Question 1

Before radio and television, Americans typically got second-hand and politically biased information about politicians because ___________ were the primary media source for politics.

Accepted Answer

Newspapers were the primary source of political information before the advent of radio and television. They often had a political bias due to their ownership and editorial stances, influencing the way news and political events were reported.

Question 2

Which of the following was NOT a limitation of political reporting by newspapers before radio and television?

Accepted Answer

The limitation mentioned in A, that the information was first-hand and directly sourced, is not accurate as a limitation. In fact, having first-hand and directly sourced information is generally considered a strength in journalism. The limitations of political reporting by newspapers before the advent of radio and television included accessibility issues related to affordability and literacy (B and D), and the presence of extreme political bias (C).

Question 3

President Franklin D.Roosevelt was famous for his _______________, which were evening radio speeches he made to the country between 1933 and 1944.

Accepted Answer

Fireside chats were a series of evening radio addresses given by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1933 and 1944 to communicate directly with the American people.

Question 4

What most likely led television viewers of the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate to believe Kennedy was the clear winner, when most radio listeners thought Nixon won?

Accepted Answer

Nixon's pale and tired appearance on television contrasted sharply with Kennedy's more vibrant and energetic demeanor, influencing viewers' perceptions of their performances.

Question 5

Political candidate Jones is falling behind his opponent in the polls. When one of his campaign workers uncovers a scandal buried in Jones' opponent's past, Jones must rush to make this information public so as to hurt his opponent's reputation. What type of political advertisement would best serve Jones' purpose?

Accepted Answer

Attack ads are specifically designed to negatively impact an opponent's reputation by highlighting their flaws, scandals, or controversial actions. In this scenario, using an attack ad to publicize the scandal in Jones' opponent's past would directly serve the purpose of damaging the opponent's reputation.

Question 6

Although many voters claim to disapprove of _______________________, research has shown that negative messages about a candidate have a greater effect on voting behavior than do positive messages.

Accepted Answer

Attack ads are specifically designed to convey negative messages about a candidate, which aligns with the statement that negative messages have a greater effect on voting behavior.

Question 7

In January 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporate funding of political broadcasts is protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution. Which of the following is an argument made by opponents of the ruling?

Accepted Answer

Opponents of the ruling argue that it could lead to a political landscape where only candidates who represent corporate interests can afford the visibility and advertising necessary to be heard, potentially drowning out other voices and perspectives.

Question 8

____________ campaigns are coordinated media messages that encourage the audience to take specific steps to increase or protect themselves physically and mentally.

Accepted Answer

Health campaigns are designed to encourage the audience to take specific actions to improve or protect their physical and mental health through coordinated media messages.

Question 9

The "Got Milk"? campaign promotes the physical and mental benefits of drinking milk daily because it is a(n) _______________ campaign.

Accepted Answer

The "Got Milk?" campaign promotes the physical and mental benefits of drinking milk daily because it is a health campaign.

Question 10

Talia hears a story on the news that there is an outbreak of the H1N1 virus in her area. The local media reports one victim is a student at her school. Talia skips her classes for a week, and when she does return, she sits away from other students. Since Talia never worried about this virus before seeing the news coverage, she has most likely been influenced by a health _____________ in the media.

Accepted Answer

Talia's behavior change after hearing the news indicates she has been influenced by a health scare, as it caused her to fear attending school and avoid close contact with others.

Question 11

The idea that watchers of high-violence television programming may be more likely than others to justify violent behavior and objectify the victims of violence; this reflects which theory?

Accepted Answer

Desensitization theory suggests that prolonged exposure to violence through media can lead to a reduced emotional response to real violence and an increased acceptance of violent behavior, which aligns with the idea presented in the question.

Question 12

Research suggests that the ________________________ effect is stronger for violence depicted in video games than in other media, perhaps because video-game players are engaged in generating the violent acts that are depicted.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is "desensitization" because research indicates that exposure to violence in video games can lead to a reduced emotional response to violence, a phenomenon known as desensitization. This effect is believed to be stronger in video games than in other media because players are actively participating in the violence depicted.

Question 13

According to _________________ theory, watching violence in the media can encourage real-life violence, but only if other influences are present.

Accepted Answer

The catalytic theory suggests that media violence can encourage real-life violence but requires other factors or influences to catalyze the behavior. This theory acknowledges that media is one of many factors that can contribute to violent behavior, rather than being a direct cause.

Question 14

Studies by media researchers indicated that people are particularly influenced by media-depicted violence if the violence depicted in the media

Accepted Answer

Media-depicted violence has a stronger influence on people when it is rewarded or glorified rather than punished, as this can lead to the normalization or glamorization of violent behavior.

Question 15

In the U.S., the ______________________ is the government agency charged with regulating all nongovernmental use of television and radio.

Accepted Answer

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for regulating all non-governmental use of television and radio in the United States.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT an FCC regulation aimed at reducing the potentially negative effects of media messages?

Accepted Answer

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) does not regulate media activism. Media activism is the effort by individuals or groups to promote or enact social or political change through media channels. The other options (Equal time rule, V-chip, and Fairness doctrine) are all related to FCC regulations aimed at managing the content and accessibility of media in various ways.

Question 17

According to the _____________________, a station that carries the president's State of the Union address is required to broadcast a response from the opposing political party immediately after the speech.

Accepted Answer

The equal time rule requires broadcasters to provide equal airtime to opposing political candidates, which extends to providing a platform for the opposing party's response to the president's State of the Union address.

Question 18

With the _______________, parents can limit their children's exposure to media messages that they consider harmful on television.

Accepted Answer

The V-chip is a technology that allows parents to block television content based on its rating level, thus limiting children's exposure to media messages considered harmful.

Question 19

Joy's daughter suffers from an addiction to prescription painkillers. Since Joy feels that television shows treat this addiction so casually, she mounts a campaign on local television news programs to get the stations to incorporate more sensitivity to prescription drug abuse. Joy is making her voice heard through

Accepted Answer

Joy is engaging in media activism by actively campaigning on local television news programs to change how they address prescription drug abuse, using the media as a platform for her cause.

Question 20

Bill watches a lot of local television news and crime dramas. He thinks crime is a major societal issue and that ethnic minorities are the root of the problem, since he sees minorities commit the most crimes during his television viewing. Bill's misconceptions about crime and minorities stem from which issue in media?

Accepted Answer

Bill's misconceptions are primarily due to the stereotypical portrayal of minorities on television, which often depicts them as being more involved in criminal activities than they are in reality. This can skew public perception and contribute to biases and stereotypes.

Quiz 17: Communication and Media