Deck 12: The Media and American Politics

Question 1

Why is it essential that the media operate free of government control?

A) The government has no expertise in media management.
B) The government is incapable of providing media coverage.
C) This is the only way in which the media can be truly objective and serve a "watchdog" function.
D) Private interests are always more honest and objective than those of the government.
E) Profits from the media industry belong in the private sector.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is considered a benefit of television and Internet news reporting?

A) to help inform viewers of the political agenda
B) to allow citizens to witness destruction, such as the aftermath of a hurricane
C) to observe an actual battlefield
D) to help keep government accountable to the people
E) all of these choices are correct.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Unlike other industries, the media enjoy which special constitutionally granted protection?

A) freedom to operate in the private sector
B) guarantee to make a profit
C) First Amendment "freedom of the press"
D) right to public financing
E) protection to print false information that damages the reputation of an individual

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What was the name given by President Theodore Roosevelt to a group of journalists who investigated and exposed corporate and political corruption in American life?

A) carpetbaggers
B) muckrakers
C) lobbyists
D) "Deep Throat"
E) scalawags

Question 5

In Abrams v. United States (1919), Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes made an argument for the __________, which today is used as an argument for freedom of the press.

A) taxing of media outlets
B) protection of public broadcasting
C) capitalist approach to media
D) free marketplace of ideas
E) protection of libel

Question 6

What effect did the Telecommunications Act of 1996 have on the Federal Communications Commission?

A) The FCC was disbanded.
B) The FCC was transformed into a law enforcement agency.
C) The FCC was transformed from a regulator of the industry into a supporter of competition within the industry.
D) The FCC became a moderator of disputes between media outlets.
E) The FCC was transformed into a labor union that acted as an advocate for customers of the media.

Question 7

Which of the following is not true of objectivity in the media?

A) It refers to the media reporting events factually, accurately, fairly, and equitably.
B) It requires signaling when important events occur.
C) It provides perspectives on all sides of an issue or debate.
D) It is clearly defined by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
E) It sometimes leads to journalists not making any judgments of their own.

Question 8

Which of the following is not considered a form of media?

A) television
B) newspapers
C) the Internet
D) telephone
E) book publishers

Question 9

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was created in 1934 for what purpose?

A) to control and eliminate controversial ideas on public television
B) to produce a profit for the federal government by using television and other media
C) to advance the use of radio as a popular media outlet
D) to regulate the electronic media through licensing of broadcasters and creating rules for broadcasters to follow
E) to launch and control communication satellites

Question 10

Which statement is false?

A) More than 128 million Americans use Facebook daily.
B) The average American spends more time watching TV than going to work or school.
C) The average person spends 40 percent of their year devoted to some form of media.
D) On average, there are more TV sets per household than toilets.
E) Most news media organizations in the United States are owned by the federal government.

Question 11

What tools does the FCC have that it may employ for violation of its rules?

A) The FCC may confiscate a media outlet and take over its operations.
B) The FCC may force a media company to forward all profits to the federal government.
C) The FCC may revoke a broadcasting license or impose a fine for each violation.
D) The FCC has no power to employ sanctions against a media outlet.
E) The FCC issues only advisement, referring all violations to the FBI.

Question 12

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 _________________________________.

A) gave the FCC the power to regulate indecent material
B) required broadcasters to provide public affairs programming under the "fairness doctrine"
C) extended the power of the FCC to include regulation of print media
D) promoted the equal time rule
E) deregulated cable television providers and eliminated monopolies by local phone companies

Question 13

Which of the following would be the best definition of objectivity within the context of the media?

A) Equity is the only real consideration, meaning that each outlet receives equal time.
B) The media allow the government to present its version of events.
C) The media report events fairly, accurately, factually, and equitably while providing perspectives from all sides of an issue.
D) The media acts as an advocate for the government's role in the democratic process.
E) The government is kept completely out of the debate.

Question 14

Research indicates that when all forms of media are taken together, Americans devote how much time to media, including television, radio, the press, the Internet, and other forms?

A) less than 1 hour per week
B) approximately 100 hours per year
C) approximately 500 hours per year
D) approximately 3,500 hours per year
E) over 10,000 hours per year

Question 15

The principal functions of the media in the political system of the United States include _____________.

A) providing objective coverage of events
B) facilitating public debate
C) serving as a government watchdog
D) providing objective coverage of events, facilitating public debate and serving as a government watchdog
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 16

What is the purpose of the FCC's "equal time rule"?

