Press, Politics and Public Policy: DPI-600Kennedy School of Government

Harvard University        

Instructor: Alex S. JonesPhone: 617-496-2582Alex_Jones@harvard.edu

Course Assistant: TBDEmail:  Faculty Assistant: Kristina MastropasquaPhone: 617-496-3557Email: Kristina_Mastropasqua@harvard.edu Shopping Day: Thursday, January 22, 8:40 – 9:55am, RG-20 Schedule: Tuesdays, 8:10 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Room: RG-20

 COURSE SUMMARY

 The news media – both traditional and new media – are in the midst of epochal, wrenching change. At the same time, digital technology is providing opportunities to shape politics and policy that are outside the boundaries of what could be considered news, but are powerful vehicles for advocacy. The Press, Politics and Public Policy course aims to view the media landscape in all its complexity and to address how media of all kinds are being used to inform, to persuade, and to influence. Anyone who seeks to influence policy either directly or through an institution needs to understand how the media work. This can be a complex and ethically murky process, especially in a period of huge change such as today.  DPI-600 is intended to provide a foundation of understanding about media norms and values and a clear-eyed sense of how they are applied in real world situations. The course will seek to apply theory to practice, as a grasp of both is essential to learning to deal with the media effectively and realistically. Media savvy is a requirement for any career in politics or policy and, indeed, for the core obligations of citizenship.  Most of us are alternately mystified and disgusted by the way news is covered, and this course will frequently take a critical look at how the media perform. But the course is not an exercise in press bashing. Its premise is that what the media do is essential to our democracy,

and therefore it is very important to hold the press accountable and also to understand the complexity, ambiguity, and conflict that go into the creation of what we call news. But we shall also focus on new media and social media and their emerging roll in generating both consensus and conflict and in fomenting change. 

THE COURSE THEMES 

The course is organized around four themes.  The first is “Media in Transformation,” which will explore the highly disruptive impact of digital technology on the news media and will try to see over the horizon for the press in a time of staggering upheaval. This will be both a scholarly and a practical look at the models of news in America and the world and we shall seek to understand the journalistic standards and practices that are enduring and those that are simply a product of our time. It is my belief that virtually all media decisions are - at their core - ethical ones, demanding an ethical analysis that recognizes the inevitable clash of conflicting values. The second is “Media and Democracy” which will focus on the role of the media in presenting and framing issues of policy, which is always complex in its motivation and execution.  Our jumping off point will be an examination of one of the most controversial segments ever to appear on “60 Minutes.” In this portion of the course, we shall also focus on the state of the First Amendment, a bulwark of press freedom that has a checkered history. We shall look at the rise of the Web as a powerful player in shaping opinion and look closely at the issues of secrecy, freedom of information and the government’s role in media regulation – all hot button issues today. The third is “Media and Politics,” which is a pragmatic look at how the press covers politics and how the game is played in a digital age. For those who are interested in politics, either in America or elsewhere in the world, the power of the press in the political battlefield is undeniable. There will be special focus on the brutal atmosphere of partisanship and the media’s role in it. We shall pay particular attention to the use of the Web by political figures and advocates to win support while bypassing the traditional media, and the way new media – particularly news-oriented Web sites – are becoming major players in the media landscape.  The fourth is “Media and Policy” and focuses on the role of the media in shaping policy. Our approach will be to select some important areas of policy and to examine in depth the way all forms of media are interacting and, in some respects, competing in the race to forge policy. Though our attention will be directed mostly on the United States, we shall also look at the media environment elsewhere in the world and at media systems that have different norms and values. I regard an international dimension to be essential to the course, and the international focus will be shaped buy the nationalities represented in the class and the specific interests of the students taking the course.

