Chapter 19: The Mass Media

We depend on the mass media for news, entertainment, and information. Chapter 19 explains the influence of mass media on individuals, interest groups, and government.

Section 1 describes the structure of mass media. For example, newspapers were once America's chief source of political information. Now television and the Internet are at the top of the media pyramid.

Section 2 discusses how media impact government. Presidents have held press conferences since the days of Theodore Roosevelt, but technology has made the most dramatic difference in politics today.

Section 3 explores federal regulation of the media. The First Amendment guarantees freedom from censorship, but federal regulations try to provide fairness and wide access to the media.