Deck 11: Media and Communication

Question 1

The ________ act as a broker between ________ and ________.

A) public; the news media; the political elite
B) political elite; the people they serve; the news media
C) news media; the political elite; the people they serve
D) political elite; news media; pollsters

Answer 1

C

Question 2

"Individual responsibility" is _______ often employed by _______ in Canada to mobilize their supporters without drawing too much resistance from their opponents

A) trial balloons, the left-wing
B) dog whistles, the left-wing
C) dog whistles, the right-wing
D) trial balloons, the right-wing

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What were early newspapers that relied almost exclusively on government advertising?

A) red press
B) tabloid press
C) party press
D) penny press

Answer 3

C

Question 4

________ was particularly important in the rise of early-twentieth century populist and progressive parties on the Canadian prairies, like Social Credit and the CCF.

A) local radio
B) national newspapers
C) national television
D) social media

Question 5

________ is a Crown corporation that is Canada's national public broadcaster.

A) The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
B) The Cable Public Affairs Channel
C) The National Public Radio
D) The National Post

Question 6

What does CanCon refer to?

A) laws requiring that media outlets operating in Canada provide a minimum level of Canadian-produced programming
B) a coalition of conservative Canadians committed to disbanding the CBC
C) a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting artists to produce Canadian content for American media
D) the body responsible for administering the Broadcasting Act

Question 7

What is the name given to the group of political journalists who monitor government business and who personally observe proceedings in the legislature?

A) press gallery
B) media scrum
C) the fifth estate
D) the communications bureau

Question 8

________ is an informal term for the media, implying that a free press is so vital to democracy that it is on par with the other branches of government (executive, legislature, judiciary).

A) the first pillar
B) the second leg
C) the third stanchion
D) the fourth estate

Question 9

In Canada, freedom of information laws require that:

A) governments provide contact information for all voters to each registered political party.
B) governments release information to citizens upon request, subject to certain restrictions.
C) citizens provide police with personal information upon arrest.
D) political parties provide candidate information to the government for vetting.

Question 10

Which of the following documents must be released unredacted and in their entirety under a freedom of information request?

A) internal party documents related to the business of the Official Opposition
B) memorandums to cabinet
C) briefing notes related to intergovernmental negotiations
D) None of the above

Question 11

When media focuses its attention on who is leading in public opinion polls, it is called:

A) milch-cow coverage
B) horse-race coverage
C) dog-show coverage
D) first-past-the-post coverage

Question 12

When framing is practiced by skilled political communicators, it simplifies complex matters in a purposeful manner that fits the sender's position. This is known as ________.

A) hacktivism
B) narrowcasting
C) spin
D) brokerage

Question 13

When it comes to the roles and responsibilities of federal organizations in government advertising, the ________ develops the centralized plan and provides oversight.

A) the Department of Finance
B) the Treasury Board
C) the Prime Minister's Office
D) the Public Services and Procurement Office

Question 14

What is a form of campaigning in which parties choose separate communications to target highly-specific segments of individual voters through social media, listservs, specialty television channels, and niche publications?

A) broadcasting
B) narrowcasting
C) tightcasting
D) typecasting

Question 15

What is the most common tool used to conduct quantitative public opinion research in Canada?

A) online and in-person focus groups
B) online and telephone surveys
C) door-to-door interviews
D) content analysis of letters to the editor

Question 16

Which of the following campaign tactics involves the use of coded language to send messages to a discrete group of political supporters?

A) dog whistling
B) horse whispering
C) cat calling
D) pork barreling

Question 17

Compared to standard opinion surveys, focus group research is more useful for:

A) gaining a deep, qualitative understanding of political values in a particular population group
B) testing public reaction to party advertisements prior to release
C) experimenting with different slogans, logos, and other elements of a party's brand
D) All of the above

Question 18

If an environmentalist party knows that an opposing party's followers are deeply divided over whether to establish a carbon tax, the environmentalist party would be best-advised to engage in:

A) brokerage politics
B) wedge politics
C) attack advertisements
D) rebranding

Question 19

One of the most famous cases of media framing in Canada involved:

A) the Globe and Mail running an unflattering front page photo of Jean Chretien's facial paralysis in 1993.
B) the Globe and Mail running an iconic front page photo of Robert Stanfield dropping a football in 1974.
C) the Huffington Post running a shocking front page photo of a drunk John A. Macdonald before a campaign speech in Northern Ontario.
D) Rabble.ca running a flattering image of Pierre Trudeau giving royal assent to the Constitution Act 1982.

Question 20

Left-wing political parties taking the ________ approach to political communication compete to set the political agenda by highlighting _______.

A) articulation, the need to lower taxes on the wealthy
B) confrontation, the need to decrease health care spending
C) articulation, the need to bolster the welfare state
D) confrontation, the need to pay down the debt

Question 21

Of the following developments, which has had the most novel, direct, and controversial effect on the fourth estate in Canada?

