American Experience presents a virtual PAST FORWARD conversation exploring how competing narratives from politicians and the press can shape the public's understanding of the politics and policy. This conversation will be inspired in part by THE MOVEMENT AND THE "MADMAN" and CITIZEN HEARST, both of which are now streaming on the PBS app.
In this conversation, panelists will examine how politicians and the press compete for public attention, exploring how the battle for hearts and minds shapes the image of politicians and the coverage they receive. Panelists will also ask how citizens in democratic societies are affected when they're bombarded with multiple narratives. Finally, our experts will take a closer look at how competing political and institutional media goals can block or reframe information that is shared with the public, ultimately seeking to understand who decides what the public knows and why.
Panelists:
Yu Ouyang is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Purdue University Northwest. His research focuses on the American presidency and how presidents leverage their institutional advantages and powers to impact public policies.
Jeremi Suri holds the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a professor in the University's Department of History and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Professor Suri is the author and editor of eleven books on politics and foreign policy, most recently: Civil War By Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy.
The conversation will be moderated by Kelly McBride, Senior Vice President at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies.
This event will be livestreamed on our Youtube and Facebook pages.
Composite art source images from the
National Archives and
Wikimedia Commons.
