Question 1

Which of the following is a consequence of the increasing corporate business management of the media?

Accepted Answer

The increasing corporate business management of the media has led to cost-cutting measures, such as decreasing the number of foreign bureaus. Therefore, choice B is the only accurate consequence listed. Choices A, C, and D are not accurate consequences of this trend. Choice E is not accurate since choice A is incorrect.

Question 2

Public officials often leak ________ to reporters to see what the political reaction will be.

Accepted Answer

This is commonly known as a "trial balloon," where a public official deliberately leaks information to gauge public or political reaction before making a formal announcement or decision.

Question 3

Which of the following is one way that American media are different from media in other democracies?

Accepted Answer

American media are largely dependent on advertising revenues to fund their operations, while media in other democracies often receive government funding or require a subscription fee from viewers or readers. This can result in different priorities and content choices for American media compared to media in other democracies.

Question 4

Media programming on cable TV or the Internet that is focused on a particular interest and aimed at a particular audience is called

Accepted Answer

Narrowcasting refers to media programming that targets a specific interest or audience, as opposed to broadcasting, which reaches a broad audience. This type of programming is often seen on cable TV channels or the internet, and is tailored to attract a particular group of viewers with similar interests or preferences.

Question 5

Congress long ago stipulated that in order to receive a broadcasting license,a station must

Accepted Answer

Congress has stipulated that in order to receive a broadcasting license, a station must serve the public interest. This is known as the "public interest, convenience, and necessity" standard, and it requires broadcasters to provide programming that serves the needs and interests of their local communities. Broadcasting is not required to be publicly owned, nor is it required to provide free air time to political candidates or the White House.

Question 6

In its study of 240 hours of cable news programming in 2003,the Columbia University Project for Excellence in Journalism found that

Accepted Answer

The study found that only 11 percent of the time was taken up with written and edited stories, the role of the reporter was primarily to talk extemporaneously, stories were reported frequently but without any important new information, and coverage of the news was spotty, ignoring many important topics. Therefore, all of these options were found in the study.

Question 7

Newspaper chains are

Accepted Answer

Newspaper chains are frequently controlled by large conglomerates that own other media outlets, such as radio and television stations. This allows for greater efficiency and cross-promotion of content across various platforms.

Question 8

In their study comparing traditional news to infotainment and comedy show coverage,Kim and Vishak found that

Accepted Answer

The answer of In their study comparing traditional news to...

Question 9

Which of the following statements regarding news and the Internet is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

The Internet has not necessarily created a public with higher levels of political knowledge, as access to information does not always translate to increased understanding or awareness.

Question 10

Which of the following is a consequence of the rise of narrowcasting?

Accepted Answer

Narrowcasting refers to targeting specific audiences with specialized content. This has led to a decrease in the use of traditional broadcast media like newspapers and television news among young adults, who have more access to and preference for niche online sources that cater to their interests.

Question 11

Which of the following is a chain,that is,a group of newspapers published by media conglomerates?

Accepted Answer

Newhouse is a media conglomerate that owns several newspapers including The Advocate, The Oregonian, and The Star-Ledger. This makes it a chain of newspapers. The other options are not chains of newspapers. MTV is a cable television network, ABC and NBC are television networks, and the Associated Press is a news agency that provides content to various media organizations.

Question 12

When top aides to President Clinton leaked his admission of an "inappropriate relationship" to Richard Berke of the New York Times,prior to Clinton's public admission before the grand jury,this was an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

This was a trial balloon, which refers to a strategy in which information is leaked to a selected group of people to gauge how the public and media may react to a potential announcement or decision. In this case, Clinton's aides leaked the information to the New York Times to see how the public and media may react to the news of his admission of an affair before Clinton publicly admitted it.

Question 13

Since 1996,FCC rules have stipulated that no single owner can control more than _____ percent of the broadcast market.

Accepted Answer

Since 1996, the FCC rules have allowed a single owner to control up to a maximum of 35% of the broadcast market.

Question 14

Gannett,Knight-Ridder,and Newhouse together represent over ______ percent of the nation's daily circulation of print media.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gannett,Knight-Ridder,and Newhouse together represent over ______ percent...

Question 15

Broadcasting implies that media outlets are sending their signal to a ______ audience.

Accepted Answer

Broadcasting implies that the media outlet is sending its signal to a wide or broad audience, as opposed to a specific or narrow one.

Question 16

The ____ stipulates that if a station sells advertising time to one candidate,it must be willing to sell equal time to other candidates for the same office.

Accepted Answer

The equal-time rule stipulates that broadcasters must provide equal airtime or opportunity to all candidates running for the same political office. This rule ensures that no candidate gains an unfair advantage over their opponents by monopolizing the airwaves. It is a provision of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designed to promote fair and balanced coverage of political campaigns.

Question 17

What is the purpose of the FCC?

Accepted Answer

All of the given purposes are accurate in describing the role and responsibilities of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC is tasked with regulating all forms of communication in the United States, including radio, television, telephone, cable, and satellite. Additionally, the FCC works to prevent near monopolies of control over broadcast media and issues fair-treatment rules to ensure equal access for political candidates and officeholders. The FCC also conducts periodic examinations of stations as part of its licensing authority.

Question 18

In News from Nowhere,Edward Epstein found that

Accepted Answer

Edward Epstein found that news shows are tailored to a low level of audience sophistication, as he argues that TV news covers issues that are "easy to grasp and easy to explain" in order to appeal to a wide, non-expert audience.

Question 19

Journalists and politicians have a ______ relationship,with politicians relying on journalists to get their message out and journalists relying on politicians to keep them in the know.

Accepted Answer

A symbiotic relationship is one where both parties benefit from their association. In this case, politicians rely on journalists to communicate their message to the public, while journalists rely on politicians to provide them with information and access to events. Therefore, both parties benefit from the association, making it a symbiotic relationship. The other options are not accurate in describing this relationship.

Question 20

When was the Federal Communications Commission created?

Accepted Answer

The Federal Communications Commission was created in 1934 by the Communications Act.

Quiz 7: The Mass Media and the Political Agenda