Coverage of Occupy Wall Street Movement Surpasses that of Tea Party at its Height

Occupy Wall Street, at certain times, has garnered a larger percent of the media newshole than the Tea Party at its peak newshole coverage of the movement.  Reaching 13 % for the week of November 14-20, 2011 and 10 % for the week of October 10-16^th, 2011, it surpasses the high water mark of the Tea Party at 7 % during the week of April 13-19th, 2009.  But what accounts for increased news coverage in each movement?

Reasons for Increased News Coverage for Occupy Movement

The Occupy Movement has seen sharp increases in newshole occupation and then decline, where increases coincide with coverage of police interaction, arrest, or encampment removal.  The Pew Research Center for Excellence in Journalism stated in a recent article that “The Occupy Wall Street protests, which had been slowly fading from the media’s radar screen, generated plenty of headlines last week when several cities around the country, including New York, took steps to control the encampments.”  It is accompanied by a graphic of percent of newshole garnered by the Occupy Movement over time.

  In another post by Pew, Tricia Sartor describes the occupation of the newshole at 2 % for the week of September 26^th- October 2^nd, 2011 after video of the two women being pepper sprayed by police emerged, followed by an increase to 7% for the following week when “…the protests began to spread and 700 people were arrested while attempting to march across the Brooklyn Bridge.”  She then explains the 10% number reached for the week of October 10^th-16^th, when “…the protests became more politicized in the U.S. while expanding to a reported 900 cities around the globe.”    

 This idea of increased coverage surrounding police involvement is echoed in a New York Times article where they cite Alicia Shepard, ex-ombudsman of NPR, as saying “…most news coverage of Occupy hasn’t been about the issues, it’s been about who’s up and who’s down.”  A similar claim has been made by Nate Silver in his New York Times 538 blog, where he used the newslibrary.com database, “a compendium of about 4,000 news outlets in the United States — mostly 'traditional' sources like newspapers and television stations”, to analyze coverage of the Occupy Movement with respect to incidents with police, and his results are shown in the graphic below, where increases in coverage occur after incidents with police.

He also has a graphic comparing news hits for both movements at similar times in their movements history, where the Tea Party has the early edge.  However, the Occupy Movement is only returning hits up to about October 8th in this graphic, where they hadn't yet reached 10 % of the newshole.

Interview with Dr. Hadden Concerning Reasons for Occupy Coverage

In an interview with Dr. Jennifer Hadden of the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, an expert in social movements, I addressed a statement made in the Pew post where they cite a Washington Post article that states, “The movement began as a protest of major economic and political issues, but lately the most divisive issue has become the protests themselves. The Occupy Wall Street encampments that formed across the country to spotlight crimes committed on Wall Street have become rife with problems of their own.”  I then asked why she believes coverage of the movement has become the protests and not what the group is actually about:

Reasons for Increased Coverage of the Tea Party

While the Occupy Movement has seen 13 % of the newshole occupied, the Tea Party movement has peaked at 7 % for the week of April 13^th-19^th, 2009, followed by 6 % the next year, during the week of April 12^th-18^th, 2010.  Reasons for the 7 % newshole coverage surround a large national protest regarding tax day.  The story is the same for the following year at 6 %.

Why has Occupy Garnered More Newshole Coverage?

In the Pew Research Center for Excellence in Journalism post by Tricia Sartor, she speaks to why there may be coverage differences between the two movements.  She believes it is important to keep in mind that the Occupy Movement is an ongoing protest, whereas the Tea Party staged large, one day, national protests.  She also makes a point that “In addition, the Tea Party and its goals have become part of the nation's political narrative and now generate ongoing coverage, not simply when there are major events or protests.”

