Question 1

According to the textbook, the mass media have passed through which five historical stages?
A) Voice, pen, press, telegraph, computer
B) Ancient, medieval, Renaissance, modern, postmodern
C) Speech, manuscript, book, image, information
D) Face-to-face, local, regional, national, global
E) Oral, written, print, electronic, digital

Accepted Answer

The textbook outlines the five historical stages of mass media as oral, written, print, electronic, and digital.

Question 2

Which of the following statements about Google is false?
A) Google makes most of its money by generating original content.
B) Google is an example of a successful digital age media company.
C) Google is used to locate both "new" and "old" media content.
D) Google makes most of its money from shopping-related searches.
E) Google has expanded far beyond being a search engine by offering e-mail, mapping, and numerous other services.

Accepted Answer

Google does not generate original content, but rather provides a platform to access content created by others. Google's main source of revenue is advertising, not content creation.

Question 3

The key development that allowed for the transition to the digital age was _______.
A) the ability to convert images, text, and sounds into binary code
B) the telegraph
C) the ability to broadcast voices, music, and other sounds via the radio
D) television
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

The ability to convert images, text, and sounds into binary code is what allowed for the creation and transmission of digital data. This paved the way for the development of computer technology, the internet, and various digital devices and applications. The other options (telegraph, radio, and television) were important for communication technologies but did not directly contribute to the transition to the digital age.

Question 4

Which of the following was a contribution of the telegraph?
A) The transformation of information into a commodity
B) The concept of nationalism
C) The rise of the middle class
D) The development of the pony express
E) All of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

The telegraph allowed for information to be transmitted over long distances quickly and efficiently, which transformed it into a commodity that could be bought and sold. This paved the way for the development of modern communication technologies and the information economy. The other options listed are not directly related to the contributions of the telegraph.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best describes media convergence?
A) It only happened because of the Internet.
B) It makes older forms of mass communication obsolete and leads to their disuse.
C) It allows older forms of mass communication to find new life with new technology
D) It creates new forms of media unlike anything we've seen before.
E) It only applies to the reinvention of the printed word.

Accepted Answer

Media convergence refers to the merging of different forms of media due to technological advancements. It does not necessarily render older forms obsolete, but rather allows them to adapt and find new life with new technology. For example, the rise of smartphones and tablets has allowed for the digitization of print media such as newspapers and magazines, while also incorporating audio and video content in these digital formats.

Question 6

According to your textbook, which of the following is a consequence of the quick development of new technologies in the digital era?
A) We no longer use older technologies like the radio.
B) Cyberbullying and phishing
C) Traditional leaders in communication have even more control over information.
D) Traditional leaders in communication have lost some control over information.
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

The quick development of new technologies in the digital era has led to traditional leaders in communication losing some control over information. The rise of social media and citizen journalism has made it easier for individuals to share and distribute information, often bypassing traditional gatekeepers such as newspapers and TV networks. However, this does not mean that older technologies like the radio are no longer used (A) or that cyberbullying and phishing are the only consequences of new technologies (B). It also does not mean that traditional leaders in communication have even more control over information (C).

Question 7

A cultural approach to media focuses on ________________.
A) the industry's lack of concern with control and distribution of production
B) how the audience has lost the love of story
C) how audiences are unifying with one meaning on the available media
D) how media is produced rather than on how messages are transmitted
E) None of the options are correct

Accepted Answer

A cultural approach to media emphasizes understanding how media content is produced, including the cultural contexts and practices involved, rather than just focusing on the transmission of messages.

Question 8

As writer Joan Didion once put it, "We tell ourselves stories in order to live." Narratives are the main way we make sense and meaning of life experiences. What is an example of a narrative used by media?
A) A post on a blog
B) A tweet by Donald Trump
C) A funny television commercial
D) A Fox News "exclusive"
E) All of the options are correct

Accepted Answer

All the options are examples of narratives used by media, as they all involve storytelling or conveying a message to an audience.

Question 9

A cultural approach to understanding mass communication _______.
A) is easier to understand because it outlines a linear flow of information from sender to receiver
B) argues that gatekeepers decide which information and messages flow to the audience
C) argues that diverse audiences will interpret the same information differently
D) argues that diverse audiences interpret information in the same way
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

A cultural approach emphasizes that audiences come from diverse cultural backgrounds and therefore interpret messages and information differently, based on their cultural conditioning. This approach recognizes that one message can have multiple meanings depending on the cultural context of the receiver.

Question 10

Which of the following is not considered a consequence of the printing press?
A) The rise of the middle class
B) The concept of the nation-state
C) An increased sense of community and mutual cooperation
D) A decline of religious authority
E) An increase in literacy rates

Accepted Answer

The printing press did not directly lead to an increased sense of community and mutual cooperation. While it did facilitate the spread of ideas and information, whether or not this led to greater cooperation among people is debatable. The other options are all widely acknowledged consequences of the printing press.

Question 11

The transformation from an industrial, print-based society to one grounded in the Information Age began with the development of the _______.
A) sound recording
B) printing press
C) newspaper
D) magazine
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

The transformation to the Information Age began with the development of digital technologies, not the options listed.

Question 12

Selective exposure ___________.
A) is a TV show about the quirky inhabitants of a remote town in Alaska
B) refers to the process of media gatekeepers selecting information to which an audience will be exposed
C) deals with how much time audiences choose to spend with any media
D) refers to the fact that people tend to seek out messages that agree with what they already believe
E) refers to early film development techniques

Accepted Answer

Selective exposure refers to the tendency of people to seek out and pay attention to media messages that align with their pre-existing beliefs and values, while avoiding or ignoring messages that contradict their beliefs.

