14.1: Media and Politics - Readings and Media
- Page ID
- 231703
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)1. Crash Course
CrashCourse. (2016, January 16). *Media institution: Crash Course Government and Politics #44* [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F0g4N415uw
First, establish a firm understanding of what the media are and how they play a role in politics with this video. Discover media functions and types (print, broadcast, internet, etc.), their advantages, disadvantages, and biases, along with the main factors influencing news coverage (journalists, sources, leaks, press releases, producers, etc.).

2. LIS101
LIS101. (n.d.). Politics, mass media, and science. LIS101: Introduction to Information Literacy. https://lis101.com/politics-mass-media-and-science/
This LIS101 course excerpt teaches you about political agendas and media structures which determine how people understand scientific issues and current events. The media tools of framing, false balance, and fake news are discussed, which sometimes conceal facts and give too much credibility to false information. Insufficient critical thinking and source evaluation skills can lead to information distortion through state propaganda and social media participation.
This excerpt helps you acquire essential knowledge about becoming better information consumers, an essential requirement for democratic participation, scientific understanding, and media resistance.
3. People Matters
People Matters Editorial Team. (2024, November 13). Is DEI dead? The corporate backlash against diversity. People Matters. https://www.peoplematters.in/article/diversity-equity-inclusion/is-dei-dead-the-corporate-backlash-against-diversity-43372
After defining media and politics, and conducting a critical assessment of coverage, we should examine how diversity equity and inclusion have become central topics for partisan media debates and political discussions. Media platforms present DEI initiatives through two opposing lenses which either show them as necessary reforms or dangerous overreach, even if these approaches intensify political polarization. For example, the Supreme Court's affirmative action decision has empowered critics while forcing corporations to abandon their DEI policy support. Meanwhile, corporate internal decisions affect political discussions, shape media coverage, public opinion. The backlash against DEI shows how political forces employ identity and cultural matters to advance their fight, placing corporate diversity initiatives at the forefront of America's ongoing ideological conflict.
That said, the authors conclude that corporate DEI programs are still alive, despite executive orders, and political and legal challenges. Interestingly, note how some companies have taken to reorganizing their DEI programs along with their communication methods so that they can still do justice to DEI.
4. RedLion
Joyce, T. (2025, July 16). Harvard Rebrands Diversity Offices, Emphasizing 'Community' Language Instead. RedLion. https://readlion.com/harvard-rebrands-diversity-offices-emphasizing-community-language-instead/
Read this article carefully and take notes as it is the focus of your homework assignment in this module.