A) the shift of attention from the legislative branch to the executive branch
B) the shift in power from the legislative branch to the judicial branch
C) the shift of financial resources from the executive branch into the media
D) the shift of personnel from the media into the executive branch

Question 22

Which newspaper tends to be conservative in its political leanings?

A) Toronto Star
B) Globe and Mail
C) National Post
D) None of the above

Question 23

In Canada, narrowcasting involves using:

A) previous electoral results to allocate resources to specific constituencies.
B) political marketing techniques to identify and target specific segments of the electorate.
C) public opinion polling to rebrand a political party.
D) content analysis of media stories to determine which journalists to work with.

Question 24

In which political party are the CBC's strongest opponents often found?

A) NDP
B) Liberal Party
C) Conservative Party of Canada
D) Green Party

Question 25

What is the term for textual, audio, and visual content created, packaged, and delivered by political actors free of charge to media outlets in the hopes they will simply reproduce it?

A) briefing notes
B) communiques
C) spin bundles
D) information subsidies

Question 26

What is the term for a polarizing topic that divides voters, often in a manner that favours the party that is trying to put it on the public agenda?

A) a trial balloon
B) a dog whistle
C) a wedge issue
D) a valence issue

Question 27

Which of the following measures has the federal government implemented to promote Canadian content in the media?

A) mandating Canadian broadcasters carry a proportion of Canadian-made shows
B) placing foreign-ownership restrictions on Canadian media providers
C) supporting and promoting Canadian content through dedicated funding agencies
D) All of the above

Question 28

In terms of voter segmentation, which of the following parties identifies sports fans as potential supporters?

A) New Democratic Party of Canada
B) Liberal Party of Canada
C) Conservative Party of Canada
D) Green Party of Canada

Question 29

Which of the following is not a dominant frame of Canadian politics?

A) whiteness is treated as neutral, while visible minorities' interests are outside the mainstream
B) politics is a sport or war
C) more attention is paid to urban areas than rural areas
D) All of the above

Question 30

A vibrant public sphere requires:

A) the free-flowing exchange of perspective, ideas, and data.
B) that multinational corporations to control all local and national news outlets.
C) that local governments control all local and national news outlets.
D) reasoned debate take place only among society's elite.

Question 31

Which of the following is accurate about Canadians' political media habits today?

A) declining numbers of Canadians are turning to television for news
B) the number of Canadians listening to news radio and talk radio is relatively stable
C) Canadians place more trust in traditional mainstream media than social media
D) All of the above

Question 32

For governing parties, there is a heightened need to maintain tight message discipline because:

A) their leaders are less likely to embody the party's brand.
B) they need to ensure the government maintains the confidence of the legislature.
C) their backbench members have the ability to spend public funds on advertising.
D) they have little support from central agencies like the Privy Council Office.

Question 33

Which of the following was not part of the federal government's controversial policy response to the decline of mainstream media in Canada?

A) tax credit for news organizations to support employees
B) tax credit for citizens to pay for online journalism
C) transitioning the CBC from a crown corporation to a private business
D) awarding charitable status to eligible Canadian journalism organizations

Question 34

In federal election campaigns, direct confrontation strategies:

A) involve parties talking past each other to avoid taking opposing positions on the same issues
B) are relatively rare because there are few issues on which Canadians are deeply divided.
C) are relatively frequent because there are many political parties involved.
D) involve parties selectively emphasizing issues the electorate trusts them to handle.

Question 35

Which of the following did not result from the advent of broadcast television in Canada in the 1950s?

A) parties focused their campaign communications more closely around the leader
B) long, unscripted speeches evolved into scripted soundbites
C) prime ministers recorded separate fireside chats to be played in different regions of Canada
D) watching the same news programs became a common experience for many Canadians

Question 36

Which of the following people tend to have the most difficulty attracting media attention in Canada?

A) prime ministers
B) premiers
C) ministers
D) leaders of the opposition

Question 37

Infotainment involves:

A) a blend of punditry and humour with facts and analysis.
B) a blend of education and engagement.
C) stories that focus on journalists and politicians as personalities.
D) all of the above

Question 38

Pack journalism involves:

A) groupthink among reporters.
B) obsession with the same focusing events.
C) homogeneity of coverage and information convergence.
D) All of the above

Question 39

The shift to a digital environment has enabled Canadian media outlets to re-use content across multiple platforms. This has led to:

A) an increase in the number of focusing events being covered.
B) a decrease in the total number and size of news operations.
C) an increase to the size of provincial press galleries.
D) a decrease in the amount of horse-race coverage.

Question 40

Which of the following is not an accurate portrayal of the current state of the media in Canada?

A) towns and small cities are losing local news sources
B) major city newspapers and TV stations are enjoying an unprecedented boom in business
C) the news industry is scrambling to find new ways of securing revenue
D) All of the above

Question 41

Which of the following did not originate as an online-only media outlet or news aggregator?

A) The Huffington Post
B) Rabble.ca
C) The National Post
D) National Newswatch

Question 42

At the federal level, members of the press gallery:

A) challenge members of the government directly during question period.
B) require accreditation from governments.
C) outnumber Members of Parliament two-to-one.
D) are retired journalists who act as unofficial government watchdogs.

