Deck 3: The News Media and Nonmarket Issues

Question 1

The societal significance perspective would emphasize an issue having a human cause.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Being careless or sloppy with the facts is not sufficient for a finding of libel.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Between two cases of man-made risks and natural risks, the societal significance perspective would emphasize on the man-made risk.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The societal significance perspective places the news media in the role of a watchdog.

Question 5

A defendant in a defamation case cannot use the truth defense if the statement was written or published in any form.

Question 6

One of the principal predictions of the intrinsic audience interest perspective is that coverage increases with the societal value on the issue.

Question 7

The theory of media coverage and treatment gives extensive coverage to business matters and moderate coverage to environmental issues and individual rights.

Question 8

In combining the two theories of intrinsic audience interest and social significance, treatment depends more on audience interest while coverage depends more on social significance.

Question 9

The media covers all issues under the same criteria of controls and editorial standards.

Question 10

The media has a responsibility to report the world as it sees fit.

Question 11

Most news organizations in the United States are owned by for-profit companies.

Question 12

Defamation is a branch of torts pertaining to false statements made to a third party that damage a person's reputation.

Question 13

Slander pertains to statements that are spoken.

Question 14

According to the intrinsic audience interest, predicting which issues the media will cover requires determining which issues are of societal value to readers and viewers.

Question 15

All defamation charges need a show of actual damages.

Question 16

The societal significance perspective stresses on covering all stories with equal emphasis.

Question 17

Defamation cases are governed by state law and the common law.

Question 18

Plaintiffs in defamation against the media need not prove malicious intent.

Question 19

The truth defense is uniformly accepted in all states of the U.S.

Question 20

An issue is considered more newsworthy if it has a degree of immediacy.

Question 21

In the United States this duty, the societal perspective view of news media is recognized in the _____, which protects the news media in its role of providing information to people.

A) Fifth Amendment
B) First Amendment
C) Second Amendment
D) Ninth Amendment

Question 22

Assessing intrinsic audience interest in issues such as international trade policy and product safety generally lies in the domain of measurement rather than judgment.

Question 23

The New York v. Sullivan defamation case only pertains to celebrities.

Question 24

Which of the following was found in Iyengar and Kinder's study on the effect of the news media's agenda-setting role on the public?

A) Viewers readily believed that the media did not have an agenda-setting plan.
B) Viewers were mostly skeptical of all reported news.
C) Viewers attached greater importance to an issue after seeing news coverage of it.
D) Viewers tended to lose interest in a story after it has been reported on the news.

Question 25

The societal significance perspective differs from the intrinsic audience interest perspective in that the societal significance perspective ________.

A) does not assume the role of serving the people's right to know about issues
B) is not protected under the First Amendment
C) promotes social issues based on audience interest
D) tries to create social awareness on issues by increasing its media perception

Question 26

According to the intrinsic audience interest theory, which of the following features of an issue increases audience interest in the issue?

A) that the issue is ongoing and relevant
B) that the issue is proximate to the audience
C) that the issue was reported unbiased
D) that the issue does not directly affect the audience

Question 27

According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, which of the following would get the most coverage with position taking and advocacy?

A) issues on corruption
B) issues on poverty
C) issues on sports
D) issues on environmental protection

Question 28

Which of the following is true for the news media when treating issues?

A) It can advocate a course of action for the issue.
B) It can take a biased stand in its assessment of the issue.
C) It need not take into account the potential ramification of covering the issue.
D) It should not interpret facts and events of the issue.

Question 29

In the news media environment, which of the following is considered the unit of analysis?

A) advocacy and course of action
B) public and interest groups
C) coverage and treatment
D) issues and events

Question 30

To which page of the newspaper is advocacy journalism is usually restricted?

A) editorial
B) classifieds
C) feature article
D) cover page

Question 31

The First Amendment does not provide absolute defense for the news media against defamation charges.

Question 32

According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, which of the following is most likely to get moderate coverage with advocacy and interpretation?

A) issues on environmental protection
B) issues on poverty
C) issues on international trade
D) issues on individual rights

Question 33

The theory of news media coverage and treatment uses the news organization as the unit of analysis.

Question 34

The standard for a defamation case involving a public figure is the New York Times v. Sullivan defamation case.

Question 35

Which of the following is another term given to the news media?

A) the Fifth Republic
B) Ancien Régime
C) the Watchmen
D) the Fourth Estate

Question 36

The First Amendment of the Constitution provides strong protection for corporations against charges of libel.

Question 37

According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, which of the following would get moderate coverage with factual treatment and interpretation?

A) issues on sports
B) issues on economic deregulation
C) issues on international trade
D) issues on corruption

Question 38

Which of the following is true of the societal significance perspective view of news coverage?

A) It covers news based on the interest of the audience.
B) It functions on the premise that coverage increases with audience interest.
C) It treats its issue to appeal and retain its audience.
D) It reflects the news media's role as providing information citizens need.

Question 39

According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, which of the following would get the least coverage with factual treatment?

A) issues on potential health risks
B) issues on sports
C) issues on economic deregulation
D) issues on weather

Question 40

On which of the following premises is the intrinsic audience interest theory of news coverage based?

