Question 1

While most media pundits gave Trump no chance of winning, __________ correctly predicted his 2017 presidential victory.

Accepted Answer

Michael Moore correctly predicted Trump's victory based on his understanding of the political climate in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Question 2

A __________ is secret information deliberately given to journalists by a public figure with the hope that it will be published.

Accepted Answer

A news leak is secret information deliberately given to journalists by a public figure with the hope that it will be published. A trial balloon is when a public figure intentionally shares a potential policy change or idea to gauge public opinion before officially announcing it. A sound bite is a brief and memorable quote or statement made by a public figure that is often used in media coverage. A push poll is a type of survey that aims to influence the respondent's opinions rather than gather accurate information.

Question 3

What does PAC in Super PAC stand for?

Accepted Answer

PAC in Super PAC stands for Political Action Committee.

Question 4

Donald Trump's experience as a reality TV personality and his long history in the public eye enabled him to __________ during the Republican primary.

Accepted Answer

Trump's experience in reality TV allowed him to manipulate the news cycle, constantly staying in the media spotlight and generating controversy that kept him in the public eye.

Question 5

Which popular saying evokes the marriage of politics and entertainment on the campaign trail?

Accepted Answer

The popular saying "Politics is showbiz for ugly people" implies that politics and entertainment are intertwined on the campaign trail, with politicians being likened to unattractive performers.

Question 6

A(n) __________ is typically aligned with a particular party and presents information to help its cause, with no sense of objectivity or balance in news coverage.

Accepted Answer

The definition fits the description of partisan press, which is aligned with a particular party or ideology and presents information to advance its cause, lacking objectivity or balance in news coverage. The other options are not relevant to the description given.

Question 7

Journalism has long considered itself the main conduit of __________ information for the public and therefore key to the __________ processes.

Accepted Answer

Journalism is considered a crucial aspect of democratic processes as it provides citizens with information that enables them to make informed decisions, hold those in power accountable, and participate in the political process. Through reporting on political issues and events, journalism plays a vital role in shaping public opinion and influencing policy outcomes. Therefore, journalism is considered the main conduit of political information for the public and key to the democratic processes.

Question 8

When journalists and news organizations represent a real or perceived viewpoint on a particular issue and slant their news coverage unfairly, they act contrary to professional journalism's stated goals of __________.

Accepted Answer

Professional journalism's stated goals include balanced coverage and objectivity, which means reporting news without a bias towards a particular viewpoint or side. When journalists and news organizations slant their coverage unfairly, they fail to meet these goals.

Question 9

Journalism aspires to be an engine of democracy, yet critics often see __________ in political news coverage and the types of stories that journalists and news organizations cover.

Accepted Answer

Media bias is often seen as a problem in political news coverage, with some journalists and news organizations accused of having a partisan agenda or being influenced by their own biases. This can lead to a lack of objectivity and balanced reporting, which can undermine the goals of journalism as a democratic engine.

Question 10

The mayor of Greensville, who is up for reelection next year, would like to approve the development of high-rise condo buildings in a city park on the river. Before committing to any course of action that might alienate her constituency, the mayor can test public opinion with a __________.

Accepted Answer

A trial balloon is a test of public opinion, often done subtly or indirectly, before committing to a course of action. In this case, the mayor can gauge public opinion on the development of high-rise condo buildings in a city park on the river by sending out a trial balloon, such as a survey or a public meeting with a Q&A session.

Question 11

A(n) __________ poll is a type of political advertising, a telemarketing campaign that gives voters false or misleading information about an opposing candidate while appearing to be a regular telephone poll.

Accepted Answer

This description matches a "push poll," which is a form of negative campaigning that is disguised as a legitimate opinion poll. Push polls are designed to influence or sway the opinions of voters rather than collect genuine data or feedback.

Question 12

Like other industries, the media industry __________ politicians to vote in favor of laws and regulations that would benefit the particular interests of the industry and its key players.

Accepted Answer

Lobbying refers to the process of attempting to influence decisions made by government officials, usually by interest groups or corporations. Therefore, the best choice is D, as it accurately describes how the media industry influences politicians to pass favorable laws and regulations.

Question 13

Given that news organizations frequently call for more transparency from the government and organizations they cover, critics find it hypocritical that these same organizations do not want the same level of scrutiny regarding __________.

Accepted Answer

Critics argue that news organizations should be transparent about their advertising revenues from political campaigns, as it could influence their coverage and create a conflict of interest.

Question 14

Budget cuts by news organizations have affected news coverage of politics, with many big-city newspapers closing their Washington bureaus and relying for their political news on __________.

Accepted Answer

Wire services, such as the Associated Press and Reuters, provide national and international news coverage to newspapers and other media outlets. As news organizations have cut back on resources, they have increasingly relied on wire services for their political news instead of maintaining their own Washington bureaus.

Question 15

You have decided to set up your own Super PAC because you think it best to __________.

Accepted Answer

Setting up a Super PAC allows you to spend money in support of your chosen candidate without limits on the amount or source of donations. This gives you more flexibility and control over how the money is used to advance your candidate's agenda. Accepting limited donations or contributing directly to a politician's campaign would limit your options and potentially reduce your impact.

Question 16

In the 2016 election cycle, Super PACs received approximately __________ in donations.

Accepted Answer

Super PACs received approximately $1.8 billion in donations during the 2016 election cycle.

Question 17

In the final weeks of Trump's presidential campaign, his social media team spent $150 million in Facebook ads that targeted African American voters with __________.

Accepted Answer

According to sources including Channel 4 News, the Trump campaign's Facebook ads targeted African American voters with negative messages about Hillary Clinton, portraying her as anti-black and supporting policies that hurt African Americans.

Question 18

With the rise of electronic media, especially television, political communication and debate in the media have become increasingly superficial, reducing examination of news issues to __________.

Accepted Answer

As electronic media, especially television, has become more prevalent, political communication and debate have become increasingly focused on short, attention-grabbing quotes or "sound bites." This has led to a reduction in substantive analysis of news issues, favoring instead quick and catchy phrases. While character assassinations, biased insults, and opinion pieces may also exist in political media, none represent the predominant trend of superficiality as much as sound bites.

Question 19

The money candidates need to run for political office is so great because of the cost of __________.

Accepted Answer

Political advertising, including television commercials, digital ads, and mailers, can be very expensive. Candidates need to spend money on advertising in order to get their message to voters and increase their name recognition. This is one of the biggest expenses for political campaigns.

Question 20

Campaign coverage in the news is heavily driven by __________.

Accepted Answer

Campaign coverage in the news is heavily driven by opinion polls, which are used by journalists to gauge public opinion and predict election outcomes. These polls are often cited in news stories and used to shape the narrative of the campaign. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook may also play a role in campaign coverage, but they are not the primary driver. Telemarketing is not typically used in political campaign coverage.

Quiz 14: Mass Communication and Politics in the Digital Age