Media Institution: Crash Course Government and Politics #44

So today we're going to look at the rather thorny issue of the media and its role in politics. Wether you're talking about older forms of media like newspapers and radio or newer forms like television and the Internet, all media serves the same purpose - to provide information to the public. So we're going to discuss their strengths and weaknesses and examine how both content creators and consumers play a role in the information that is told. It could be argued that because the media only relays information it isn't actually important to the American political system, but when you look more closely at what and how this information affects voters as well as their elected officials, we can more clearly see its importance as a political institution.
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[@luluopal16]

Saved me from reading 40 pages of a textbook. Thanks thoughtbubble.

[@The_Whitlovian]

"There's no commercials on the Internet." That's always funny.

[@Rayalot72]

+1234kalmar Same

[@1234kalmar]

TheYeIIowDucK What's the difference?

[@vaibhavgupta20]

+1234kalmar ublock is more efficient. it uses less space.

[@1234kalmar]

Vaibhav Gupta Less space as in megabites? I have a terrabite's worth of harddrive, so I'm not really concerned wether something is 10 or 12 MBs really.

[@1234kalmar]

TheYeIIowDucK He said space, not RAM.

[@87thdoctor80]

I think there needs to be a "crash course media studies"

[@johnathanhamilton4241]

87th Doctor there is now!!!

[@canislupus6186]

YASS PLS

[@Nekotamer]

sometimes i forget i have a tv... i can relate to that.

[@Thumbsupurbum]

+FailedPoliSaint I got rid of my tv and cable box 3 years ago now. I've never missed it. Internet > TV

[@linwoodvalentine7693]

Haven't watched TV in couple days

[@TokenBlackman7]

@5:20 - 6:23 -- Love the Spider-Man, Jonah Jameson, and Daredevil references!

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

The Daily Bugle is a terrible paper, with horrible anti Spider-Man bias,

[@Lucy-ng7cw]

Can you do a second series on world politics and different systems ?

[@99thTuesday]

Thanks Craig and Crash Course for this. 'twas good.

[@guylaurent8138]

The media right or left never challenge the candidates, there's so many questions to ask them...

[@makaylarobinson5037]

who feels bad for that eagle always being knocked on the floor? _oh me ok then~_

[@bbkingzor]

I recommend Noam Chomsky's and Edward S. Herman's "Manufacturing Consent" for a deep analysis of the workings of mass-media institutions. For anyone truly concerned with upholding democracy and the necessity for free media should take a look at this book. Fair warning, though, their conclusions might not exactly uplift your "America is the freest country evaaah"-spirit.

[@Lord_Plasma_3]

What format is this published in? If via the web, could you possibly provide a link?

[@bbkingzor]

Oscar Vaughn You'll have to buy it or rent it at your local library probably. However, there was also made a documentary based on the book, which is here on KZbin: watch?v=gsn-cMLs1O0

[@Warriorpend2]

+bbkingzor Warning, though, the documentary focuses more on Chomsky and lifts up Chomsky as a giant (which he is!) that even Chomsky would denounce. Also, Chomsky has stated multiple times that the work is really more Herman's than his own. With these considerations in mind, Manufacturing Consent - the book - is an absolutely excellent book and everyone should read it at some point.

[@bbkingzor]

Matthew Pendleton Very true, I would also recommend the book over the doc any time. Especially since the book is so readily available on amazon and other sites now. I found my copy of it for no more than $5 on awesomebooks some time ago (great site for used books btw).

[@rubbeldiekatz85]

Oscar Vaughn You can easily obtain it as a pdf online. A simple google search will do the job.

[@edsimmons38]

I love Crash Course! It is an amazing resource.

[@chrisk8208]

Good video as usual, thanks. I'm disappointed that the concentration of ownership (over the last couple of decades) of mainstream media wasn't mentioned and neither was the infiltration of mainstream media by organizations like the CIA. I think both are responsible for the lack of reporting on important subjects that those in control don't want reported. On the flip side, internet reporting often occurs with little fact checking and limited ownership of mistakes. Still, I'll take the internet over Reuters PR BS any day. :)

[@opaaaaaaaaaaa]

Very informative. I like it.

