Question 1

During World War Two, the Office of Censorship examined mail, cables, newspapers, magazines, films, and radio broadcasts for content deemed as threatening to the U.S. war effort.

Accepted Answer

The Office of Censorship was established during World War II to control and monitor communications to prevent sensitive information from being disclosed that could harm the U.S. war effort.

Question 2

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that homeowners may record copyrighted TV shows for their personal, noncommercial use.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 1984 case Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc. that recording TV shows for personal, noncommercial use is considered fair use.

Question 3

Parodies of original works are not covered by the concept of fair use.

Accepted Answer

Parodies are generally considered a form of fair use because they provide commentary or criticism of the original work, which is one of the purposes protected under fair use.

Question 4

Over the years, the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear its view that the Constitution allows the government a level of control over noncommercial speech that it does not tolerate when commercial speech is involved.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court generally affords greater protection to noncommercial speech under the First Amendment compared to commercial speech, which can be more regulated.

Question 5

In U.S. libel law, simple malice means hatred or ill will toward another person.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In U.S. libel law, simple malice means...

Question 6

In the famous 1964 case of New York Times V. Sullivan, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protected false and defamatory statements made about public officials only if the false statements were not published with actual malice.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court established the "actual malice" standard, which requires that the false statement was made with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth, to protect freedom of speech and press under the First Amendment.

Question 7

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the First Amendment requires proof of simple negligence even when private persons sue the mass media for libel.

Accepted Answer

The First Amendment requires proof of actual malice, not simple negligence, when private persons sue the mass media for libel.

Question 8

In 2007, the FCC forced Univision to pay a record $24 million fine for airing telenovelas with children during the time it claimed it was fulfilling the children's educational requirement from 2004 to 2006.

Accepted Answer

Univision was fined by the FCC in 2007 for failing to meet the educational programming requirements for children, as it aired telenovelas instead of educational content.

Question 9

The term oligopoly is used to describe a market controlled by just a select few of firms.

Accepted Answer

An oligopoly is a market structure where a small number of firms have significant market power, allowing them to influence prices and other market outcomes.

Question 10

Critics of the Family Friendly Programming Forum fear that the Forum's influence will result in programs that romanticize a kind of fictional nuclear family.

Accepted Answer

Critics often express concern that initiatives like the Family Friendly Programming Forum may promote an idealized version of the nuclear family, potentially overlooking diverse family structures and realities.

Question 11

Most media organizations have operating policies that spell out guidelines for everyday operations.

Accepted Answer

Most media organizations establish operating policies to ensure consistency, ethical standards, and legal compliance in their daily operations.

Question 12

Although all media industries subscribe to professional codes of ethics, the advertising and public relations industries do not have similar codes of ethics in place for their practitioners.

Accepted Answer

The advertising and public relations industries do have professional codes of ethics, such as those provided by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Question 13

Press council have the job of arbitrating disputes between competing newspapers and news magazines.

Accepted Answer

The Press Council primarily deals with complaints about the press and upholding journalistic standards, not arbitrating disputes between competing newspapers and news magazines.

Question 14

Arguments with media firms are almost never based on fear about the media's effect on other segments of society.

Accepted Answer

Arguments with media firms often involve concerns about the media's influence on public opinion, behavior, and societal norms, indicating that fear about its effects on society is a common issue.

Question 15

Media laws and regulations can be seen as a way to formally enforce agreed-upon norms of behavior.

Accepted Answer

Media laws and regulations are designed to enforce standards and norms of behavior within the media industry, ensuring responsible reporting, protecting individual rights, and maintaining public order.

Question 16

Obscene materials are not protected by the First Amendment

Accepted Answer

The First Amendment does not protect obscene materials as determined by the Miller test, which assesses whether the material appeals to prurient interests, depicts sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

Question 17

The phrase "by the press" in the First Amendment strictly refers to the journalistic press.

Accepted Answer

The phrase "by the press" in the First Amendment is broadly interpreted to cover a wide range of expression beyond just the journalistic press, including publishing in general.

Question 18

To be constitutional, government restrictions on speech must serve a significant governmental interest.

Accepted Answer

Government restrictions on speech must serve a significant governmental interest and be narrowly tailored to achieve that interest without unnecessarily restricting protected speech, in order to be considered constitutional under the First Amendment.

Question 19

Explain what available laws limit media organizations' ability to collect data from individuals and share private data without the knowledge of the individual involved.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain what available laws limit media organizations'...

Question 20

What constitutes fair use? Explain customary fair use exceptions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What constitutes fair use? Explain customary fair...

Quiz 6: Controls on Media Content Government Regulation, Self-Regulation, and Ethics