A) It mandates the amount of time that a station is allowed to broadcast politically-oriented programs.
B) It mandates that media outlets must give free time to the government to advocate for its tax-supported programs.
C) It mandates radio and television stations to sell or give equal amounts of air time to all political candidates who want to broadcast advertisements.
D) It restricts the amount of political advertising that a newspaper may carry in comparison to television.
E) It requires all stations to provide 30 minutes of coverage to political candidates.

Question 17

In his dissenting opinion in Abrams v. United States in 1919, then-Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes coined the term free marketplace of ideas which is today used as an argument for a free press. What is meant by this statement?

A) People should be allowed to freely communicate their ideas to provide a variety of ideas to consider.
B) People and the media should be free to benefit financially from the marketability of media.
C) The press should support our economic system of capitalism.
D) In the open market the top retailers will put the smaller retailers out of business.
E) All forms of media should be disseminated without cost.

Question 18

In the case, FCC v. Pacifica Foundation (1978), the Supreme Court ruled that the _________________.

A) FCC could regulate the broadcast media on the criteria of indecent material
B) FCC was unconstitutional
C) FCC was limited in its authority and only had power to license broadcasters
D) First Amendment prohibited any government regulation of the media
E) FCC had unlimited authority to regulate newspaper and Internet content

Question 19

The justification for delegation of authority to the FCC to regulate the electronic media in 1934 was ______________________.

A) allowing people to freely communicate their ideas will provide a larger number of ideas to consider
B) the truth cannot be considered libelous
C) encouraging the publication and dissemination of a wide variety of political ideas offers citizens a diversity of opinions and perspectives
D) some electronic media require broadcast frequencies that are scarce and these need to be regulated to ensure the orderly transmission of programs
E) to limit the language and type of sexual material that broadcasters might use

Question 20

Which of the following is the most basic role of the media in the United States?

A) criticizing the American government
B) providing advertising opportunities for political candidates
C) monitoring and communicating about events around the nation and world
D) gathering public opinion
E) serving as an advocate and supporter of the government's programs

Question 21

Which president is famous for his "fireside chats," in which he used the radio to communicate to the American people?

A) Abraham Lincoln
B) Theodore Roosevelt
C) Franklin Roosevelt
D) John Kennedy
E) Ronald Reagan

Question 22

Which term was coined to describe the low cost of distributing newspapers in the early 1800s?

A) cheap news
B) abundant return
C) fluid news
D) cost dissemination
E) the "penny press"

Question 23

How did railroad expansion impact the news in the mid-1800s?

A) Railroads owned the newspaper so the increased profits of the railroads allowed expansion of the news outlets.
B) Railroads opened up remote areas, but the areas were controlled by non-American forces and the impact on news dissemination was negative.
C) Railroads had no impact on the media.
D) Expansion of railroads into frontiers and remote areas allowed for mass distribution of newspapers and mail.
E) Railroads were controlled by the dominant political party, which also controlled how and if the news was distributed to remote areas.

Question 24

How did citizens get news prior to the American Revolution?

A) The federal government printed monthly news updates.
B) Larger cities had daily or weekly newspapers that carried in-depth reporting and analysis.
C) The British government provided all news sources prior to America's independence.
D) Only British media outlets were allowed to compete in the American news market though all news must be sympathetic to the British rule.
E) A handful of small newspapers published by printers were oriented toward paid advertising, but also produced some political pamphlets.

Question 25

What was the "era of the partisan press"?

A) a period prior to the Civil War when the press was overly partial to the federal government and acted as its mouthpiece
B) a period prior to the Civil War when most newspapers were owned by, or at least supported, one of the major political parties, and this bias was evident in their news
C) a period prior to the Civil War when the Democratic Party controlled all news sources
D) a period prior to and during World War II when the federal government issued a blackout order for all news reports about the war
E) a period of government censorship during the Civil War when all news outlets were controlled by the federal government

Question 26

The first network of radio stations, established in 1926, was the ____________________.

A) American Broadcasting Corporation
B) Columbia Broadcasting System
C) National Broadcasting Company
D) Public Broadcasting System
E) Emergency Broadcasting System

Question 27

Which of the following was made possible by technological developments during the early-to-mid nineteenth century?​

A) ​mass production of newspapers
B) ​widespread electronic dissemination of news information
C) ​reduced production costs
D) ​more affordable newspapers for Americans
E) ​all of these choices are correct.

Question 28

Who or what was "Deep Throat"?