 All of these themes are entwined and each will be part of the entire course, though the principal focus will shift from one theme to the next. Clearly, this is a lot of ground to cover and each of these themes is worthy of a course of its own. Our objective will be to build a foundation of useful knowledge in each of these areas, but we shall be moving quickly through a very complex environment. Among the questions that the course will seek to address are: What is journalism – and what is a journalist – in a digital world in which anyone can communicate via the Web? What is the difference between a trusted source of information and one that is reliable? They are not necessarily the same. Is free speech enough to guarantee democracy, or does democratic governance depend on an informed public that has access to good information? What is good information? Is professional journalism going to survive in the digital world? What is being gained and what lost in the new media paradigm? What is the proper balance between justifiable secrecy and disclosure of secrets? How do the news media manipulate, and how are the news media manipulated? What are the limits of the First Amendment and similar guarantees of free speech in a dangerous world? What are alternative models for news media? What is the future of news in an economic revolution? Should journalists think of themselves as patriots or as disinterested observers? Should the media’s role be to foster consensus or is a nation better off with a passionate debate taking place in the media?  We shall also address the values and ethical frameworks that play a part in virtually every journalistic decision and thereby affect the media's role in American politics: How should the news media conduct themselves?  Are there clear standards and guidelines?  In cases where the proper course is unclear, how should the media's performance be understood and judged? What could be considered media morality in a digital world?

           Such questions may have no firm or final answers.  What we shall seek is a deeper understanding of the core issues.   

REQUIREMENTS The class will meet once a week - from 8:10 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. on Tuesdays – rather than the more usual twice a week. This is my preference because it allows an extended block of time to engage issues in some depth, but it also means that it will be especially important to be present for class meetings. Class meetings will be a combination of lecture and seminar, with a great deal of talking and listening to each other. Class participation will be essential. Guests with special knowledge and expertise will also join the conversation during the semester. Readings: Students are expected to study the assigned readings prior to each class and to

participate actively in classroom discussions. The list of readings will be augmented throughout the semester with other materials that may be timely or interesting. Some of the readings are designed to inform your judgment and to broaden your understanding of the intellectual underpinning of the news media. There is also an empirical dimension to this class, and we shall closely observe the way the media is behaving in real time.  Our method of studying the media will be multi-faceted and will include case studies, scholarly theory and analysis, and articles and videos from the news media in all its forms. We shall pay special attention to coverage of the politics and policy of the current administration. Our core resource for traditional news will be The New York Times, whose political and international coverage and op-ed/editorial pages will be required reading. I strongly recommend taking the print version of The Times, which is quite a different experience from reading The Times online, even though it must be said that The Times’ online is superb. You will also be expected to become familiar with some of the leading news-oriented Web sites that represent a range of opinions, perspectives, and journalistic standards – from The Huffington Post to The Drudge Report to blogs on major news sites like ABC News - The Note.  The Class Blog: Our interaction will not be limited to the class itself, but will include a class blog to which every member of the class will be required to contribute. For some students, blogging will be new and part of the course will be to make everyone in the class comfortable in this new media environment – both as a consumer and a producer of content. Certainly, being competent as a blogger is apt to be fundamental in the future for anyone who seeks to have a voice in the great public debate. You will be required to post something each week to the class blog that is related to the week’s topic. This can take the form of brief comments, lengthier essays – not to say rants, links to articles and other Web material you find interesting related to the topic at hand. We shall have technical instruction for all who need it, and the objective will be a robust, irreverent, fun, but also usefully serious conversation that will go on throughout the semester using the technology that is transforming our world. This will be an open forum with opportunity for lively differences of opinion, but it will also be a safe and civil blog with no anonymous comments. Part of each class will be devoted to what has appeared on the blog and what has been in the news. Your input to the blog will be graded by me on the basis of how interesting and informative it is, how relevant to the topic at hand, and how enterprising. No one will be allowed to hog the blog, but everyone must engage. And if it isn’t fun, we shall have failed. If you have no knowledge of blogging, you should not be afraid. I shall make it very easy. Participation: Discussion will be an important part of the course, and you are expected to

prepare fully for each session by doing all the readings and preparing yourself to discuss what the readings say and how they may be applied.  I shall feel free to cold call in class.  My goal will be to get as many different voices as possible into our discussions; your goal should be to ensure that your voice is heard and that it is an informed one. Mid-Term: There will be a mid-term exercise that will be aimed at role-playing in situations that require careful critical thinking, making distinctions, and then justifying your judgment as to the correct course of action. In the exercise, you will be asked to look at problems from various points of view, such as that of a reporter, an editor, a senior elected official, the head of a government agency, an advocate, a military officer, the leader of an NGO, etc. You will need to analyze the situation and not only decide upon the right course of action, but also to explain what slightly different circumstances might lead you to another course of action. The point will be not only to prompt thinking, but to the extent possible find the circumstantial tipping point that would lead you to a different conclusion.