[@isolatedquality2207]

I love crash course. I learn so much so fast. I feel so smart now :)

[@benaaronmusic]

Thanks, Craig. (and all of Crash Course)

[@SexualPotatoes]

That chart on 3:39 isn't too useful in today's landscape. With 2007-2008 came the release of the first mass-market smartphones. The number of those in America today (nearing 200 million!) must have changed these numbers quite a lot. Even streaming services like Netflix and Hulu didn't exist back then. I'm sorry to see your data wasn't up-to-date.

[@whatshisnamegain1]

Agreed.

[@mastring1966]

+Sexual Potatoes When the iPhone came out my wife looked at it and said "it's kind of neat looking, but i'm not sure I'd get any real use out of it past using it as a cool phone". It's now an integral part of her life. she puts reminders on it, sets appointments on it, uses it to read books and search the web for information and watch tv shows. It's entirely likely the smart phone will wind up killing both regular TV, cable AND newspapers.

[@Safeway_Sage]

+Sexual Potatoes Good point, I get most of my news from podcasts. Does that fall under radio or internet?

[@Dandalf_the_Fly]

it's a show they are stuck with what's out there they can't really do there own unbiased polls it was probably the most recent on they have

[@joshhylden]

+Sexual Potatoes I hold a different opinion. Smart phones have enabled us to receive information from all sources: newspaper e-editions, live TV & radio streaming and, of course, the Internet and social media. If mass marketed smart phones have done anything, they've allowed for increased noise, with fake news articles and "embedded" news pieces now flooding the marketplace.

[@rigrentals5297]

GETTING READY TO WRITE AN ESSAY ON MEDIA BIAS!!! THANK YOU CRASH COURSE GOVENMENT AND POLITICS

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

john vidal I hope you read Wikileaks

[@mjpanicali]

This entire series should be a basis for civics classes (if they even still have those)...it would keep the students attention and provide a great basis for open discussion.

[@quietthomas]

Found it strange that this didn't talk about the wire services, particularly the big three: The AP, The AFP and Reuters.

[@Ensorcle]

Crash course is so awesome. You guys need to know this.

[@noahfountain7037]

6:22 J. Jonah Jameson!!!

[@Leftistattheparty]

They should talk about think tanks and how money is affecting them, cough cough, Koch bros and Heritage Foundation, Americans for Prosperity, Cato Institute, etc.

[@pastelcataclysm]

Thank you! This topic is on my midterms in a week.

[@Antifadiva]

+lionthieves Almost all (90%) American media is controlled by 6 media empires which have a stranglehold on what Americans see, and they make sure their corporate interests are represented well. They don't care about Republican or Democrat, they care about protecting their corporate image. Journalists do not have the power to expose their corporate corruption. See the Truth: www.indefenseofliberty.tv/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/media-consolidation.png

[@pastelcataclysm]

musicbikesnaturewind ... I just want an A on my civics midterm.

[@stubbythebaby6980]

+lionthieves That isn't allowed unless you listen to at least one tin foil hat wearers.

[@rockyimminence1787]

Anyone else get the Marvel's Daredevil Reference at 5:32 ?

[@blackearsbunny5818]

Omg love that animation between him and her shaking their hands. XD like that would happened.

[@Thumbsupurbum]

+BlackEars Bunny Well, if it does then one(or both) of them would likely be holding a knife behind their back.

[@Zeekar]

I think this should have a part 2. Or even 3 or 4. It felt like it ended a little short and could have gone more into possible solutions to educating yourself when all the lowest hanging fruit (so to speak) are so biased. Who has time to research everything that could possibly be an issue?

[@Rayalot72]

+Zeekar Ikr. I would like to look around and get an informed opinion, but I don't really know how. I almost want a tutorial for it tbh.

[@Onodera1980]

I think the bit at the end about the people that consume and don't consume media was very interesting.

[@sheepwshotguns42]

If you found this interesting i recommend googling noam chomsky and the bias of the elite. He has some great insight i know you'll love.

[@MinecrafterPiano]

aww hell yeah new videos.

[@carolfabarez855]

The chart was great, but has a massive typo - actually two. It says "The Trend in Regular New Consumption". Good video overall, though.

[@skyetroy3772]

Great topic. However, Id like to see a focus on what is the role that media plays in politics and government. What was the governments original role in media and how has that evolved over the decades? We need to talk about partisan selective exposure and how your media outlets are creating confirmation bias.

