Interest Groups & Media

**Linkage institutionsconnect/ link citizens to the

government. The 4 linkage institutions are: political parties,
elections, interest groups, and media. **

Important Dates

9/23: Chapter 9 HW due

9/26-27: Meet in 307 for Interest Group Project
9/28: Present Interest Group Projects
9/29: Chapter 10 HW due
10/4: Crash Course Interest Group and Media quiz (chps. 8-9)
10/6-7: Test
9/23 Homework Questions Textbook Chapter 9
1. Why are interest groups so common in this country?
2. The book gives four factors that account for the rise of interest
groups. Summarize those factors and give examples for each.
3. Define what an interest group is and what its purpose is. What are the
differences between institutional interests and membership interests?
Give examples of each.
4. Identify and define the incentives to join a mass-membership
organization.
5. Define what a public-interest lobby is and give an example.
6. What is the difference between the staff and membership of an
interest group?
7. The book discusses the environmental, feminist, and union
movements. Outline or summarize the information on each. (Bullet
points are fine.)
8. How do interest groups get their funds?
9. Summarize the five activities that the book lists for how interest
groups work to influence policy? Give examples for each activity.
Assess how successful each type of activity is in influencing policy.
This is very important so be sure that you understand this section.
10.
What were the weaknesses of the Federal Regulation of
Lobbying Act of 1946 and why did Congress decide to enact a new law
in 1995?
1.
2.
3.
4.

9/29 Homework Questions Textbook Chapter 10

In general, how does American media differ from that of England and
France?
How have the characteristics of the electronic media and the Internet
affected the actions of public officials and candidates for national
office?
What does the book conclude about the degree of competition in the
media?
What is the impact of the national press? Define the roles of the
national media as gatekeeper, scorekeeper, and watchdog. Think of
examples for each.

5. Summarize the rules regulating the media and the government

including the following: prior restraint, libel, confidentiality of
sources, FCC regulations, Telecommunications Act (1996), Equal time
rule, Right-of-reply rule, political editorializing rule, fairness doctrine.
Make sure you understand all these rules.
6. Read the How to Read a Newspaper box on page 263. Summarize
the sections. (coverage, sources, language).
7. Summarize what the book says about the effects of the media on
politics.
8. How does press coverage of the president and of Congress differ?
9. What does the book say concerning press bias?
10.
Why does American government have so many leaks?
11.
Why do people have an increasing lack of confidence in the
media? Summarize all the reasons that the book gives.

The Tricky 10
Do vocab cards for the following termsdue on test day
lobby
lobbyist
interest group
political cue (related to interest group)
rating (related to interest group)
"revolving door"
sound bite
trial balloon
adversarial press
horserace journalism