Having read the chapter, you should be able to do each of the following:
- Trace the development of the news media from the establishment of the first American newspapers to the modern system of broadcast networks, chain newspapers, and news services. Describe how the newspapers of different historical periods have dealt with the issue of political partisanship.
- Give reasons for the high degree of uniformity in the news coverage offered by the American media.
- Define the four roles of the media: signaler, common carrier, watchdog, and public representative. Assess the importance of the various roles to a democratic society. Identify the roles most or least suitable for the news media, and the extent to which they perform the various roles.