Sustainability vs. Effectiveness of Social Movements

I also asked Dr. Hadden in my interview about the Occupy and Tea Party Movements if she thinks a social movement, like Occupy Wall Street, can sustain itself with just coverage of “police wrongdoings”:

listen to ‘Sustainability of Occupy vs. Effectiveness’ on Audioboo

And getting their message across has been one criticism of the Occupy Movement.  Not only are they facing coverage of the protest themselves, but their message that is conveyed through the media has seen what one usnews.com article describes as suffering from “...a seeming lack of cohesion.”  The article states that “…though [Occupy’s] central message is about the actions of the richest Americans at the expense of 'the 99 percent,' Occupy has taken on a number of other causes.”  The article described some of those causes as “…not linked to current prominent political topics, like hunger and homelessness.” The Tea Party is then described as the winner as far as message is concerned, which is supported by the 2010 Midterm Election where many new successful Republican candidates ran on Tea Party values described by the usnews.com article as “…antipathy toward big government, large federal deficits and debt, and taxation.” 

In my interview with Dr. Hadden, I posed this question to her: “In two articles I found comparing the coverage of the Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party movements, a distinction has been made between the two, saying the Occupy Movement lacks a “central philosophy” or is suffering “mission creep”, whereas the Tea party eventually made clearly defined goals and have gained a lot of political clout.  However, the Occupy movement is still relatively young, and can still narrow its platform.  Do you believe that social movements need a clear message to continue not only receiving support from activists, but also to garner positive media coverage?”  She responded," The Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street are not really the same kind of movement", where she bases her belief on the structure of each movement (top down vs. grass roots).  Because, in her opinion, Occupy is a more " genuinely grassroots" and "diverse movement", she "...doesn't see that Occupy is ever going to coalesce on one particular policy proposal," but however,"...it may coalesce in different places on different things." She then makes the point that she doesn't believe "...we are going to see Occupy Wall Street become the kind of movement that the Tea Party is....."

Conclusion:  What to Watch for

If the Occupy movement may never be able to “coalesce” around one main goal, will they become a political force like the Tea Party movement?  Will they see continued news coverage of just protests or something more beneficial to the effectiveness of the movement, and not just the sustainability of the movement?  It will be interesting to see coverage of the Occupy Movement in the following months to see if there is a change in how much they are being covered and what type of coverage they are receiving.

University Senate Passes GPA Changes, Ignites Student Disapproval

On November 9^th, 2011 the University of Maryland University Senate passed a Bill to change how Undergraduates GPAs are calculated  49-26 with two abstentions, meaning it is now only up to President Dr. Wallace Loh to approve the bill to have the University’s GPA calculation system completely changed beginning in Fall of 2012. The new system will count an A+ as 4.0, an A as 4.0, an A- as 3.7, and a B+ as a 3.3 (continues this way for all grades where a “–“subtracts .3 from the GPA and a “+” adds .3 to the GPA). 

However, in a petition created by Zachary Cohen, sitting University Senate Member, he claims that “…the simple fact is that the administration neither solicited nor received the student input that is necessary to implement such a wide-sweeping change.”  The petition then proceeds to add that “During the University Senate meeting on November 9, 2011, non-student senators voted not only to prevent debate on a motion to gather more student input for this policy, but voted to prevent an undergraduate senator from voicing the concerns of his constituents.”  So far, the petition has gained 2,077 out of the needed 5,000 signatures to achieve recognition of the student voice. 

The Student Government Association has shown its disapproval of the new plan for implementation, voting against the bill in a special session.  In an interview with SGA President Kaiyi Xie, I asked him what his concerns were of this new grading system:

                In a report from Provost Dr. Ann Wylie to the University Senate Executive Committee, the Provost says the new system will reduce overall student GPAs by .03 of a point.  The reasoning behind the change is to make our system like those of “Peer Institutions” like UNC Chapel Hill, and UC Berkeley, where they have similar systems in place.  It is also supposed to help students who are looking to go to graduate school, where most of these schools recalculate students’ GPAs.

                With all of this opposition in mind, I asked President Xie what students can do to make their voices heard:

It seems a large part of the problem was the way this bill was passed.  It will be interesting to see if students can be loud enough to deter President Loh from approving this bill and changing the way grades are recalculated for all students who currently attend and will attend the University of Maryland College Park.

