PSC 319—Media in American Politics

This course introduces students to the history of the mass media in the United States and the norms surrounding the production of news in this context. It also details the role that the media plays in campaigns and elections. In addition, the course explores how the media as a political institution–the so-called “fourth branch” of government–interacts with the other three constitutionally-ensconced branches of American government, how citizens respond to news coverage of political events, and the cultural impact of media consumption. Particular attention will be paid to the increasingly fragmented nature of the media environment today and the consequences of selective media exposure.