- Media and politics
- Role of money (2012 races, 2008 presidential 'race')
- media outlets, corporations, consumers--how do they interact with each other?
- Effects on democracy?
- Techniques used in the media
- 3rd party technique ('Americans for Balanced Energy Choices' and sourcewatch rap sheet) -- news outlets as the ultimate 3rd parties?
- Astroturfing (as opposed to 'grassroots')
- Imagery and propaganda (check out Newsweek and Time ...) -- sometimes it backfires ...
- Mighty Wurlitzer and the media 'echo chamber' (talk radio plays big role)
- Using words . . . (like 'framing public debate and discussion?')
- Persuasion and the end user
- So . . . News media as social problem?
- Some possible action
- Ownership limits--breaking up media monopolies
- Merger review (when large corporations merge, whose interests are served?)
- Money and politics--who has influence over the electoral process? Who benefits from the current situation? How do major media and major parties benefit?
- Regulate news--require disclosure when attempts are made to blur lines between news and opinion; If the large networks are monopolies, should they be regulated like utilities in the public interest?
- Public media? Is this one way to reduce the filtering pressures?
- Journalism--address overreliance on large-scale news, television, official sources (that might 'source filter' stories), pervasive influence of advertising on news content
- Other ideas?
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