For instance, one scenario might be that you are the head of a small start-up NGO is trying to gain traction in a hostile environment to advance a particular policy. Another more established NGO is trying to stop you. The local media is dominated by a well-meaning, but lazy reporter. You learn that the head of the rival NGO is having an affair with a public official who has power over which NGO gets government funding. What do you do with that information? What if, instead, you learned that the rival NGO head was beating his wife? Does that change anything?

You will be expected to do your own thinking in the exercise, but we shall discuss the different perspectives that emerge in your responses.

Term Paper: Each member of the class will be required to produce a serious piece of work on a topic that you select related to the course’s focus. It can be an analysis of an ethical issue, a media case study, a dissection of a news topic, an exploration of a trend in news, etc. It should be tailored to your particular interests, but must be approved by me. For instance, if your particular interest is health care, you might choose a real event – say, the rollout of Obamacare – and write critically about the media coverage of it. If your interest is gay rights, you may want to examine the way all forms of media shaped the momentum of the gay marriage issue. If you are not from the United States, you may focus on a press-related issue that is particularly relevant to your native country or region, such as open government, press freedoms, news norms, libel laws, etc., or to a more general examination of how the media affected an issue or political event.  The paper should be from 15 to 20 pages in length (double-spaced, 12-point font), about the length of a meaty magazine article in The New York Times Sunday Magazine. It will be due on the last day of class and should be submitted both electronically in WORD and also on paper. You will be assessed a letter grade for each 24 hours the paper is late. You will be expected to do original reporting and research for the paper and the more evidence there is of

enterprise and effort, the better the grade is apt to be. For native English speakers, style will be given more weight than for non-English speakers, but in any case there will be penalties for such things as misspelled words. Your topic must be approved by me, and I shall make every effort to accommodate your particular interest. I would advise starting work early on the paper because it can prove difficult to get the first-hand interviews that add to the quality of your research. If some of you feel uncomfortable with the interview process, I shall be glad to offer you extra help.   

PREREQUISITES This course is the introduction to the Press/Politics field at the Kennedy School.  It is recommended both for students who want to concentrate in the field and those who intend to take only a single Press/Politics course.  There are no prerequisites for Kennedy School students.  Previous journalistic or governmental experience can enhance your class participation, and through your in-class comments, that of other students, but such experience is not required. The class is open to non-Kennedy School students, provided there is room.  Preference will be given to those taking the course for credit over those wishing to audit it.  Similarly, preference will be given to senior students over ones who might have another opportunity to take the course at a later date.

 GRADING

 Class Participation 10%Blog Participation 25%Mid-term Exercise 25%

Final Paper 40% CLASS PARTICIPATION: Your grade for class participation will be determined by two factors: attendance and speaking in class. Attendance will be taken at every class by the course assistant, who will post the record of those present and absent on the class website.  It will be your responsibility to ensure that this record is correct regarding your presence in the class.  Arriving more than 30 minutes late will be considered an absence.  If there is an error, it must be addressed within a week of the class or else the error stands.  If you think the assistant may have missed you, it is your responsibility to bring the error to his/her attention. I consider class participation an extremely important part of the course, and I encourage you

to be present and to participate.  You may take two unexcused absences without penalty. After that, every unexcused absence lowers the class participation portion of your overall grade by one grade level.  For instance, from an A- to a B+.  So, please come to class. Obviously, there are some absences that cannot be avoided, such as for illness or family or personal emergency.  Absences must be excused by me personally, and I require an e-mailed explanation within 24 hours of the missed class.  PLEASE PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING: If you have not apprised me within 24 hours of your reason for being absent, your absence will be counted unexcused no matter what the reason.  Again, I do not consider the press of work for another course to be a valid reason for absence.  We meet only 13 times. I shall follow HKS guidelines on grading policy, e.g., a "B+" is the modal grade 

