Michael Lissack or comment that would alert the audience to the real nature of the transac- tion between them. Officials and journalists are pretending that the events they're enacting and narrating are bone tide actions taken on the merits in the normal context of the newsmakers' jobs, whereas in fact, most news events and stories are performances. By tradition, news is found in particular events rather than the undenying forces in society that create them. The event is the tip of the iceberg-a small and unrepresentative manifestation of a vastly more intricate reality. The news is also what is new and out of the ordinary. But novelty, however interesting or compelling it may he, is by definition atypical and thus is a weak basis for judging trends that are powerful and lasting. And then there is the unrelenting pressure of the news cycle. The press must re create reality every twenty-four hours, giving the journalist little time to reflect back or think ahead. The process of persuasion resembles what some have called learning without involvement. In this situation, attitudes and motivation are weak, but people do absorb some information. People learn the message, and since they are uninvolved, they do not resist it. Thus, when required to make a choice, they make a decision compatible with their new understanding. This process contrasts with the situation where people have strong attitudes. In such instances, their psychological defenses are at work, new information is tested against existing beliefs, and affected by those beliefs. Their decisions depend more on their prior opinions than on the new information. In this case, the individual is largely in control. Whereas in the case of learning without involvement, power rests primarily with the communicator. And our media communicators transmit a bias composed of drama and crises. For most people, the knowledge base for understanding or discussing most economic issues is inadequate. This economic illiteracy has the poten- tial to misshape public opinion on economic issues and to lead to economic policies that have negative or perverse effects on the economy. Reporters' preference for government action also is clear in the media's treatment of regulation. Newscasts seem to assume that government officials and bureau- crats had the information, ability, and tools to regulate economic matters
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