[@ericah7305]

Love!

[@arjun-cw7cr]

diggin the daredevil references

[@coconutologist]

CC always makes me feel optimistic about the current situation... then I test the mechanism and the optimism dies.

[@plankton67js]

Is there not a website that shows every bill or acitivity that goes on in the governemtn. Like what bills are happening in the Legislative Branch or the cases happeningin the Judicial Branch? I want to become well informed about these things.

[@helloimtab]

1:24 is Charlie's rat stick from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia!

[@matymadmax5723]

this is better to watch than actually study with school stuff

[@yassienelsayed570]

Wow cool!

[@EvilTribble1]

The criticisms of the media don't even scratch the surface. No mention of Noam Chomsky is deplorable.

[@connorshea9085]

omg 3:24 that tindr profile

[@scotttheasiankid321]

Hey you guys should do Canadian government and politics or Canadian law.

[@OktayDogangun]

By the way a Turkish newspaper, "Cumhuriyet (Republic)", has surprisingly appeared @1:31. According to text I could read, the footage is from 1930s.

[@musicalroly]

I've been to the restaurant at 2:17

[@satyrz03]

@bluesenshi Thats why blogs are popular.

[@jpeench8981]

who's here cuz on online school

[@MisterJasro]

I'm betting that in a few years a new medium will immerge, namely interactive media. More and more you see serious games taking of. No longer just for fun, but also discussing more and more adult topics. If you look at games like democracy 3 and it's political bias, it is clear to see that this has potential. Question is will it be for good or for ill.

[@damonteforney8076]

schools should be teaching about the media and what appropriate sources are good for gaining information on politics and other topics

[@nikopro16]

Hello John Green, i'm watching all of your videos and i like them a lot. i know many people ask you to do this or that video but Republic of Georgia. The Georgian kingdom and Empire of Trebizond king David the builder from 960- 1089 -1300 is very very interesting time in Caucasus region relationship between Kingdom of Georgia and Byzantium. please make video, i will help you if you will need something.

[@pete275]

"in the early days of the web" I'm disappointed there wasn't a screenshot of the Drudge Report, which looks just like it did in the 90s

[@godo1989]

This is why you always need to get news from LOTS of different sources, no matter what your political affiliation. The news is always biased and frankly, it's disingenuous of the media to pretend it's not.

[@katanabluejay]

That DareDevil reference

[@Borzogo]

Two extremes do NOT balance each other. The truth is often a middle ground and neither extreme will highlight that. Watching both extremes will not as well.

[@tigerhawk12rn]

Feel the Bern!

[@animeopeningamvs9250]

House of cards is a good show to see it in Action

[@VodShod]

News stations that get their news from papers should pay that paper for the information they take.

[@jacekneumann6491]

And what media source would you say is the least biased? My top picks would be Reuters and WikiNews.

[@nicanornunez9787]

wow crush curse has everything, except for... oh I can´t think anything I just wish I were better at improvisation.

[@tatianaarabellarodrigo6928]

OMG! He sounds lkke Clarence from Cartoon Network! 😂😂😂

[@monaalnafea2941]

اتمنى ان تضعون ترجمة للغة العربية .

[@akashsaha2542]

NEW Vid!

[@chrisray9653]

Page 3!

[@gracieross3300]

Great, now I can watch OAN and not get automatically angry because I already know what to expect from their biased, conservative reporting.

[@felixthecrazy]

"Responsible media"......HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH

[@micahpe]

In the description you have "wether" and I don't think a ram who has lost its manhood is what you were going for.

[@marcsarfati3291]

Having anything to do with PBS. You stated that you receive funding founding from the government.

[@mithunvlogs6998]

He is so smart and handsome😀😁

[@mickmickymick6927]

Needs more sources and evidence

[@olanhighlanders324]

What about the Daily Show and Last Week Tonight!!!

[@1234kalmar]

They are more comedy. Despite the fact that are more reliable news sources than anything else.

[@Marylandbrony]

+Eisa Salem I think "Weekend Update" is funnier.

[@peepeepoogirl]

that poor eagle

[@zerokmatrix]

No eagle punch? what's going on!?

