Deck 12: The Media

Question 1

When CBS News ran a story based on documents regarding George W. Bush's service in the National Guard, ___________ produced evidence that the documents were forgeries.

A) the White House
B) the Republican Party
C) the National Guard
D) bloggers
E) FOX News reporters

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The need for sensationalist journalism died out because of the middle-class demand for reform, the termination of circulation wars, and the

A) expansion of the nation.
B) end of Prohibition.
C) end of gang warfare.
D) rise in libel suits.
E) growing education levels of readers.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

News coverage by the Associated Press had to be nonpartisan because

A) its funding came from the federal government.
B) its reporters' standards were highly professional.
C) government regulations required it.
D) it served papers of various political hues.
E) its managers held the parties in contempt.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The Nation, the Atlantic Monthly, and Harper's were

A) mass-circulation magazines founded during the early 1900s.
B) magazines specializing in yellow journalism during the mid-1800s.
C) newspapers sponsored by the political parties of the early 1800s.
D) the first magazines to present public policy issues during the mid-1800s.
E) newspapers specializing in party news and election reports founded during the early 1900s.

Question 5

The medium that first allowed public officials to reach the public in a relatively unfiltered manner was

A) the national magazine.
B) the national newspaper.
C) radio.
D) the New York Times.
E) the wire service.

Question 6

Most American rely on ________ as their source for news.

A) the Internet
B) radio
C) television
D) Facebook
E) Twitter

Question 7

In this country, the libel laws make it almost impossible to prevent press criticisms of

A) public figures.
B) the military.
C) the education system.
D) dead persons.
E) persons with jobs in the private sector.

Question 8

The Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration was first exposed by

A) opposition research by the Democratic Party.
B) the FBI.
C) a private detective.
D) the Washington Post.
E) donors who were unhappy with Nixon.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) American libel laws make it difficult for public figure to sue and win for libel.
B) America does not have an Official Secrets Act.
C) American has a Freedom of Information Act.
D) Both lies and the faulty statements of the uninformed are protected speech in America.
E) None of the above.

Question 10

The government's first foray into the world of newspaper's was ___________ Gazette of the United States.

A) Washington's
B) Hamilton's
C) Jefferson's
D) Madison's
E) Franklin's

Question 11

Which of the following statements about newspapers during the early years of the republic is true?

A) They were cheaper than today.
B) They made little or no attempt to appear objective.
C) They were supported by paid advertising.
D) They were read avidly by both the elite and the masses.
E) They were generally objective.

Question 12

The term yellow journalism was coined to describe media sensationalism in what era?

A) The early days of the republic
B) The time of the Civil War
C) The turn of the century
D) Post-World War II
E) The Great Depression

Question 13

Young persons are more likely to rely on _______ as their source for news.

A) the Internet
B) radio
C) television
D) Facebook
E) Twitter

Question 14

In the early years of the republic, newspapers were financially supported by

A) advertising.
B) payments from the Associated Press.
C) subsidies from political parties and politicians.
D) mass circulation.
E) religious clubs and organizations.

Question 15

An important factor in the development of less-partisan newspapers during the nineteenth century was the growth of

A) paid advertising, which reduced the need for party subsidies.
B) political patronage, which contributed needed funds to editors.
C) a large rural population, which balanced the urban bias of newspapers.
D) government subsidies, which gave editors a strong financial base.
E) Supreme Court rulings that involved charges of libel.

Question 16

Electronic journalism probably contributed to the decline in party loyalties because

A) the public lost confidence in politicians after seeing them on television.
B) the rate of literacy dropped, forcing people to watch television rather than read party literature.
C) television and radio focused attention on the issues, making party labels of candidates irrelevant.
D) politicians developed personal followings independent of party structure.
E) the public lost confidence in television as a source of political news.

Question 17

A war between the United States and Spain was fomented by the publisher

A) William Randolph Hearst.
B) Rupert Murdoch.
C) Eugene Pulliam.
D) Theodore Loeb.
E) Christopher Donnell.