Political Radio Unpopular in Political Heart of U.S.

Talk radio is popular everywhere in the United States, except it seems, in Washington D.C.  This paradox can be explained, according to Chris Berry, President of WMAL, one of two popular AM news stations in D.C., by the fact that “people in D.C. are smarter and really know the issues so they don’t care as much about talk radio opinions.”  I interviewed Rachel Poisall, a student at the University of Maryland College Park who researched the topic of political radio in D.C. and asked her if she really believed that people in D.C. are “smarter” than others in the United States:

listen to ‘Political Radio Climate of D.C.’ on Audioboo

So if they aren’t smarter than other people in the United States, but they are “more aware” of the issues around them, then why does a conservative talk radio host like Rush Limbaugh, whose show, ironically, airs on WMAL, have such success in an environment where people are above the issues? Is it possibly because they are listening to him for entertainment?  I asked Rachel if she thinks people listen to political talk radio more for entertainment or for news-getting:

listen to ‘Political Talk Radio: News vs. Entertainment’ on Audioboo

So if it depends on the host, then people tune into Rush because he is entertaining.  However, this conflicts with Mr. Berry’s assertion that people in D.C. don’t care about talk radio opinions.  Obviously someone does, or he wouldn’t have so much success. 

The Electability of Herman Cain

     Ever since his landslide straw poll victory in Florida, Herman Cain has been at the forefront of discussions surrounding the republican nomination for the presidency in 2012.  Gaining 35 % of the straw poll vote, Cain upset favorite Rick Perry, who himself received the next highest percentage of votes at 15 %.  Why is this important?  Straw polls have helped predict the candidate for the Republican party in past years, e.g. Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole, and George H.W. Bush.  While much has changed since September 24^th, Cain has become a rock star in political media, for better or for worse.  Even in a more recent October 29^th poll in Iowa, a huge momentum state to win for potential nominees, Cain polled at 23 %, barely beating out Mitt Romney by 1 %.  However, his 23 % is up from his 10 % showing at the same poll in June of this year.

                To determine why the man who has made the number 999 famous is rising in polls, I asked Dr. David Karol of the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland College Park. An expert, among other things, on political parties and presidential nominations, Dr. Karol named a few reasons why he believed Cain is an attractive candidate to Republican voters:

listen to ‘Attractive Aspects of Herman Cain’ on Audioboo

     The real question is, assuming Herman Cain secures the nomination, can he beat Barack Obama in the general election.  To determine the answer to this question, I also asked Dr. Karol if he believed Herman Cain gives the Republican Party an advantage in 2012:

listen to ‘Advantages of Herman Cain ’ on Audioboo

 

     The most recent chatter about Herman Cain regards the sexual misconduct scandal surrounding him.  Two women he formerly worked with as head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, have brought up possible sexual misconduct that Cain committed during that time.  Both women were financially compensated and left the group.  However, he has faced much criticism for lack of a clear message regarding the accusations.  He originally said that he was not aware of financial compensation, and then changed his story to being aware of the compensation, all in the matter of a day.  I asked Dr. Karol if he believes this could derail Cain’s momentum and be something he can bounce back from:

listen to ‘Herman Cain Scandal’ on Audioboo

     With the republican primary set to begin in Iowa on January 3rd, 2012, I asked who Dr. Karol believed would be the nominee for the Republican Party next November:

listen to ‘Republican Nominee for 2012’ on Audioboo

     It will be interesting to see how Cain polls over the next couple weeks surrounding this scandal, how it may affect his primary chances, and ultimately, who will win the first critical states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

For all other audio clips of my interview with Dr. Karol not mentioned in this post , visit http://audioboo.fm/gvptjoe

Special thanks to Dr. Karol for his cooperation and help in the creation of this post.