A) the FBI code name for an investigation of corrupt newspaper editors in the 1970s
B) a CIA official who helped uncover an international terrorist group
C) an Al Qaeda operative who was exposed after an undercover investigation by a major media alliance
D) a confidential informant whose information helped break the Watergate investigation in the 1970s
E) an investigation that delved deeply into the corrupt side of the media and its control by the government

Question 29

When was the first television advertisements sold to major party candidates in a presidential election?

A) ​1920
B) ​1932
C) ​1952
D) ​1968
E) ​1976

Question 30

Which of the following is a way in which the media acts as a watchdog?

A) publishing editorial columns in newspapers on differentiating perspectives
B) providing live, objective coverage of an event
C) pinning news anchors against ideological opponents on live news
D) rooting out corruption and abuses of power through investigative journalism
E) renouncing the goals of the muckrakers

Question 31

Which of the following represented the first televised presidential debate?

A) 1932-Hoover/Roosevelt
B) 1948-Truman/Dewey
C) 1960-Kennedy/Nixon
D) 1968-Humphrey/Nixon
E) 1980-Reagan/Mondale

Question 32

How did the media assist in the ratification process of our the U.S. Constitution in the 1780s?

A) Newspapers of the time published only official documents (marriage licenses, deeds to land, etc.).
B) The media acted as antagonists during this process, as they were intent on defeating ratification of the proposed constitution.
C) Newspapers published stories of the fight between the federalists and anti-federalists over ratification of the constitution.
D) The British government successfully shut down the media during the Revolutionary War.
E) The media were incapable of assuming any roles in a political debate during this time.

Question 33

Television was available to consumers by the mid-1930s, but when did it become widely adopted as a medium for getting news about politics and the world?

A) prior to World War I
B) during the Great Depression
C) during the postwar economic boom following World War II
D) during the early 1970s
E) during the late 1980s

Question 34

What was the impact of the invention and distribution of radio in the early twentieth century?

A) It provided instantaneous communication between the media and the audience.
B) It improved commercial marketing for advertisers.
C) It proved problematic in that enemy nations could monitor American transmissions.
D) It exposed an income gap in that most Americans could not afford the device.
E) It was a nice invention but was overshadowed by the power of the printed media.

Question 35

Ideally, in providing context and commentary on political events, the competing news outlets play a vital role in the democratic process by _________________________________.

A) facilitating and advocating public debate of the issues, thus increasing voter awareness
B) calming public furor over certain events
C) advocating for the government's favor
D) fulfilling the government's needs
E) advertising for private companies

Question 36

Historically the news media have been effective as checks against governmental power and have been trusted by most Americans. Because of their protections by the First Amendment and their ability to check governmental powers, the media are often referred to as ______________________.

A) agitator
B) fourth branch of government
C) government's police
D) mediator of government
E) voice of the people

Question 37

Why was the 1815 invention of the rotary press so important to news efforts?

A) It enabled the mass production of newspapers.
B) It enabled the creation of electronic transmission of news.
C) It had no significant effect on news production.
D) It improved objectivity in reporting.
E) It allowed the printing of newspapers in multiple languages.

Question 38

The first political "talk show" was __________________________.

A) distributed on news reel to movie theaters prior to World War II
B) Joe Pyne's show in 1950 on KABC radio
C) Walter Cronkite's news broadcasts of the 1960s on ABC television
D) developed with the advent of cable news, such as CNN, in the 1970s
E) Meet the Press on television in the 1960s

Question 39

The standard TV news show, developed in the early 1950s, _______________________.

A) covered the Army-McCarthy Hearings live
B) was a half-hour program produced each evening
C) provided gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions
D) was a 15-minute daily news program
E) was developed from the program "Martin Kane-Private Eye"

Question 40

Though newspapers were politically biased in the early 1800s, by about 1850 they began to distance themselves from particular partisan positions. What was the result of this decision?

A) Readership suffered considerably.
B) Political parties removed all financial support from newspapers, which had a negative effect on growth for nearly 30 years.
C) Readership declined because the news was considered boring without the heated twist of partisanship.
D) Readership increased.
E) Advertisers withdrew support and profitability declined.

Question 41

Which of the following is not true of the Associated Press?

A) It is the largest wire service.
B) It is the nation's leading newspaper on financial markets and commerce.
C) It employs a large number of reporters throughout the nation and around the world to write news on social events.
D) Its members share the news services it provides.
E) It permits smaller regional newspapers and local television and radio stations to cover events from around the world in an efficient, informative, and cost-effective manner.