Question 13

Which of the following is the best way to characterize the transitions between the print, electronic, and digital eras?
A) The exact lines between each era are clear.
B) As new technology was invented, the older forms of technology were rapidly discarded.
C) Each wave of newer technology came at the same time as more and more people moved from urban areas to rural areas.
D) In practice, the eras overlapped as newer technologies disrupted and modified older technologies.
E) Changes in the eras of mass communication had little effect on most people.

Accepted Answer

The transitions between the print, electronic, and digital eras were not clearly defined and distinct from one another. Instead, newer technologies disrupted and modified the older technologies, causing the eras to overlap. For example, while the rise of digital media has led to a decline in print media, print media still exists and continues to be used by certain populations. Similarly, while electronic media such as radio and television have been around for decades, the rise of the internet and social media has disrupted and transformed the electronic media landscape.

Question 14

Which of the following is one of the four stages in the emergence of a new mass medium that the textbook describes?
A) Invention stage
B) Testing stage
C) Entrepreneurial stage
D) Consumer stage
E) Obsolete stage

Accepted Answer

The entrepreneurial stage is one of the four stages in the emergence of a new mass medium, where inventors and investors determine a practical and marketable use for the new device.

Question 15

Which of the following is one definition given in the textbook for the term media convergence?
A) The consolidation of different mass media holdings under one corporate umbrella
B) The appropriation of American products by foreign advertisers
C) The gathering of multiple press figures at a media event such as a press conference
D) A concentrated and organized stream of Internet traffic to one site for the purpose of crashing it
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

Media convergence is defined in the textbook as the consolidation of different mass media holdings under one corporate umbrella.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about cross-platform media convergence is false?
A) A primary goal is to maximize profits.
B) A common result of this kind of convergence is using fewer employees to generate content for multiple outlets.
C) It can involve a single company owning various media holdings, such as radio and television stations, Internet service providers, and cable television systems.
D) A primary goal is to offer more choice to media consumers.
E) None of the statements are false.

Accepted Answer

The statement "A primary goal is to offer more choice to media consumers" is false. While cross-platform media convergence does offer more access to content through multiple outlets, the primary goal is to maximize profits for the companies involved by reaching a wider audience and reducing costs through consolidation. Offering more choices to consumers may be a secondary benefit, but it is not the primary goal.

Question 17

Plato wanted to banish which group from ancient Greece because he thought they would undermine oral storytelling?
A) Printers
B) Poets
C) Persians
D) Prophets
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

Plato wanted to banish poets from ancient Greece because he believed that their invention of fictional stories would corrupt people's beliefs in reality and undermine the importance of oral storytelling.

Question 18

Which of the following does the textbook identify as a result of the printing press?
A) The emergence of the style of communication known as the Socratic method
B) A separation of communication from transportation
C) The emergence of more centralized nation-states, given that leaders could more easily distribute information
D) The emergence of tribal communities
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

The printing press made it easier to distribute information and helped create a more centralized nation-state system because leaders could disseminate their ideas and policies more widely.

Question 19

The linear communication model can be criticized on the grounds that it _______.
A) assumes that culture is hierarchical
B) asserts that audiences create their own meanings from messages sent
C) suggests an active sender and a passive receiver
D) conforms too closely to the EPS model
E) is flexible enough to describe the way consumers use the Internet

Accepted Answer

The linear communication model suggests that communication is a one-way process with an active sender and a passive receiver, which is a limited view of communication. It overlooks the fact that receivers can also influence the message and create meaning through their own interpretation. This model also does not take into account feedback or the potential for noise in the communication process.

Question 20

What is one concern identified in the textbook about the future of news content available through Internet news search sites like Google?
A) People aren't interested in reading the news online.
B) Who will pay for quality news content?
C) It seems likely that newspapers will block their material from search engines.
D) Newspapers, radio stations, and television stations don't like the Internet.
E) All of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

The concern identified in the textbook is who will pay for quality news content, as many news organizations are struggling to find a sustainable business model in the digital age. Option A is incorrect, as the textbook does not state that people aren't interested in reading the news online. Option C is partially correct, as some news organizations may choose to block their content from search engines, but it is not a universal trend. Option D is incorrect, as the textbook does not suggest that traditional news organizations dislike the Internet. Therefore, the best answer is B.

Quiz 1: Mass Communication: a Critical Approach

According to the textbook, the mass media have passed through which five historical stages?

Which of the following statements about Google is false?

The key development that allowed for the transition to the digital age was _______.

Which of the following was a contribution of the telegraph?

Which of the following statements best describes media convergence?

According to your textbook, which of the following is a consequence of the quick development of new technologies in the digital era?

A cultural approach to media focuses on ________________.

As writer Joan Didion once put it, "We tell ourselves stories in order to live." Narratives are the main way we make sense and meaning of life experiences. What is an example of a narrative used by media?

A cultural approach to understanding mass communication _______.

Which of the following is not considered a consequence of the printing press?

The transformation from an industrial, print-based society to one grounded in the Information Age began with the development of the _______.

Selective exposure ___________.

Which of the following is the best way to characterize the transitions between the print, electronic, and digital eras?

Which of the following is one of the four stages in the emergence of a new mass medium that the textbook describes?

Which of the following is one definition given in the textbook for the term media convergence?

Which of the following statements about cross-platform media convergence is false?

Plato wanted to banish which group from ancient Greece because he thought they would undermine oral storytelling?

Which of the following does the textbook identify as a result of the printing press?

The linear communication model can be criticized on the grounds that it _______.

What is one concern identified in the textbook about the future of news content available through Internet news search sites like Google?