Public Opinion and Media

1. Lewis (2001) illusion/ impression of public participation
2. Beniger (1992) Impact on politics, economics, societies

1. Noelle-Neumann (1984) - public opinion are views that can be safely discussed in public

   Annotations:

   • emphasis on the process but not the outcome
2. Habermas (1989)

   Annotations:

   • -public opinion only when public sphere exist -but there is collapse of public sphere

1. Sampling
   1. Is it representative ?
2. Who produced the polls
   1. Lewis (2001) Market-led

      Annotations:

      • MORI - private company, serve clients
3. Do people give true answers

Annotations:

• -public opinion does not exist   -assumptions made are wrong -nature of engagemnet -X objectivity

Annotations:

• - opinion polls establishes 'artificial political environment' - polls results are superficiale.g. Thomas-Hill Controversy 

Annotations:

• - public opinion only exist when there is public sphere - opinion polls are not expression of democracy--> corrupt the nature of the process 

Annotations:

• -Useful Fiction shaped by media  -mass media do not necessarily capture the true thinking of people  -public opinion includes a variety of individual preferences --> difficult to aggregate and measure--> manipulation?? -the very nature of public opinion is deployed--> less depth, less credible 

Annotations:

• -manufacture public opinion rather than represent

Annotations:

• -PO as a product of the pollster's imagination -the use of wording, questions directions will affect the outcome   -interpretation, and intervention from pollsters and media  -opinion polls focus on outcome rather than the process

Annotations:

• -aggregation or summation of individual preference as tabulated through polls, referendum and elections -democratic -simple -low information rationality -unstable and superficial-media is influencial -Blumer (1948) MO is useless 

Annotations:

• -opinions of engaged, informed and organised citizens -media is not that influential -ideal for democracy -not representative

Annotations:

• -fleeting and superficial opinions -unstated opinion --> feeling people have deep inside -shifting opinion -important opinion -difficult to measure, elusive

Annotations:

• -comprehensive preference of the majority of public -media shape the views? --> asserting the public hold a particular view  -response may be affected by media use 

Annotations:

• -comprehensive preference of the majority of individuals on a particular issue

Annotations:

• -quantitative survey -changing rambling, soft views and turn them into hard figures and percentages

1. Lewis (2004) Elitist Agenda
2. Weaver (1994) Agenda setting

1. Are public's voice being heard?

1. How do media construct public opinion
   1. Reasons and factors
      1. Beniger (1992) - media report on polls because of routine public issues and dramatic effects
      2. Economic and Political Interests
      3. Lewis (2004) Journalistic values and conventions
   2. Through what ways
      1. Example??
         1. Public opinion on declaring war on Iraq
         2. EU referendum
         3. Scottish Independence Referendum
      2. The way they construct questions
         1. Lewis (2004)Zaller (1992) Question Wording

            Annotations:

            • Condition set choice of words
      3. The way they report /present / interpret poll results
         1. Entman and Herbst (2001) Framing

            Annotations:

            • -mediated communication - select, highlight, omit some aspects
      4. Creating an environment that will affect public mind
         1. Lewis (2004) intensive coverage on events
2. Reasons why the public can be manipulated
   1. Noelle-Neumann (1984) Spiral of Silence
   2. Message controlled by media and elite
   3. Lack of competence

1. Knowledgeable
2. Interactive
3. Deliberative
4. 1. Sample chosen and polled
5. 2.sample transported to a place
6. 3. Balanced briefing materials are given
7. 4.Engage in small group discussion
8. 5.Debates are broadcasted
9. 6. Poll again

1. Strengths
   1. Public became knowledgeable
   2. Democratic society?
   3. Fair starting point
2. Weakness
   1. Cost
   2. Biased presentation
      1. Info Pack
      2. Moderator
   3. Representativeness of poll results
   4. Are there any interest?
   5. Are people being affected by others rather than after discussions?