AM vs. FM Radio: Differences, Advantages, and Trends

Introduction:  For those of you who, like me, have always just accepted the fact that the difference between FM and AM radio is the amount of talking that goes on each station, it is time to broaden your amplitude of radio knowledge.  This simple comparison does not answer why.  Why is music predominantly played on FM stations?  Why do AM stations cover a broader geographic range than FM?  Why is there more static in AM stations than FM stations?   I will answer all of these questions in the following paragraphs.

Definitions:

To begin to understand the difference between FM and AM radio it is important to know what each stands for.  AM stands for Amplitude Modulation, meaning the wave that carries the message has a varying amplitude that the receiver (aka radio) uses to understand the sound information. Amplitude is the overall strength of the signal.   AM radio waves also have a smaller bandwidth size, 10kHz, meaning the range of frequencies available to AM radio are smaller in comparison to FM radio wave bandwidth.   A sample carrier wave for an AM transmission is shown below:

FM stands for Frequency Modulation and is represented by the image above.  Instead of amplitude, the frequency of the carrier wave is varied and the receiver interprets this to understand the sound information.  Frequency is the number of waves being received per second.  Bandwidth size for FM radio waves is much larger than AM, 200 kHz, allowing for a larger range of frequencies, more advantagious for music. 

Advantages:

AM    1.       The range that AM radio can cover is far superior to that of FM radio.  It accomplishes this mass transmission by refracting waves in the atmosphere.

                2.       AM radio waves are cheaper because they are less reliable.

FM     1.       FM radio presents a huge advantage over AM radio.  For one, because it doesn’t rely on varying amplitudes, it doesn’t get as much interference from weather conditions in the atmosphere that disrupt AM transmissions.

                2.       FM radio waves allow for the source to emit two channels of information simultaneously, allowing for left and right audio channels, perfect for stereo quality. 

Disadvantages:

AM    1.       AM radio has an increased susceptibility to weather conditions that distort the signal because the amplitude is what the weather conditions affect, which is where the signal is carried for AM waves.

           2.       AM radio only emits one audio channel, which is not ideal for stereo sound.

FM     1.       FM radio can only cover a range of about 50 miles.

Trends:        As you can see, FM radio is definitely more advantageous for playing music, while AM radio is more advantageous for talk radio.  In fact, AM radio’s broad geographic range is one of the reasons talk radio uses it more than FM.  The trend in the 1980s and 1990s in the United States for music stations was a switch from AM to FM radio stations because of the better sound quality.  Today, the number of FM radio stations far exceeds that of AM radio stations, 28,693 and 16,265 respectively.  However, it is also important to keep in mind the fact that the geographic range problem for FM radio stations may also have an effect on the number of stations needed to cover most areas. 

Reflection:  As it stands, clearly FM radio is more popular in the eyes of American radio broadcasters and American radio listeners.  As we discussed in class, music radio accounts for 70 percent of all radio formats, while talk radio and news accounts for only 13 percent of all radio formats.  Even if all talk radio and news stations were on AM radio stations, which they aren’t, FM radio clearly dominates with 70 percent, all of which are on FM stations.  Even WTOP, a news station that covers traffic and weather on the 8s, switched from AM radio to FM radio because “more people listen to FM radio”, according to Neil at WTOP.  Overall, the advantages of FM radio outweigh the costs of a shortened geographic range, while AM radio can’t seem to overcome its cost of reduced signal quality.

