Discussion Assignment Week 4

News has been defined as a reporting on current events of interest to the public by mass media. In its current form news seems to have taken on a much broader interpretation including not just reporting on current events but interpreting and providing opinion on what the news means. “Fair and balanced” is a slogan for a particular news network. What is considered fair for news networks seems to be relative and based on several factors. The same can be said about news in general being balanced. One area that seems to have taken center stage in news network programming is politics. Hours of programming are dedicated to providing coverage, analysis and of course opinion on seemingly every aspect of American politics.

For this assignment you will need to watch the news networks of FNC (Fox News), CNN and MSNBC sometime between the hours of 8-10 PM EST. Examine the programs from a critical thinking perspective removing some of the personal views you may have regarding what they are discussing.

• From your perspective, does each of these networks have a particular viewpoint? Provide some examples of news programs that are primarily about politics.
• Other than out of a sense of civic responsibility, explain why news networks made politics a major part of their programming?
• Explain why a news network evolved its programming to support a particular political viewpoint.
• From a social psychology perspective, if consumers restrict their viewing to just one network, would their views reflect the network’s viewpoint or does the viewership impact the network’s choice of programming? Utilize some of the theories (Media’s influence on behavior; Culture, race, and ethnicity; older adults; targeted networks; and gender and racial stereotypes) to support your response.

Please cite all sources in APA format & attach a Turnitin.com Report.