POL 364 - Politics of Mass Media

Examines how the news media, primarily television, influences the way Americans think about politics. The focus is primarily on news coverage of the 2016 presidential election. Topics addressed are the impact of changes in broadcast industry regulation, the rise of Fox News, the blending of news and entertainment, the changing meaning of bias, and the emergence of new media organizations (Breitbart, Drudge Report) and new types of social media. Prerequisite(s): POL 160 or POL 161, or consent.