[@kaocsaephan]

WHAT HAPPENED TO JOHN GREEN? HE WAS THE BEST PERSONALITY

[@ronbouj]

Is history and john green ever coming back ?! :'( please reply

[@lillianfitzroy1534]

+Kenny Zhang rude

[@animeisstinky123]

Why are you asking here

[@animeisstinky123]

how was that rude

[@SB-qo6xk]

@ CrashCourse - I was kind of hoping that you would have been able to do this in a non-paartizan way, but alas I suppose that is too much for you to do! But I must admit you did a very good job at sliding in your bias to make it almost undetectable by most that are uneducated or do not understand linguistics and how propaganda works. just my ten cents - no doubt I get a thousand bots to hate on this for questioning your preeminent status... ah irony.

[@Mitsunosai]

It may be a bias from my upbringing but I'm surprised that religious interests are considered under-represented. Do you mean non-Christian religious interests? Clarification and possibly examples of what you mean could be useful.

[@channly]

Now we know why he was holding the mug all along.

[@kcircuit8684]

300 comment Tis Is SpatA

[@bahmanghasemi6478]

whay don't ansewr video clip?!

[@satyrz03]

@anonymous anonymous "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than a man who reads nothing but newspapers." That's the actual quote. Yet it doesn't make it true.

[@frencheneesz]

3:45 Agh shows your units for crisake! What are those numbers? Clearly not percentages..

[@uptown3636]

Don't know who this waiter is, but he sure is wheezy. 😉

[@simongreve]

Poor Dave Freeman. Just because he is a set designer doesnt mean he can't be an unbiased journalist as well.

[@chriswashere12]

I think many people forget that it's possible to be biased towards fairness, and the media shouldn't necessarily give equal weight to both sides of the aisle on every issue. It the republican party said tomorrow that it believed the earth was flat, the headline should be "Crazy republicans don't believe the Earth is round", rather than "Republicans and Democrats can't agree on shape of the Earth"

[@noahfountain7037]

I am the Senate. Aaaaahh

[@mackdmara]

New allows you inform yourself on things relevant to you lifestyle and interests. It is one of the best ways for us to learn about the world around us, and we use that to make a personal world view. The problem with this is many commercial or political pieces are told to you as if they are unbiased. I was on a major networks main site (not to be named), and one of the pieces I found was about a law about cars. I own a car, and was interested. Three paragraphs down I came to the realization it was just a massive sales pitch for an insurance site! Looked like news, was on a trusted news site, but it was in no way news. Ads I understand are needed to pay for this free to me news, but dressing up a hooker and calling her your date, although factual (she came there with you), is a tad disingenuous.

[@PrincessTS01]

tyt is the best media on the net

[@NotJayUU]

weezyyyyyyyyyy waaaaaaaiteeeerr

[@SusanWojcucki]

ding

[@srikandi3600]

Cc please

[@koobert]

Those poor giant rats.

[@martinconway8174]

Doesn't your job give you coffee? Or Tea?

[@cFyugThCzvAqYaGmxRgfCKTuvHMEjQ]

+Martin Conway No, all the budget goes to cosmetic eagle surgery so it looks always healthy before getting punched again.

[@Nissim1795]

Are you sure you didn't just watch "House of Cards" and then write down everything you saw there?

[@Monochromicornicopia]

You misspelled "Whether" in the description

[@paulweiner9277]

Just remember, journalists are professionals, and with the exception of opinion writers and editorialists, who write away from the newsroom, journalists do everything they can to get their stories right, and work hard to take their bias out of it.

[@abikochin2462]

how did media get popular in the government i cant undertand tht

[@readingrainbow417]

5:26 How ironic that I was watching dare devil right before this

[@dannyescalante5920]

Why there no dank memes?

[@thepleblian2079]

So basically, the consumer of news, IS the problem...

[@dbojangles1597]

+The Plebeian The people have always been the problem. The founding fathers gave us a great system to impose our will on the country. We have just been too lazy to put in the effort it takes to run a country.

[@datasian6487]

Anybody have the answers for the worksheet to this video? :)

[@tunison7648]

online schooling begins.

[@cajagato]

Yes, but most editors and publishers identify as conservative.

[@ilayali_]

Donald Trump's "tinder" pic