AP® United States Government and Politics review sheet from Aim for Five (aimforfive.com/gov/units/5/5-12)
Unit 5 · Topic 5.12
5.12 The Media
The media is a linkage institution that shapes what you know about politics and which issues seem important, a power called agenda setting. The media also act as a watchdog through investigative journalism. Coverage built around poll numbers can turn elections into horse races about who's ahead, rather than about candidates' qualifications and plans.
Key terms
- media as a linkage institution
- agenda setting
- horse-race journalism
- investigative journalism
The media as a linkage institution
The media connect citizens to government by reporting on what officials do and carrying public reactions back to them. Most people don't watch Congress or read agency rules directly; they rely on news outlets. That gives the media great influence over what the public knows and cares about.
Three roles of the media
| Role | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Gatekeeper (agenda setter) | Decides which stories to cover and how prominently, shaping which issues the public and officials see as important | Heavy coverage of a crisis pushes it to the top of the national agenda |
| Scorekeeper | Tracks who is winning and losing in politics, especially in elections | Reporting on poll standings and fundraising totals |
| Watchdog | Investigates and exposes wrongdoing by officials and institutions | Reporting that uncovered the Watergate scandal |
Agenda setting
Agenda setting is the media's ability to influence which issues people think are important, not necessarily what they think about those issues. When news outlets cover an issue heavily, more people name it as a top problem in polls, and officials feel pressure to respond. Framing, the way a story is presented, can also shape how people interpret it, such as whether a policy is described in terms of costs or benefits.
The influence runs both ways. Officials and campaigns try to set the media's agenda through press conferences, interviews, staged events and leaks, and they tailor messages into short, quotable sound bites that are easy to air. Reporters, in turn, depend on officials for access and information, so each side needs the other.
Horse-race journalism
Horse-race journalism is election coverage focused on who's ahead in polls, fundraising and strategy rather than on candidates' qualifications, records and policy positions. It's easy to produce and holds audience interest, but critics argue it leaves voters less informed about substance, can create bandwagon effects for front-runners, and can make lesser-known candidates seem unviable before many people vote. It ties directly to how polls are reported (4.5 and 4.6).
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is in-depth reporting that uncovers hidden information, often about abuses of power. The classic example is the Washington Post's reporting by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein on the Watergate break-in (1972), which helped reveal a cover-up reaching the White House and contributed to President Nixon's resignation in 1974. The publication of the Pentagon Papers (3.4) is another. Investigative reporting is expensive and slow, and as news budgets shrink, there's concern that less of it gets done, especially at the local level.
Worked examples
Try each one yourself first, then open the solution.
- Example 1
Identifying a media role
In the week before a primary, most TV coverage of a race focuses on new poll numbers and on which candidate has momentum, with little discussion of policy. Identify the type of coverage and explain one effect on voters.
Show the solutionHide the solution
- Step 1: Name it: coverage centered on who's ahead in polls is horse-race journalism, the media acting as scorekeeper.
- Step 2: Explain an effect: voters learn who is leading but little about candidates' plans or records, so they may choose based on viability rather than substance, and trailing candidates may lose donors and support.
Answer: Horse-race journalism. It can leave voters knowing more about standings than substance and can create a bandwagon effect for the front-runner.
Common mistakes
- Saying agenda setting tells people what to think. It mainly shapes what people think about, meaning which issues seem important.
- Confusing the watchdog role (exposing wrongdoing) with the scorekeeper role (tracking who's winning).
- Forgetting that the media count as a linkage institution alongside parties, interest groups and elections.
On the exam
- Concept application questions often describe a news story and ask which media role or effect it shows.
- Be ready to explain how horse-race coverage affects campaigns and voter knowledge.
Connected topics
Videos
Check yourself
4 questions on 5.12 The Media. Pick an answer to see if you got it, and why.
| Main focus of the story | Share of election news stories (%) |
|---|---|
| Who is ahead in the polls | 42 |
| Campaign strategy and tactics | 23 |
| Candidates' policy positions | 15 |
| Candidates' backgrounds and qualifications | 10 |
| Other | 10 |
Hypothetical study of election coverage in national news outlets
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
The pattern of coverage in the table is best described as
Over two years, local TV stations double the time they spend on crime stories, even though official crime rates fall. Polls show that the share of residents who name crime as the city's top problem rises sharply. This best illustrates
In the early 1970s, reporters at The Washington Post spent months tracing a break-in at the Democratic National Committee's offices back to people working for President Nixon's reelection campaign. Their reporting helped lead to congressional hearings. This is the best example of
0 of 4 answered