Learning Objectives

  1. Describe both who the news media are and the major questions of truth, power, and trust at stake in the media today.
  2. Trace the historical development of the American news media.
  3. Understand the issue of bias in the American media.
  4. Discuss changes in the regulation of media ownership and media content.
  5. Explain the different perspectives on the power of the media to shape political understanding and behaviors.