Specialized Media, Also Called "segmented" Or "minority"

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Specialized media, also called "segmented" or "minority" media, are aimed at and limited to a geographically defined audience--New York and California magazines, for example--or are limited by interest, such as Stereo Review or Flying. Specialized media are defined by their special audiences: Ms. Magazine, for instance, is aimed at women with feminist leanings. Such an audience may be relatively small but spread throughout the nation. By contrast, local Cartier Replica media are defined entirely by geography, aimed at an audience located in a particular area. They can be as small as the West Central Minnesota Daily Tribune, directed at those who live in Willmar and the surrounding area, or as large and prestigious as the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Elite Media

A third way of differentiating among the media is to recognize outlets or programs that have a national impact, although their audience may be relatively small and geographically limited. These media are opinion leaders; they are an elite group that affects the decisions made in other ...
... media. The New York Times falls into this category. Herbert Cans, for example, writes that "the Times is treated as the professional setter of standards. When editors and producers are uncertain about a selection decision, they will check whether, where, and how the Times has covered the story; and story selectors see to it that many of the Times' front-page stories find their way into television programs and magazines."25 An elite medium is trusted, respected, and used by other journalists. The Wall Street Journal is an elite medium because of its preeminence in the financial community and because it covers stories in depth.

Some television programs also fall into this category, such as The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, shown weeknights on the Public Broadcasting System. To a lesser extent this is also true of the network programs This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts, Meet the Press, and Face the Nation, which air on Sundays. Clips from these programs, featuring prominent international and national political leaders, often appear on Sun-day evening newscasts or in Monday's papers. Some specialized magazines with unusually prominent and authoritative authors, like the journal Foreign Affairs, function in a similar way. Most elite media are specialized media that have a national impact because they act as opinion leaders for other mass media. David Broder's column in the Washington Post is an example of opinion-leading political analysis; the Congressional Quarterly is the definitive outlet for information on Congress; the New York Review of Books contains authoritative commentary on recently published books.

BOX 1-7 PBS's "News Hour"

New York, NY--On Friday, October 20, 1995, The MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour became The News Hour with Jim Lehrer when Robert MacNeil, who announced his retirement late last year, stepped down as co-anchor of the nightly newscast.

The News Hour with Jim Lehrer remains the nation's only hour-long newscast, seen week-nightly on more than 300 PBS stations.

As executive editor and sole anchor, Lehrer will guide the program. The News Hour with Jim Lehrer will originate from Washington DC... The News Hour with Jim Lehrer is funded by the Archer Daniels Replica Cartier Watches Midland company. New York Life Insurance Company, public television stations and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It is produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and WETA/26 Washington DC, in association with Thirteen/WNET New York.3