Question 42

The "minimal effects theory" suggests _____________________________________.

A) while the effects of exposure may be minimal or difficult to gauge, the media are quite influential in telling the public what to think about
B) that viewers imitate what they view on television through observational learning
C) the activation of one thought also activates other thoughts and exposure to media provides cues to people on this thought activation process
D) that initial conditions with only slight variations can produce widely differing outcomes
E) that deep-seated, long-term political attitudes had a much greater influence on the vote decision than media content

Question 43

Every president since Reagan has used what medium to address the nation at least weekly?

A) newsletters
B) mass mailings
C) live television
D) radio
E) e-mail

Question 44

As of 2013, which of the following was the nation's main news source?

A) ​radio
B) ​newspaper
C) Internet
D) ​television
E) ​books

Question 45

While presidents for many years have held press conferences and answered reporters' questions, it was President Eisenhower who changed the format. How did Eisenhower hold his press conferences?

A) Eisenhower invited reporters to the White House for the first time.
B) Eisenhower allowed a press pool that included any reporter of a major newspaper who wished to attend.
C) Eisenhower was the first president to use the radio as a medium to reach Americans.
D) Eisenhower was the first to hold regular news conferences as a means of explaining his administration's policies.
E) Eisenhower was televised, but the questioning was very rigid and the answers had to be preapproved.

Question 46

Which of the following statements is not true of the digital divide?

A) The digital divide is shrinking.
B) The costs of computers and Internet access is declining.
C) The number of visitors to public libraries has declined in the past 6 years.
D) As the younger generations replace the older generations the digital divide is likely to become less pronounced.
E) Better educated, nonminorities are more likely to use the Internet on a regular basis.

Question 47

In 1967, Congress provided funding to create the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which is responsible for ______________________.

A) redirecting some of the profitability of televised media to the U.S. Treasury
B) creating noncommercial public television and radio programming
C) creating an in-house news source designed to present the government's side of issues
D) providing national entertainment and movies
E) Internet-based programming and information dissemination

Question 48

The form of Internet media that provides a combination of editorial page, personal Web page, and online diary offering personal observations in real time about news events and issues is __________________.​

A) e-mail lists
B) blogs
C) listservs
D) online newspapers
E) mass mailings

Question 49

Internet users are more likely to be younger, middle and upper class. This phenomenon is referred to as the ____________________.

A) digital divide
B) generation gap
C) racial disparity
D) economic disproportionalism
E) literacy gap

Question 50

From a politically strategic standpoint, how has television benefited political candidates, as compared to radio?

A) It costs much less than radio advertising.
B) It is less expensive than radio, though radio reaches more potential voters.
C) It has allowed them to develop an "image" through carefully planned media appearances and advertisements.
D) There is little difference in benefit between radio and television.
E) It has increased the voter turnout in elections.

Question 51

PBS and NPR generally do not rely on funding from which of the following?

A) the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)
B) commercial advertising
C) donations from businesses
D) donations from individuals
E) federal funds

Question 52

How did President Kennedy change the way in which the executive branch used television?

A) Kennedy ran advertisements that advocated for his programs.
B) Kennedy used television to address Congress.
C) Kennedy gave the first televised State of the Union address.
D) Kennedy used live television during a press conference, which increased his approval ratings.
E) Kennedy used television to address his foreign opponents.

Question 53

The youngest generation of news consumers-those in high school-are most likely to be using __________ to get their news and information​.

A) ​newspapers
B) ​books
C) ​periodicals
D) ​digital media
E) ​radio

Question 54

John Kennedy was clearly the favorite over Richard Nixon in the presidential debate that was broadcast in black and white. His look was sharp, tanned, and relaxed, and his suit contrasted with the background. When radio listeners were surveyed about the debate, what was the result?

A) They also gave the debate to Kennedy.
B) They could not contrast the visual presence of the two candidates and they felt that Nixon gave better answers.
C) They reported that they could not make a determination about the winner without having seen the candidates.
D) They preferred their medium to television.
E) They reported no difference between the two candidates or mediums.

Question 55

Which of the following is regarded by consumers as more trustworthy and "real."

A) television
B) radio
C) Internet
D) newspapers
E) blogs

Question 56

Corporate owners of the four major television news outlets include all of the following except __________________.

A) General Electric (GE)
B) CBS
C) Disney
D) News Corporation
E) PBS

Question 57

The leading newspaper on financial events is _________________.

