AP® United States Government and Politics review sheet from Aim for Five (aimforfive.com/gov/units/5/5-13)
Unit 5 · Topic 5.13
5.13 Changing Media
With far more media choices than ever, from cable news to websites to social media feeds, people can pick sources that match their views. That fuels debates about media bias, ownership and partisan news. Opinion-driven programming, echo chambers and doubts about which sources to trust all affect how much citizens know and how well they debate.
Key terms
- partisan media
- media bias
- media ownership
- echo chamber
- source credibility
From a few networks to endless choice
| Era | Main sources | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s–1970s | Three broadcast TV networks, local newspapers, radio | Most Americans saw similar news, which aimed at a broad, general audience |
| 1980s–1990s | 24-hour cable news (CNN launched in 1980) and talk radio | Constant news; more opinion programming, helped by the FCC's 1987 repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, which had required broadcasters to present contrasting views on controversial issues |
| 2000s onward | Internet, blogs, smartphones, social media | Huge choice, instant news, and content tailored to each user |
Partisan media and echo chambers
Partisan media are outlets that consistently present news from a particular ideological point of view, often mixing reporting with opinion. They exist on both the left and the right.
Selective exposure is the tendency to seek out sources that confirm what you already believe. When people mostly hear from like-minded sources, they can end up in an echo chamber, where their views are repeated back to them and opposing views seem strange or are rarely heard. Social media algorithms, which show users more of what they engage with, can strengthen this effect.
Researchers debate how strong these effects are; many people still encounter some opposing views. But partisan media and echo chambers are widely seen as contributing to polarization and to Americans disagreeing even about basic facts.
Media bias and ownership
Media bias is a slant in how news is selected or presented. Accusations come from every direction: some argue national journalists lean liberal, others argue that corporate ownership and the drive for ratings push coverage toward sensational or business-friendly stories. On the exam, treat bias as a debated concern, not a settled fact about any one outlet.
Media ownership has become more concentrated over time. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 loosened limits on how many stations one company can own, and a small number of companies now own many TV stations and outlets. Meanwhile, many local newspapers have closed or shrunk, leaving some communities with little local reporting on their governments.
Credibility and an informed public
With so many sources, judging source credibility is harder and more important. A credible source identifies its authors, distinguishes news from opinion, cites evidence, corrects errors and isn't primarily trying to sell or persuade. Gallup polling has found Americans' trust in the mass media at record lows in recent years, around 3 in 10.
The stakes are high for democracy. Citizens need accurate information to vote, hold officials accountable and debate productively. False or misleading information spreads quickly online, and people who distrust all media may struggle to tell reliable reporting from rumor.
Worked examples
Try each one yourself first, then open the solution.
- Example 1
Explaining an echo chamber effect
A student gets nearly all her political news from social media accounts she follows, and her feed increasingly shows posts that agree with her. Over time she finds it hard to believe anyone could hold the opposing view. Identify the concept and explain one effect on political debate.
Show the solutionHide the solution
- Step 1: Identify the mechanism: choosing like-minded sources is selective exposure, and the algorithm showing more of what she engages with reinforces it.
- Step 2: Name the concept: being surrounded by repeated, agreeing views is an echo chamber.
- Step 3: Explain the effect: when people rarely hear opposing arguments, they may see the other side as unreasonable, which deepens polarization and makes compromise harder.
Answer: She is in an echo chamber created by selective exposure and algorithms. It can increase polarization by making opposing views seem unreasonable and compromise harder.
Common mistakes
- Saying media bias runs in only one direction. Bias claims come from across the spectrum; describe the debate neutrally.
- Confusing partisan media (outlets with a consistent ideological viewpoint) with an echo chamber (a person's environment of only like-minded sources).
- Thinking more media choice automatically means better-informed citizens. More choice also enables selective exposure.
On the exam
- Concept application questions may describe someone's news habits and ask about effects on political knowledge or polarization.
- Quantitative questions may show trust in media over time or by party. Describe the trend with numbers and connect it to changing media.
Connected topics
Videos
Check yourself
4 questions on 5.13 Changing Media. Pick an answer to see if you got it, and why.
A student gets nearly all of her news from a social media app. The app recommends stories based on what she has clicked and shared before, and she follows mostly accounts that agree with her. Over a year, she sees fewer and fewer stories that challenge her views and becomes more certain that people who disagree with her are poorly informed.
Hypothetical scenario
The student's experience best illustrates
Which step would best help the student judge whether a news story is credible?
| Source | Ages 18–29 | Ages 30–49 | Ages 50–64 | Ages 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social media and video apps | 52 | 30 | 15 | 8 |
| News websites and apps | 25 | 32 | 25 | 17 |
| Television | 15 | 28 | 47 | 60 |
| Print newspapers and radio | 8 | 10 | 13 | 15 |
Hypothetical survey: “Where do you most often get news about politics?” (percent of each age group)
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
Which concern is most closely tied to the pattern for the youngest group?
0 of 4 answered