COURSE PLAN & REQUIRED READINGS Required Texts (on sale at the Harvard Coop and on reserve at the KSG library):  Kovach and Rosenstiel, The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect (3rd edition) Jones, Alex, Losing The News: The Future of the News That Feeds Democracy

Patterson, Thomas: Informing The News: The Need for Knowledge-Based Journalism Please Note: Almost all readings are available on-line or in the two required books, with the exception of one reading in Week 4.  

DPI-600 COURSE OUTLINE AND READINGS Class #1 Tuesday, January 27“The Press in Crisis” The traditional media are reeling from the shock of a flight to the Web, compounded by the worst economy since the Depression. If we assume that serious news is essential to democracy, is that jeopardized by the tumultuous changes in play? Reading:Losing the News, “The Iron Core,” Chapters 1, 6 and 7 A significant part of this class will be devoted to introducing the class blog and the team projects. Class #2 Tuesday, February 3

“Troubled Standards: Objectivity and Ethics” Many people, including many journalists, believe that objective reporting is not only old fashioned, but inherently dishonest. Yet most Americans say that they want objectivity in their news. Similarly, ethics is at the root of virtually every journalistic decision, yet it is a profession viewed by many as largely unethical. Readings:  “In the Details,” by Jennifer B. McDonald, a book review of “The Lifespan of a Fact,” by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal, New York Times, February 21, 2012  The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach & Tom Rosensteil, Chapters 1-4 Losing the News, Chapters 4, 5 Case study: Esther Scott, “The Story After the Story: The Los Angeles Times’ Coverage of Arnold Schwarzenegger,” 2005.  Case study: Esther Scott, “Crossing the Line: Don Imus and the Rutgers Women’s Basketball Team,” 2008.   Class #3 Tuesday, February 10“The First Amendment – Bastion with a Checkered History” The First Amendment is the glory of American freedom of speech and press, but its protections have proven fragile in perilous times. When should news organizations defy the government and publish information considered secret? Have First Amendment protections gone too far?

Tentative guest: David Carr of The New York Times Readings:

Losing the News, Chapter 3  Allan Siegal, “Secrets about Secrets; The Backstage Conversations between Press and Government,” 2007.  Wikileaks: Bill Keller, “Dealing With Assange and the Wikileaks Secrets,” New York Times Magazine, January 26, 2011

 Leaks:Scott Shane, “Ex-Officer Is First From CIA to Face Prison for a Leak,” New York Times, January 5, 2013 AND the sidebar on Leak-Related Cases Prosecuted During the Obama Administration Saturday Night Live – Tina Fey/Sarah Palin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE-OCDexYrU   Increasingly, public opinion is being shaped by political humor. This week, post on the class website something YOU think is very funny that has a political point to make. It has to be something that you think FUNNY, not just that makes a point. And also look for examples of political humor you think breaches the boundaries of what is ethical – even for humor. Something that goes too far. Remember, we’re talking about political humor, not sex or dirty jokes. For example, some Moslems felt the cartoons of Mohammad went too far. What are the ethical questions behind political humor? Can you make a point without being offensive to someone? How offensive is permissible? This is the topic for the class blog for Class #3.  Class #4 Tuesday, February 17“The Presidency and Barack Obama”

Obama is said to have mounted two of the best presidential campaigns ever and forever changed the way campaigns will be run. His presidency, however, has not been the triumphal march with popular support that some expected, and the media have been a tool his opponents have used well.  Your assignment is to find articles, site, blogs, postings, etc. online that illustrate the efforts to promote and to frustrate the Obama administration and tell your classmates about them, with your brief analysis.  There is no better demonstration of the complex role the media play with the Presidency than coverage of the President’s State of the Union speech, and the Republican response to it. Part of your preparation for this class is to watch the State of the Union speech and response on Jan. 29, and then compare the different ways news organizations present what just happened. Did Fox News report differently from CNN and MSNBC? Is NBC different from MSNBC? Is Wikipedia – which has become a news organization – different from The New York Times? Compare the verbs that appear in the first paragraph of written coverage. Does The Wall Street Journal’s web post use a different verb – and project a different judgment - from The Washington Post? Compare American coverage and foreign coverage – especially coverage from the media in your own country if you are not from the United States. What do you see? This is the topic for the class blog for Class #4. 