Question 18

At the turn of the twentieth century, the growing media sensationalism influencing public opinion was known as

A) purple prose.
B) yellow journalism.
C) muckraking.
D) pack journalism.
E) shock lit.

Question 19

For all their excesses, the sensationalist mass newspapers of the late nineteenth century effected several important changes in the press, including

A) freeing the press from government control.
B) encouraging cultural diversity in U.S. society.
C) limiting the role of technology in journalism.
D) giving greater power to a social elite.
E) giving greater power to a political elite.

Question 20

America has a long tradition of media that are

A) objective.
B) centralized.
C) government-friendly.
D) primarily concerned with governmental policy.
E) privately owned.

Question 21

Which individual is notable for having raised a significant amount of campaign money from Internet appeals in 2004?

A) John Kerry
B) Howard Dean
C) Al Gore
D) Bill Clinton
E) Hillary Clinton

Question 22

A member of Congress who wishes to maximize his or her news media attention is well advised to

A) propose increasing taxes.
B) propose lowering taxes.
C) praise the president.
D) attack the president.
E) author new legislation.

Question 23

To a remarkable degree, media ownership in the United States is

A) international.
B) national.
C) regional.
D) local.
E) governmental.

Question 24

In recent years, __________ have particularly turned away from political news.

A) Democrats
B) Republicans
C) middle-class voters
D) liberals
E) young people

Question 25

Most of the national news that local papers publish comes from

A) local affiliates.
B) their own news staffs.
C) television networks.
D) wire services.
E) investigative reporting.

Question 26

The text suggests that the media shifted into the watchdog role with respect to Gary Hart because Hart

A) was handsome.
B) was perceived as a front-runner.
C) was independently wealthy.
D) was a Democrat.
E) refused to interact with the press.

Question 27

One disadvantage to politicians of radio or television coverage, compared with newspaper coverage, is that it

A) allows citizens to turn off the message.
B) is both more expensive and less accessible to politicians.
C) permits a greater degree of editorial filtering.
D) is controlled by a handful of owners.
E) discourages colorful rhetoric.

Question 28

The television weekly "60 Minutes" runs a segment on the role of local politicians in the drug trade. The issue soon becomes the subject of national debate. In these circumstances, "60 Minutes" is acting as a(n)

A) gatekeeper.
B) scorekeeper.
C) watchdog.
D) investigator.
E) Both B and C.

Question 29

A study of "sound bites" on the broadcasts of the evening news in 2000, found the average length of bites to be about _____ seconds.

A) 7
B) 32
C) 45
D) 63
E) 100

Question 30

All of the following are true with respect to national newspapers except that

A) they can distribute millions of copies per day.
B) they are carefully followed by political elites.
C) their headlines often affect what is reported on radio and television.
D) their editors and reporters have higher salaries than their local counterparts.
E) their writers tend to have distinctly conservative views.

Question 31

To get television coverage, public officials typically have to

A) be well connected.
B) take a conservative line.
C) take a liberal line.
D) do something colorful.
E) appear organized.

Question 32

The Internet has made it easier to

A) raise money in small donations.
B) organize people to attend meetings.
C) take instant opinion polls.
D) disseminate instant criticisms of political opponents.
E) All of the above.

Question 33

The broadcasting industry in the United States can best be described as

A) tightly regulated.
B) centralized.
C) government owned.
D) nationally oriented.
E) decentralized.

Question 34

The media typically report presidential elections as horse races because of the media's role as

A) arbiter.
B) watchdog.
C) scorekeeper.
D) mirror of reality.
E) mediator.

Question 35

Although there were competing newspapers in 60 percent of American cities in 1900, by 1972 there were competing newspapers in ____ percent of American cities.