A) that the news media organizations are owned by for non-profit firms
B) that the coverage and treatment decisions are governed by the relevance of the issue
C) that the coverage increases with audience interest
D) that the explanatory power of the theory comes primarily from the supply side

Question 41

Which of the following is true of defamation charges?

A) It only protects individuals from defamation.
B) It protects both corporations and individuals from defamation.
C) It does not protect in cases where the statements made to third parties.
D) Defamation cases are completely governed by federal law in the U.S.

Question 42

The TTC News Channel is covering a natural fire that has started in the vicinity of the village of San Cristen, prompting the possibility of a complete evacuation of the village. Some of the houses of San Cristen have already been destroyed. According to the theory of media coverage and treatment, which of the following would most likely increase the newsworthiness of this issue on the third day of the fire?

A) an interview with a resident of San Cristen who has been an eyewitness to the fire
B) an interview with a celebrity on what he or she thinks of the San Cristen fire
C) an interview with a forest ranger on how the forest's ecology could change after the fire
D) an interview with a political representative of San Cristen on how to avoid further fires in San Cristen

Question 43

Libel is similar to slander in that they both ________.

A) don't pertain to statements that are published or broadcast
B) only apply to statements made in public
C) require actual damages to be shown to be considered as violation
D) are governed by state law and common law

Question 44

Which of the following is true of defense against defamation?

A) The media is given absolute protection from defamation by the First Amendment.
B) The truth defense constitutes an absolute defense in all U.S. states.
C) The truth defense is subject to limitations in certain states of the U.S.
D) The defense of privilege cannot be bought against written or broadcast statements.

Question 45

In the United States, under which of the following political spectra would journalists be categorized?

A) liberal
B) moderate
C) socialist
D) right-wing

Question 46

The Williamson's Daily, a newspaper publication in the state of Gretshen, had 4 main news articles on a particular day. Of their four main reporters, Steiner was covering the hospitalization of a famous baseball player due to an overdose of permitted steroids; Joan was covering the possible landfall from a hurricane; Mark was covering corruption charges alleged against a state senator; and Jessica was covering the reduction in employment rates in the local district of Kross due to a successful government program. According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, who among the following reporters is most likely to get extensive coverage with position taking and advocacy for their articles?

A) Steiner
B) Joan
C) Mark
D) Jessica

Question 47

Elaborate on how the news media maintains balance and fairness in their treatment of issues.

Question 48

What are the different forms of treatments that news media coverage can provide?

Question 49

How does the news media help identify and interpret nonmarket issues?

Question 50

The Williamson's Daily, a newspaper publication in the state of Gretshen, had 4 main news articles on a particular day. Of their four main reporters, Steiner was covering the hospitalization of a famous baseball player due to an overdose of permitted steroids; Joan was covering the possible landfall from a hurricane; Mark was covering corruption charges alleged against a state senator; and Jessica was covering the reduction in employment rates in the local district of Kross due to a successful government program. According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, who among the following reporters' articles has high societal significance but has very low audience interest?

A) Steiner
B) Joan
C) Mark
D) Jessica

Question 51

The Williamson's Daily, a newspaper publication in the state of Gretshen, had 4 main news articles on a particular day. Of their four main reporters, Steiner was covering the hospitalization of a famous baseball player due to an overdose of permitted steroids; Joan was covering the possible landfall from a hurricane; Mark was covering corruption charges alleged against a state senator; and Jessica was covering the reduction in employment rates in the local district of Kross due to a successful government program. According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, who among the following reporters' articles is most likely to be high on societal significance but high on audience interest?

A) Jessica
B) Mark
C) Joan
D) Steiner

Question 52

How can the news media help in bringing notice to nonmarket issues?

Question 53

Libel differs from slander in that libel does not________.

A) pertain to statements that are published or broadcast
B) apply to statements made to third parties
C) require a showing of actual damages
D) come under the purview of any state law

Question 54

Shelly DuMason is reporting on a new government deregulation measure related to manufacturing. The deregulation addresses greater leeway being given to U.S. toy manufacturers using a special kind of paint. Shelly covered the story with factual detail, but got very less coverage on the report. According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, which of the following will most likely help Shelly get extensive coverage with possible position-taking stance on the deregulation?

A) if she reports on the technology involved in manufacturing such toys
B) if she reports on the possible health risks of introducing such a deregulation
C) if she reports on the possible corruption that could arise from such a deregulation
D) if she reports on the possible effects on international trade by such a deregulation

Question 55

Which of the following is true of slander?

A) It requires a showing of actual damages.
B) It is not protected under any state law.
C) It pertains to statements that are either written or broadcast.
D) It does not apply to statements made to third parties.

Question 56

According to the audience interest/societal significance continuum, under which of the following types of coverage is "the weather" most likely categorized?

A) extensive coverage with position taking and advocacy
B) moderate coverage with interpretation and advocacy
C) moderate coverage with factual treatment and interpretation
D) low coverage with factual treatment

Question 57

Give an account of the concept of newsworthiness.