Websites to compare:www.drudgereport.comwww.redstate.comwww.dailykos.comwww.dickmorris.comhttp://www.anncoulter.com/www.thedailybeast.comwww.huffingtonpost.comwww.politico.comwww.infowars.comwww.whitehouse.govwww.nytimes.comwww.nypost.comwww.msnbc.comwww.cnn.comwww.foxnews.com Readings: Esther Scott, “Al Gore and the ‘Embellishment Issue’”  Richard Neustadt, “The Power To Persuade,” Presidential Power and Modern Presidents, (New York: Free Press, 1990) pp. 29-49 (Online from CMO) How does Neustadt’s analysis – written more than fifty year ago – hold up today? Come prepared to discuss.

Class #5 Tuesday, February 24   “Battling Over Truth: Media Coverage of Policy”

Tentatively, class to be conducted by Prof. Thomas Patterson Readings:

Patterson, Thomas Informing The News Mayer, Frederick W.  “Stories of Climate Change: Competing Narratives and U.S. Public Opinion 2001-2010”

Cristine Russell, Chapter 3, "Covering Controversial Science: Improving Reporting on Science and Public Policy," pp 13-43, in "Science & the Media," American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge.  See Press Release and download the PDF here http://www.amacad.org/pdfs/scienceMedia.pdf "The Hottest Thing in Science Blogging: ScienceOnline2011 conference puts convergence of old and new media on display," CJR, Jan. 18, 2011 Joe Nocera writes NYT column:  “Poisoned Politics of Keystone XL” 2/6  Joe Romm, Climate Progress writes: “Joe Nocera Joins the Climate Ignorati” 2/9 

 Joe Nocera responds: “The Politics of Keystone, Take 2” 2/10 Can a person support the Keystone XL oil pipeline and still believe that global warming poses a serious threat? ThinkProgress green guest column:  "Joe Nocera Still Doesn't Get It on Keystone" Look at www.journalistsresource.org  

 Class #6 Tuesday, March 3 (GOLDSMITH AWARDS TONIGHT)“Watchdog Reporting and Investigative Journalism” The role of the press as watchdog is one of its most cherished, and valued, functions. How is this reporting done and how can it be used for the public good? Readings:  Goldsmith Prize Finalists: Please read the descriptions of each finalist and the corresponding articles.  Also Visit: Investigative Reporters and Editors        Center for Investigative Reporting 

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING PAPER TOPIC

MID-TERM EXERCISE POSTED ONLINE

 Class #7 Tuesday, March 10 “The New News Media” The New News Media take many forms – from digital versions of traditional journalism to the clearly powerful organizing and galvanizing vehicles of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.  Readings: Clay Shirky:Speech at Shorenstein Center 25th Anniversary (VIDEO): http://shorensteincenter.org/2011/10/nyus-clay-shirky-gives-lecture-on-press-freedom/

“Newspapers and thinking the unthinkable,”

w/ Evgeny Morozov, “Digital Power and its Discontents,”  Kundra, Vivek. “Digital Fuel of the 21st Century: Innovation Through Open Data and the Network Effect. http://shorensteincenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/d70_kundra.pdf

 Esther Scott, “Big Media Meets the “Bloggers: Coverage of Trent Lott’s Remarks at Strom Thurmond’s Birthday Party,” 2004.  Sam Graham-Felsen ,“How Cyber-Pragmatism Brought Down Mubarak”   Losing The News, Chapter 8

Mid-term exercise to be turned in by 5 p.m. on March 10.  

