242242 Chapter 7 | The Mediaof the information reporters use to write their stories comes from political appointees,
bureaucrats, elected officials, and party leaders.^17 Reporters who are known to be writing
stories that are critical of a government program or a political leader may find that some
people refuse to talk to them. However, while there is no doubt that elected officials would
like to receive sympathetic media coverage and are sometimes successful, news reports
on American politics reflect a multitude of sources and information. One politician’s
attempt to shape coverage by talking or remaining silent may be negated by another’s
efforts to promote a different point of view, with the same reporter or a different one.
President Trump’s behavior is mostly consistent with this strategy. Trump’s staff
has invited the media to events that place Trump in a favorable light (such as Trump’s
visit to Houston in 2017 to see the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey). And like most
other politicians, Trump has selectively released information to reporters whom he
believes will write favorable coverage. The difference is that Trump has used Twitter to
speak directly to his supporters and the public at large—with a guarantee that the press
will report on his tweets, simply because Trump is president. In this way, Trump’s
tweeting serves as free advertising, as well as a way for Trump to shape press coverage.
Besides talking with the media, politicians also hold events specifically designed to
secure favorable press coverage, or appear at an event that the press is likely to cover.
This strategy is particularly common among candidates campaigning for office. For
example, during the summer of 2015, six months before the Iowa Caucuses met to
begin selecting presidential nominees, all the Republican and Democratic candidatesYou don’t tell us how to stage the
news, and we won’t tell you how
to cover it.— Larry Speakes, press secretary
to President Ronald ReaganInformation and coverage of important
events become instantaneously
available through Internet sources like
Twitter feeds and blogs. For instance,
President Trump has relied on Twitter
to communicate his foreign policy and
economic policy priorities.Full_08_APT_64431_ch07_232-261.indd 242 16/11/18 1:38 PM