout this

year I hope that these videos have

helped you prepare for the AP exam I

have review videos for every single unit

I have a review video that's just about

the Supreme Court cases another one

that's just for the documents so I have

what you need now that you've gotten all

the information all year long to help

you a review to cram to study to get

ready for that AP exams to get that

college credit get back five like you've

worked hard for all year and like you

two deserve I wish you guys all the best

make sure you check out those review

videos subscribe if you haven't already

make sure you hit that like button for

me again I really do appreciate it thank

you so much it's been a pleasure see you

guys next time