Spring Break – No class on March 17 Class #8 Tuesday, March 24“The International Press: Are Media Values National or Universal?”  Other nations with other press cultures view the role of news in many different ways. Some are similar to the American model, but many are not. But are there values that apply to the press throughout the world? The international focus of the course will be shaped by the nationalities and particular international interests represented in the class.  Tentative Readings:  (Others to be determined by international focus) Jim Sleeper, “Should American Journalism Make Us Americans?” 1999.  Wajahat Khan, “A Generally Bellicose Society’s Antisocial Media: Reporting Murder & Debating God in a Nation at War,” 2011.  Class #9 Tuesday, March 31“Journalism in Time of War” One of the greatest reporting challenges is covering war, not only because of the danger and difficulty, but of the ethical dilemmas that war reporting creates for journalists and news organizations. Reading:David Barstow, “Message Machine: Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand,” April 20, 2008.  “Q&A with David Barstow,” April 21, 2008 David Barstow, “Message Machine: One Man’s Military-Industrial-Media Complex,” November 30, 2008 David Rohde’s account of his captivity in The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/world/asia/21taliban.html?pagewanted=allhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/world/asia/18hostage.html?pagewanted=allhttp://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/david-rohde-q-a-held-by-the-taliban/?pagemode=print Case study: Esther Scott, “Reporting in the Fog of War: The Story of Jessica Lynch,” 2004.

 Jack Nelson, “U.S. Government Secrecy and the Current Crackdown on Leaks,” 2003. 

Class #10 Tuesday, April 7“Media as Moral Battleground”

Discussion of decisions made by members of the class in the Mid-Term Exercise

 Class #11 Tuesday, April 14“The Power of the Media in Politics” Democratic self-governance is a goal of the press in most nations, but may not be the goal of the government. How has the press been an agent for change in the world? Reading:  Tomasky, Michael. Whispers and Screams: The Partisan Nature of Editorial Pages. 2003

Ben W. Heineman, Jr., “The Political Lie, From Cicero to Joe McCarthy,” http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/09/the-political-lie-from-cicero-to-joe-mccarthy/261973/

Losing the News, Chapter 2

These readings go to the heart of what I believe many of you are most interested in – how the press can change things, and how agents of change can USE the press to change things. That is the blog theme for this week – how you have seen that work, how you have seen that fail, what you have observed and what you would like to be able to DO in terms of the press and change. The debate about objectivity pertains here. When is objective reporting a more successful agent of change? When is it not? What role does press credibility – or lack of it – play?   Tentative guest:

Class #12 Tuesday, April 21“Playing the Media Game: A Blood Sport” To play a role in the public arena, one must be prepared to play the media game, which can be a bruising experience as it is often conducted with brutal tactics and ethical quagmires. What is the right way to play when you are in a game in which your opponents may have very different rules? The reality of dealing with the media and using the media to achieve your goals.   Readings:  Negative political ads and effects on voters: Research roundup

http://journalistsresource.org/studies/politics/elections/negative-political-ads-effects-voters-research-roundup Ellwood vs. DeParle:Jason DeParle, “Clinton Aides See Problem with Vow to Limit Welfare,” http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/21/us/clinton-aides-see-problem-with-vow-to-limit-welfare.htmlJason DeParle, “Mugged by Reality,” December 08, 1996 http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/08/magazine/mugged-by-reality.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm David Barstow, “Message Machine: How the Government Makes News; Under Bush, a New Age of Pre-Packaged News,” March 13, 2005.   Class #13 Tuesday, April 28“The Future of News”  What promises to be the best of the new world of news that the Web will spawn? And what are the dangers? For news consumers and journalists, for citizens and pundits, for advocates and reformers… what will the future bring?  Reading:  I ask that you think about the future of news, the importance – or transience – of professional journalism, the importance of free speech versus informed speech, and the value of institutions such as newspapers. Does it matter if newspapers disappear? http://towcenter.org/research/post-industrial-journalism/ I would urge you to look at the Nieman Foundation’s site focused on new ways to deal with news: http://www.niemanlab.org/ 

FINAL PAPERS DUE