Question 43

According to political communications theory, framing:

A) is applied by both the media and politicians.
B) can be either a deliberate act or a subconscious approach to politics.
C) can limit the inclusiveness of the public sphere for women.
D) All of the above

Question 44

Which of the following terms refers to the use of information communication technologies to deliver public programs and services?

A) big data
B) open government
C) e-government
D) hacktivism

Question 45

What is the primary reason e-democracy remains underdeveloped in Canada?

A) most public servants lack reliable broadband internet at their workplaces
B) all federal and provincial materials must be translated in both official languages prior to release under freedom of information requests
C) there remains a general reluctance to invite public feedback on public policy
D) most politicians refuse to establish social media accounts to correspond with the public

Question 46

A ______ is an authorized and orchestrated release of political information by a high ranking official, while a ______ is an unauthorized and potentially damaging release of information by a whistleblower or disgruntled employee.

A) leak, trial balloon
B) trial balloon, leak
C) disclosure, blow-out
D) blow-out, disclosure

Question 47

The sponsorship scandal involved:

A) the sale of ad space on the Government of Canada Facebook page.
B) federal advertising funds flowing to partisan agencies for work that was never done.
C) the Quebec government's use of provincial government branding to sell cannabis.
D) a Quebec premier's signing of an endorsement contract with Du Maurier cigarettes.

Question 48

A political party's brand:

A) is synonymous with its name.
B) is another term for its logo and colours.
C) is embodied by its ideological approach to politics.
D) encompasses all of the elements that make up the dominant mental image of the party.

Question 49

Which of the following is a campaign tactic associated with articulation?

A) highlighting a wedge issue
B) engaging in dog whistle politics
C) selective emphasis
D) All of the above

Question 50

Which of the following is a dog whistle term frequently used by politicians on the Canadian left?

A) "working families"
B) "individual responsibility"
C) "illegal aliens"
D) "nanny state"

Question 51

At the time of Confederation, the political press consisted of partisan newspapers that gained income from printing government advertisements and official notices.

Question 52

Since its founding, the Toronto Star has been known to espouse conservative views, particularly in its editorial content, while Postmedia sources, such as the National Post, tend to back left-wing parties like the Liberals and NDP.

Question 53

Newspapers adjusted to the onset of radio in the 1920s by becoming the authoritative source for more in depth forms of political journalism.

Question 54

The horse-race frame reduces everything that political actors do to a conversation about their core values and beliefs.

Question 55

In Canadian politics, what appear to be spontaneous and authentic social media posts by politicians are often drafted by communications professionals and vetted by senior officials.

Question 56

The CBC generates almost all of its revenue from government advertising.

Question 57

As a mature liberal democracy, political information in Canada is free of biases.

Question 58

Women leaders in Canada are more likely than their male counterparts to have their private lives examined by media.

Question 59

Canada's traditional media are under significant pressure from the growing popularity of Internet-based digital media.

Question 60

Canadian politicians are obligated by the freedom of the press to answer all journalists' questions.

Question 61

Freedom of the press is guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Question 62

In Canada today, strategists often attempt to dissuade politicians from unscripted media appearances.

Question 63

Raising an issue known to divide your opponent's supporters is known as dog whistling.

Question 64

The changing nature of media economics has led to more complex and detailed investigative reporting by larger press galleries.

Question 65

CBC news programs remain the most popular in the country.

Question 66

The emergence of dozens of new specialty television channels in the 1960s allowed Canadian parties to begin narrowcasting.

Question 67

Among other restrictions, CanCon laws require television broadcasters to carry a certain percentage of Canadian-made shows.

Question 68

The number of journalists in the press gallery is dwindling.

Question 69

Brand control is a key objective of party discipline in Canada.

Question 70

Public opinion polls suggest Canadians divide themselves into distinct media silos and they feel strongly that news organizations should be partisan entities.

Question 71

According to consensus among political scientists, a Canadian politician's gender has no impact on how they are covered by the media.

Question 72

Highlighting an issue that is of particular interest to a small group of core supporters but which fails to resonate with the general public is known as driving a wedge issue.

Question 73

The penny-press model that relies on government advertising has kept most Canadian newspapers from closing.

Question 74

The frequent use of sports and war metaphors apply a masculine frame to much of Canadian politics.

Question 75

Most Canadians believe that media does a good job with respect to presenting news accurately and fairly.

Question 76

The old adages that "if it bleeds it leads" and that journalists should "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable" align with the Canadian media's focus on negative forms of news coverage.

Question 77

In general, negative campaigning crosses the line of political correctness when it involves attacks on a candidate's physical characteristics.

Question 78

When political party volunteers knock on doors to promote their local candidate, many also compile data about each household to add to their central party database.

Question 79

In Canada, potential voters are more likely to receive communication from the political party that they already support than they are to receive new information from alternative parties.

Question 80

The "culture war" refers to debates over the bounds and value of political correctness in society.