Functions of the Media

Article #1: Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi freed in Rangoon as crowds celebrate

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/13/AR2010111303513.html

• This article is gatekeeper because it is talking about something in a different part of the world that we wouldn't necessarily know about. Aung San Suu Kyi is a pro-democracy leader who was under house arrest for seven years and is just being released.

Article #2: Murkowski appears to have lead in Alaska vote count

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/11/AR2010111105971.html

• This article illustrates the scorekeeper function of the media by explaining the results of an election. The article discusses the Alaska Senate race in which Senator Lisa Murkowski launched a write-in campaign to keep her Senate seat. She was defeated by Joe Miller, a tea party candidate in the Republican primary. At the time, Miller had 35% of the ballots and 40% of voters wrote-in their choice. These write-ins are assumed to be for Murkowski.

Article #3: Industry pressure hides gun traces, protects dealers from public scrutiny

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102302996.html?sid=ST2010102304311

• This article illustrates the watchdog function of the media by talking about how the media is investigating how criminals are getting guns. It discusses the Freedom of Information Act and the Tiahrt amendment, which mandated the removal from public record information that traces guns used in crimes to gun dealerships. The Post was forced to obtain state and local police records to complete its analysis.