American Mass Media

By Yuri Stulov

One of the central principles of American society is the right to know, and the main function of the media is to communicate to society what its members do, feel and think. Therefore the media must be free to discuss whatever they think is important for the public welfare. At the same time they must be responsible for what they print and broadcast and be fair, accurate and objective in their coverage of events. Journalism requires intelligence, knowledge, experience and powers of observation and reasoning.

A free press is one of the greatest achievements of democratic society. Freedom of the press is protected by the Bill of Rights, and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which runs that "Congress shall make no law ...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press." Ever since, the First Amendment has served to guarantee the rights of all Americans who reported news, who wished to make their opinions public, and who desired to influence public opinion. At the same time there are laws against libel and invasion of privacy, as well as limits on what reporters may do in order to get a story.

In the early days of the new country the media meant newspapers, pamphlets and books. Today "the press" denotes any news operation in any media, which also include television, radio, the Internet, films, and cable television, which are now known as the "news media".

Technological progress has speeded up the way information is gathered and brought to people's homes. It took six months for the people in Europe to learn about Columbus' discovery of the New World. When Yuri Gagarin was launched into space or when American astronauts made their first landing on the moon live radio and television broadcasts transmitted within seconds these historic events into millions of homes all over the world. Thanks to modern technologies, the time lag between the occurrence of an event and the news of it reaching the public has been minimized.

Computers have revolutionized the way information is processed and distributed. People are surrounded by information all day long. A look at the local newspaper, a glimpse of breakfast show on TV, a bit of reports on the car radio on the way to work, a major evening news programme on TV, a talk show and Hollywood blockbuster later in the evening are the essential part of daily activities of an average American. News and entertainment that are beamed from one end of the American continent to another help to level out regional differences and bring the American people a common and shared experience.

Newspapers are the oldest of the news media in the USA. They have always been highly political. America’s free-press traditions go back to the early 1700s when the first political battles for the independence of the American colonies were fought in the pages of newspapers and pamphlets. Ever since, newspapers have been expected to take political stands, though it is essential that factual news be reported honestly and objectively. From the very start American journalism set the standard for generations of publishers and reporters. Newspapers greatly contributed to teaching great masses of new immigrants the American way of life.

Approximately half of all daily newspapers classify themselves as independent. One of the canons of American journalism is that the press must be free of any ties, except the public interest, i.e. it must not be obliged to promote private or selfish interests, nor must it print editorials that knowingly subvert the truth. Competition for circulation and profits was always tough and the rivalry of two publishers – Joseph Pulitzer and Randolph Hearst – created some of the most important press standards. Pulitzer's newspapers fought corporate greed and government corruption, introduced sports coverage and comics and entertained the public with an endless series of promotional stunts. Hearst's brand of outrageous sensationalism was dubbed "yellow journalism". Both symbolized an era of highly personal journalism.

Today's standards are objective, unbiased reporting with all sides of a story represented. The New York Times and The Washington Post as well as The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe and The Christian Science Monitors are the most important daily newspapers that shape public opinion. They focus on major national and international events and are known for their responsibility, independence, impartiality and fair play and in this way differ from supermarket tabloids which carry little hard news and lay stress on celebrities, human interest stories about children and pets, and diet and health tips. An example of a tabloid is The National Inquirer with a circulation of over 4,000,000.

Nevertheless, the circulation of newspapers is shrinking because of the growing popularity of television. 65% of Americans use television as their primary source of news because it can report the news immediately with a picture of it. As a result, newspapers now concentrate on features, personality profiles and in-depth news analysis rather than fast-breaking headline stories.

Radio began to spread throughout the United States in 1920s, and by 1928 the USA had three national radio networks – two owned by NBC (the National Broadcasting Company)and one by CBS (the Columbia Broadcasting System). Though mostly listened to for entertainment, radio's instant, on-the-spot reports of dramatic events drew huge audiences throughout the 1930s and WW II. Radio introduced government into the media. Congress gave the government power to regulate and license broadcasters so that radio and – from the 1940s – television could be operated in the public interest.

Television made its first public appearance just before the outbreak of WW II but it gained real importance a few years after the end of it. Watching TV became a social ritual with millions of people setting up their lifestyles around TV's programme schedule. The television networks followed the newscasting procedures that had been established for radio. By its nature, TV has proven most effective in covering dramatic, action-filled events when TV viewers become direct witnesses of these events. Television became a very important influence on the political scene, especially during presidential elections. In 1960 Richard M.Nixon and John F.Kennedy participated in several television debates, and many observers believe that JFK won the election in large part because of the favourable impression he created in those television appearances. Presidents now frequently deliver major speeches to television audiences. Many presidential press conferences are televised "live".

Unlike newspapers, radio and television are traditionally neutral in politics. Network representatives insist that the news| and public issues be presented objectively, without offending listeners. The Federal Communications Commission permits editorializing but requires radio and television stations to present all sides of a controversial issue and to offer political opponents equal amounts of time to present their opinions.

Basically, however, television is an entertainment medium. The advertiser buys commercials on the shows that attract the largest audiences, which include talk shows with well-known celebrities, westerns, sitcoms, movies, spy shows, quiz shows, and soap operas. On most quiz shows members of the audience are asked questions, and if they give the correct answers they receive valuable prizes. Commercial television is totally financed by advertising.

Non-commercial or public television emphasizes cultural, informational, and educational programmes, approximately one-third of public television's prime time programmes are devoted to news and public affairs. Financial support for public broadcasting comes from listeners' contributions, foundations, and federal state, and local governments. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a government-sponsored service that plans and distributes programmes to non-commercial TV stations.

Technology continues to change the media. Cables and satellites are expanding television. Already half of American homes subscribe to cable TV, which broadcast dozens of channels providing information and entertainment of every kind.

Today over 95% of all American homes have TV sets and 50% have two or more sets. Surveys show that in the average American household the television is watched 7 hours a day. It has changed the Americans' view of the world in which they live, as well as their lives at home.

Despite enjoying a period of unsurpassed wealth and influence, the American media is troubled by growing public dissatisfaction. Experts say that the ownership of the news media is being concentrated in fewer and fewer hands and that chains-companies that own two or more newspapers, broadcast stations and other media outlets — are growing larger. Critics complain that journalists are always emphasizing the negative, the sensational, and the abnormal rather than the normal. There is a feeling that the press sometimes goes too far, crossing the fine line between the public's right to know and the right of individuals to privacy and the right of the government to protect the national security. In many cases the courts decide when the press has overstepped the bounds of its rights.

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance", said President James Madison. "And a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives". Mass media help us to acquire this kind of power.

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