A) 90
B) 77
C) 50
D) 28
E) 4

Question 36

The text suggests that radio and television stations often decide what to broadcast by looking at

A) FOX News.
B) official reports of the government.
C) White House press releases.
D) the front pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post.
E) All of the above

Question 37

One advantage of newspapers over the electronic media as a means for politicians to reach voters is that newspapers

A) minimize editorial filtering.
B) convey a more direct message.
C) restrict the arguments of would-be critics.
D) convey a more powerful message.
E) are less expensive.

Question 38

In the past generation, the focus of national media attention on crime has been

A) steady, whether crime was increasing or not.
B) nonexistent, although crime increased steadily.
C) intermittent, although crime increased steadily.
D) stronger when crime increased than when it did not.
E) slight, although crime has decreased steadily.

Question 39

The national media often play the role of watchdog. This means that they can

A) influence public opinion on most issues.
B) influence what subjects become national political issues.
C) prevent certain politicians from winning office by not covering their campaigns.
D) expose scandals and investigate personalities.
E) track swings in public assessments of candidates.

Question 40

The text states that the media typically report presidential elections as horse races. This means that they

A) have an instinctive desire to expose scandals.
B) play the roles of gatekeeper, scorekeeper, and watchdog in a presidential campaign.
C) seek opportunities to write background or interpretive stories about issues in the campaign.
D) focus more on the contest itself than on the issues of the campaign.
E) have an instinctive desire to investigate personalities.

Question 41

The advertising rates charged to candidates for public office, compared with rates for other advertisers, are

A) the same.
B) usually higher.
C) usually lower.
D) always lower because of the equal time rule.
E) usually lower if the candidate is liberal.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about laws intended to protect the privacy of citizens is correct?

A) They do not really inhibit newspapers.
B) They exert strong pressure on newspapers to check all stories.
C) They apply to public officials only.
D) They apply to newspapers, but not to other media.
E) They apply to newspapers and radio, but not television.

Question 43

Compared with the print media, the electronic media are

A) less competitive but more strictly regulated.
B) more competitive but less strictly regulated.
C) more competitive and more strictly regulated.
D) less competitive and less strictly regulated.
E) less competitive and completely free of regulation.

Question 44

Once something is published, a newspaper or magazine can be sued or prosecuted if the material

A) is obscene.
B) is libelous.
C) incites someone to commit an illegal act.
D) is all of the above.
E) is none of the above.

Question 45

Since the 1980s, radio and television stations have been able to __________ in order to have their licenses renewed by the FCC.

A) fill out several dozen forms
B) simply mail in postcards
C) send video tapes of their arguments
D) sit in interviews with the Chairman
E) appear before a Board

Question 46

The equal time rule obliges stations

A) that sell advertising to one political candidate to sell equal time to that person's opponent.
B) to allow all candidates the opportunity to participate in debates.
C) to provide all candidates the chance to appear in news stories.
D) to provide equal news coverage of the campaigns of all candidates.
E) to allow candidates equal time to respond to the airing of any of their opponents' criticisms.

Question 47

How frequently do television broadcasting licenses come up for renewal?

A) Every year
B) Every two years
C) Every three years
D) Every five years
E) Every ten years

Question 48

For a newspaper to be found guilty of libeling a public official, the accused party must

A) prove beyond reasonable doubt that what was printed was damaging, even if it was printed accidentally.
B) sue the reporter who wrote the story and not the newspaper that published it.
C) sue the newspaper that published the story and not the reporter who wrote it.
D) provide clear and convincing evidence that what was printed was malicious.
E) establish that what was printed could have been interpreted in more than one manner.

Question 49

Since the 1980s, broadcasting licenses are automatically renewed unless

A) the station has been found guilty of broadcasting obscenity.
B) some community group formally objects.
C) the station has been found to criticize the government unfairly.
D) the station's ownership has changed.
E) the station's ownership has not changed for a considerable period of time.

Question 50

Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution prevents the government from censoring the media?