American Political Science Review: Magazine Specs

      The American Political Science Review, frequently cited in my discipline of Government and Politics, is the scholarly journal of the American Political Science Association.  First published in 1906, this political research journal is currently published four times a year and consists of peer-reviewed research articles that cover a variety of topics, such as political theory, American politics, and public policy.  Pitched to advertisers as having a circulation of 16,000, the APSR is the most frequently cited political science journal.  
     Readers interested in actually reading the Review can do so in a couple of ways.  They can either become a member of the American Political Science Association and receive the Review (as well as two other scholarly journals) for free because of membership costs based on an income-based sliding scale or just buy the magazine for 25 dollars per issue.  
     As far as print vs. web publication goes, online articles are available in entirety for members.  Those who order the publication and aren't members only receive a print version of the magazine.  In this way, they make the magazine extremely exclusive.  
     The APSA website gives a link to preview some of the abstracts and research articles found in the latest issue.  An example of a topic covered for the August edition is how party elites don't necessarily affect citizen's policy views as much as previously.  The journal is hundreds of pages long and each article is lengthy in itself.  
     I believe because the information provided is so specific to political scientists, researchers, and policy makers, it has a stable niche audience that isn't easily shaken from reading.  Given the type of information and the cost to obtain it, the circulation they currently have is stable and will be sustainable because 1) there will always be research that can be done on politics and government, from top officials down to citizens, from race to gender issues, and 2) data is constantly changing.

JOURNALIST HEARST CAUSES SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

    If you think this headline is hyperbolic, it is nothing compared to the type of journalism employed by William Randolph Hearst at the turn of the 20th century.  It is different however, in that it has more truth than most of his headlines did.  I'll explain:     

     William Randolph Hearst, born on April 29^th 1863, was simply a product of his environment.  Born under a wealthy father who struck gold in the mining business, Hearst was able to attend Harvard to learn journalism.  While there, he studied as an apprentice under Joseph Pulitzer, someone who would later become one of his largest competitors. 

                Unfortunately for Hearst, Harvard did not work out for him, and he was expelled.  Two years later, he asked his father for ownership of the San Francisco Examiner, the paper his father, George Hearst, had purchased as a result of his political endeavors as a U.S. Senator.   It was then that Hearst created his Journalistic Empire.

                With The Examiner, Hearst began his path down the road of sensationalism, eventually leading him down a “yellow” brick road of journalism.  Sensationalism, in this case, is best defined as publishing news that  “excites and pleases vulgar tastes.” At The Examiner, Hearst decided to hire the best, publish the most shocking stories, and become a  Class A sensationalist.  But that was only the beginning; eventually he took his talents to the Big Apple.

                In New York, he purchased the New York Morning Journal, a failing newspaper that he threw money and sensationalism at to gain large audiences and compete for circulation with his once Master, Joseph Pulitzer, owner of the New York World.  Increasing circulation from 77,000 to over 1 million, Hearst didn’t just stop at publishing scandalous stories, he also “hired away” some of Pulitzer’s staff to put together a formidable lineup of journalists.  He paid what it took and published what it took to make the most money possible.  Ethics was merely a word to Hearst, who was arguably a large reason why the U.S. went to war with Spain in 1898.  

Notorious for flashy headlines and a thirst for readers, Hearst used the situation in Cuba as a platform for stories about the bad situations in Cuba.  According to PBS.org, Hearst’s writers wrote about “…female prisoners, executions, valiant rebels fighting, and starving women and children…”, but ultimately used the sinking of the Battleship Maine to propel his newspaper business.  Without clear evidence that the Spanish sunk the Maine, Hearst capitalized on this opportunity by blaming the Spanish and creating a public base that would, according to PBS, “demand intervention.”

                What Hearst and Pulitzer did to the newspaper biz was realize the potential moneymaking found in “yellow journalism”, an interesting term in itself.  The term stems from a comic used by Pulitzer in one of his New York World publications called “The Yellow Kid.”  Not shy about stealing from Pulitzer, Hearst hired the cartoonist, Robert Outcault, to make the comic for his paper.  Pulitzer responded by hiring another cartoonist to make the comic for his paper once again.

                From this information, it appears Hearst influenced the newspaper business in three ways.  First, he figured out a way to use a mass medium like a newspaper to influence political events, like the Spanish American War, by creating public opinion for the war.  Second, he created a journalistic atmosphere that lacked ethics during his time of competition with Pulitzer, now described as yellow journalism.  Today, some of the tactics he used then wouldn’t fly at all, things like hiring away journalists and publishing false news stories.  However, he was able to create an empire, “during the 1920s, that had 1 in 4  Americans read a newspaper he published.  That is not an exaggeration.