A Different Type of Media

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-obama-open-microphone-20120327,0,1479756.story


I found this piece interesting and also related to our discussion of the relationship between media coverage, public opinion, and foreign policy.  Aside from regular coverage, this story was framed as "off the mic" type of news.  The chapter from the book tells us that while their is no definitive relationship between public opinion and foreign policy, the way that the media frames a story can have significant impacts on the way the public views foreign policy.  That being noted, I think that this story is framed in a unique way. Whether or not Obama really cares about the media "overhearing" his conversation with Medvedev, the media framed the story as something that should have never been heard.  In my opinion, this type of framing will change the way people interpret the content being presented.

Actually, I think these types of "leak" stories give people more information about government and our political leaders than perhaps more regular news stories do on a side by side comparison of individual news stories.  It is similar to the wikileaks fiasco, but the framing is entirely different.  Obama reference to flexibility in a second term and how that will affect both domestic politics and foreign relations with Russia.  I think those are pretty complex issues for perhaps casual readers.  I haven't exactly determined how the framing of this story changes its interpretation, but I do believe this type of framing has an effect when people are presented news that they believe that they weren't supposed to get.