A) The First Amendment
B) The Fifth Amendment
C) The Sixth Amendment
D) The Twenty-first Amendment
E) None of the above

Question 51

In 2005, the reporter Judith Miller of the New York Times spent eight-five days in jail because she would not reveal the name of the individual who told her

A) the name of a CIA employee.
B) the codes to an important NSA directive.
C) the names of several covert agents in the FBI.
D) the details of a secret meeting of members of Congress.
E) about secret memos in the Office of the Pardon Attorney.

Question 52

The Carter-Reagan debate in 1980 was sponsored by the League of Women Voters (LWV) because

A) the LWV had an exclusive license for that purpose.
B) the LWV threatened to sue the networks.
C) both candidates wanted an impartial forum.
D) the fairness doctrine did not apply.
E) that arrangement allowed circumvention of the equal access rule.

Question 53

Compared with newspaper reporters, television news broadcasters have

A) lower incomes but more professional freedom.
B) higher incomes but less professional freedom.
C) higher incomes and more professional freedom.
D) lower incomes and less professional freedom.
E) lower incomes, but exceptional professional freedom.

Question 54

How frequently do radio broadcasting licenses come up for renewal?

A) Every year
B) Every two years
C) Every five years
D) Every seven years
E) Every ten years

Question 55

The federal government sued the New York Times to prevent it from publishing

A) accounts of Japanese Americans detained in U.S. concentration camps during World War II.
B) the Pentagon Papers.
C) secret grand jury findings on the Watergate scandal.
D) reports of Reagan's arms-for-hostages dealings.
E) videotapes of G. Gordon Liddy orchestrating a break-in.

Question 56

The abandonment of the fairness doctrine permitted

A) liberals to have more access to mainstream media.
B) small-business owners to restrict access.
C) the rise of controversial talk radio.
D) politicians to regulate media more directly.
E) interest groups to have greater influence on elections.

Question 57

Unlike big-city newspapers, radio and television stations must

A) identify their audience and cultivate a lasting relationship.
B) rely on paid advertising from multiple sources.
C) get their national news from wire services.
D) operate profitably while still providing balanced news coverage.
E) have a government license to operate.

Question 58

In New York v. Farber, a reporter for the New York Times was asked to produce notes that he had taken in regard to the behavior of a

A) schoolteacher.
B) police officer.
C) physician.
D) fellow reporter.
E) senator.

Question 59

When the Israeli general Ariel Sharon sued Time magazine for libel, the jury decided that

A) Time's stories on Sharon were accurate.
B) Time had libeled Sharon and must pay damages.
C) Time had libeled Sharon but not maliciously.
D) Sharon lacked standing to sue in a U.S. court.
E) Sharon had shown no true case and controversy.

Question 60

In general, what position has the Supreme Court taken on the government's right to compel reporters to divulge information concerning the commission of a crime?

A) It has ruled against it.
B) It has upheld it.
C) It has avoided ruling on it.
D) It has yet to rule on it.
E) It has ruled in a contradictory manner.

Question 61

The text suggests three things to look for when trying to read a newspaper intelligently. They are the

A) degree of objectivity, the choice of coverage, and the source of information.
B) type of coverage, the number of sources, and the flexibility of the language.
C) source of information, the degree of objectivity, and the use of language.
D) choice of coverage, the degree of objectivity, and the use of language.
E) choice of coverage, the source of information, and the use of language.

Question 62

A study of the political slant of 400 daily newspapers found that coverage was generally a reflection of the views of

A) owners.
B) reporters.
C) editors.
D) columnists
E) readers.

Question 63

In comparison with members of the general public, members of the news media are more likely to vote

A) for Democrats.
B) for Republicans.
C) for independents.
D) for incumbents.
E) for challengers.

Question 64

Which types of news stories report major political events that will be covered by many reporters and involve simple matters?