A) the Wall Street Journal
B) the New York Times
C) the San Francisco Chronicle
D) USA Today
E) the Chicago Tribune

Question 58

There has been a 30 percent decline in the number of newspapers over the past century; how many daily newspapers are still published in the United States today?

A) nearly 100 daily newspapers
B) approximately 250 daily newspapers
C) approximately 700 daily newspapers
D) approximately 1,400 daily newspapers
E) approximately 10,000 daily newspapers

Question 59

Wire services ______________________________.

A) are the leading newspapers on financial events
B) have a format of brief stories along with colorful graphics and pictures
C) are considered national dailies and are designed to appeal to a national audience
D) cover large metropolitan areas
E) provide a clearinghouse for news as it occurs

Question 60

If we use the number of press conferences as a guide, which ​president seemed most comfortable dealing with the press?

A) ​Kennedy
B) ​Nixon
C) ​Reagan
D) ​George W. Bush
E) ​Obama

Question 61

Criticism of private media companies sensationalizing the news can be explained by _______________.

A) ​private media companies not having access to government officials
B) ​the profit motive of private ownership
C) ​lack of funding to travel internationally and cover worldwide news stories
D) ​lack of interest in politics
E) ​lack of legitimacy

Question 62

In the age of cable television and the Internet access, media report stories that highlight or exploit crime, violence, disasters, personal conflicts, competition, and scandals tend to increase the sale of newspapers and improve the ratings of TV news programs. This type of media is referred to as ___________________.

A) new age journalism
B) fictionalized journalism
C) sensationalism
D) illegal reporting
E) "cutting the fat"

Question 63

Describe why it is important for the media to provide objective coverage of events. Do you believe today's media accomplish this goal? Support your answer.

Question 64

How has the government regulated media throughout American history? Describe the Federal Communications Commission and how its role has changed in this process of regulation.

Question 65

Which of the following is not one of the most common criticisms of the news media?

A) Large conglomerates risk monopolizing the news outlets.
B) Private ownership means that profits are the primary goal, which results in truth and responsibility becoming secondary.
C) Increased profit-seeking increases the likelihood of sensationalism.
D) News outlets tend to be politically biased, and that bias shows in their programming and reporting.
E) News media report presidential press conferences, even when the president has a low approval rating.

Question 66

Which of the following theories suggests that while the effects of exposure may be minimal or difficult to gauge, the media are quite influential in telling the public what to think about?

A) cultivation theory
B) social learning theory
C) minimal effects theory
D) agenda setting theory
E) hypnotic theory

Question 67

Compare and contrast the different types of mass media, both print (newspapers, magazines, and books) and electronic media (television, radio, the Internet, and movies). How does each type operate to reach its audience? What are the differences, if any, in the audiences of each type?

Question 68

Explain how technological advancements changed the scope and importance of the news media. Describe how these events changed the media, and to what extent, if any, it has remained the same.

Question 69

Discuss the impact of ownership of the media organizations on media coverage. Does private ownership affect the operation of media outlets? If so, how? How is the Internet a possible alternative to privately-owned media outlets?

Question 70

The theory of media effects that suggests that heavy television exposure helps develop an individual's overall view of the world is ___________ theory.

A) cultivation
B) social learning
C) minimal effects
D) agenda setting
E) hypnotic

Question 71

Which of the following theories proposes that viewers imitate what they see on television?

A) cultivation theory
B) social learning theory
C) minimal effects theory
D) agenda setting theory
E) hypnotic theory

Question 72

Provide an understanding of the principle functions of the media in American politics, and how each promotes the free flow of information to the public.

Question 73

Compare and contrast the different theories assessing the influence of the media on voting decisions: the minimal effects theory, social learning theory, cultivation theory, and agenda setting.

Question 74

Which of the following is not consistent with the "minimal effects theory"?

A) ​Deep-seated, long-term political attitudes have a much greater influence on a voter's decision than does the media.
B) ​People evaluate news material from their own partisan perspective.
C) ​People consistently reshape their political views based on the news to which they are exposed.
D) ​People tend to process and remember material that is more consistent with their preexisting attitudes.

Question 75

Though the media has had a positive role in American society, it is very often criticized. Describe some of the criticisms of the privately owned media in a democracy such as the United States.

Question 76

The American news media is often referred to as the fourth branch of government and the government watchdog. Describe what is meant by these terms and how the news media has functioned in this role. Provide examples.

Question 77

How has the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the First Amendment's freedom of the press and applied it to mass media? Give examples of some court cases.