A) Blockbuster
B) Insider
C) Feature
D) Routine
E) Trade

Question 65

Public distrust of the media

A) appears to be growing.
B) has remained about the same for three decades.
C) appears to be decreasing.
D) has never been studied in any rigorous manner.
E) has decreased for persons who read magazines of opinion.

Question 66

Whatever the political dispositions of members of the national news media might be, the public tends to perceive them as

A) without any particular ideological leaning.
B) politically moderate.
C) liberal.
D) conservative.
E) very conservative.

Question 67

In France and Great Britain, newspapers are often

A) owned by private individuals.
B) free of restriction.
C) entirely objective in their analysis.
D) clearly identified with one party or another.
E) all of the above.

Question 68

Insider stories are often the product of

A) intense television coverage.
B) leaks by someone in government.
C) public opinion polling processes.
D) judicial rulings.
E) congressional investigations and reports.

Question 69

Early in American history, there were almost no ________ stories.

A) blockbuster
B) insider
C) feature
D) routine
E) trade

Question 70

Horse-race journalism concerns the critics because they feel such coverage

A) cannot adequately predict who will win or lose a race.
B) ignores the importance of issues.
C) places too much emphasis on personalities and public personas.
D) relies almost entirely on second- and third- hand reporting.
E) rarely has an impact on the flow of campaign contributions.

Question 71

One notable study of the Times and the Washington Post found conservative Senators were three times more likely to be ___________ than their liberal counterparts.

A) called "conservative"
B) quoted out of context
C) criticized
D) referenced as "authorities"
E) quoted anonymously

Question 72

Which types of news stories cover things that are often secret?

A) Blockbuster
B) Insider
C) Feature
D) Routine
E) Trade

Question 73

Estes Kefauver became a household name in the 1950s because he

A) wrote a tell-all book about several famous news commentators.
B) threw a folding chair at a fellow senator.
C) refused to allow reporters in the Senate chamber during debate.
D) appeared on almost every national news program within one week.
E) chaired a Senate committee investigating organized crime.

Question 74

A study of 10 newspapers and the Associated Press found that news regarding government reports about sales, unemployment, and economic growth was more likely to be presented in a positive fashion if

A) a Democrat was president.
B) a Republican was president.
C) the data were clearly mixed.
D) the data were reported on a weekend.
E) the report was favorable to the interests of both political parties.

Question 75

Mayer's analysis of the dominance of conservative talk radio emphasizes all of the following except that

A) there are more self-described conservatives in America than liberals.
B) conservatives see radio as an alternative to other forms of media that do not reflect their viewpoints.
C) much of the liberal audience is broken up into distinct racial and ethnic minorities.
D) few members of racial and ethnic minorities listen to radio.
E) liberals think their views are encouraged by newspapers and television stations.

Question 76

The tendency to tune out statements that are inconsistent with our existing beliefs is known as

A) reduction of decision-making space.
B) cognitive complacency.
C) rejection eclipse.
D) the sympathy curve.
E) selective attention.

Question 77

Which types of news stories cover events that a reporter seeks out because they are not covered by the press?

A) Blockbuster
B) Insider
C) Feature
D) Routine
E) Trade

Question 78

The dearth of popular liberal talk-radio hosts is primarily the result of the fact that

A) such hosts have not landed big corporate sponsors.
B) radio stations refuse to allow liberals opportunities to compete.
C) station owners are quite conservative.
D) such hosts have not gotten good ratings.
E) liberals have taken no interest in radio.

Question 79

In comparison with the general public, the great majority of the members of the national news media are

A) without any particular ideological leaning.
B) politically moderate.
C) liberal.
D) conservative.
E) very conservative.

Question 80

When Time and Newsweek ran stores about nuclear power, reporters tended to avoid quoting scientists and engineers in that field because such persons

A) were in favor of nuclear power plants.
B) were against nuclear power plants.
C) rarely talked to media.
D) were required by law to give general, uninformative answers.
E) were outspoken in their criticism of media.