Question 1

The late cofounder and CEO of Apple was the largest single stockholder in which major media company?

Accepted Answer

Steve Jobs was the largest single stockholder in Disney, with a 7.7% stake, worth an estimated $4.6 billion at the time of his death. This was due to Disney's acquisition of Pixar, which Jobs had cofounded, and in exchange, he received Disney shares.

Question 2

Time Warner no longer owns the Time family of magazines.Who does?

Accepted Answer

Meredith Corp. acquired the Time family of magazines from Time Warner in 2018.

Question 3

Radio stations started carrying national news beginning from which of the following decades?

Accepted Answer

Radio stations began carrying national news in the 1930s, specifically after the establishment of the first radio news network, NBC, in 1933. Prior to this, radio programming consisted mainly of music, entertainment, and local news.

Question 4

Alphabet is the parent company of ______.

Accepted Answer

Alphabet is the parent company of Google.

Question 5

According to media scholar and critic Ben Bagdikian,in 2004 approximately ______ corporations owned a majority of media outlets in the United States.

Accepted Answer

In 2004, Ben Bagdikian highlighted the concentration of media ownership in the United States, noting that around 5 large corporations owned a majority of media outlets, illustrating the significant consolidation in the media industry.

Question 6

The majority of the cable television music video channels are owned by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Viacom owns several cable television music video channels, including MTV, VH1, and CMT. Time Warner owns a variety of television networks and channels, but does not specialize in music video channels. Bertelsmann is a German multinational conglomerate that, while it is involved in the media industry, does not own any major music video channels. News Corporation, now known as Fox Corporation, does own various television networks and channels, but its focus is mainly news and sports programming rather than music videos.

Question 7

Which media company publishes local newspapers in the United States with a daily print circulation of 5 million and a monthly digital circulation of 43 million?

Accepted Answer

Gannett Corporation is one of the largest media companies in the United States, with newspapers such as USA Today, The Detroit Free Press, and The Arizona Republic among its holdings. With a daily print circulation of 5 million and a monthly digital circulation of 43 million, Gannett Corporation matches the given criteria. Google and YouTube are not primarily publishers of newspapers, and Clear Channel Communications is focused on radio and advertising, making A) the best choice.

Question 8

______ is one of the leading online media companies in the world.

Accepted Answer

Alphabet/Google is considered one of the leading online media companies in the world, with its products and services ranging from search engine optimization to online advertising to cloud computing.

Question 9

______ has raised the question of whether bigger really is better by becoming smaller and more profitable spinning off its major online service and its residential cable television provider division.

Accepted Answer

Time Warner has recently spun off its major online service (AOL) and its residential cable television provider division (Time Warner Cable), becoming a smaller and more profitable company. This move raises the question of whether the company's previous large size was necessary or beneficial.

Question 10

Vertical integration is which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Vertical integration refers to a company owning or controlling different stages of the production and distribution process of a product or service. Therefore, controlling the media product from production to delivery is the best choice that describes vertical integration. The other options (controlling the distribution of media, controlling the direction of media broadcast, controlling access to media) do not fully encompass the concept of vertical integration.

Question 11

______ is selling much of its entertainment properties to Disney.

Accepted Answer

In December 2017, 21st Century Fox announced that it would be selling most of its entertainment properties, including its film and television studios, cable networks, and international ventures, to the Walt Disney Company. The deal was finalized in March 2019.

Question 12

The biggest problem Disney Corporation faces in China is which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The biggest problem that Disney Corporation faces in China is media content piracy. The Chinese market is notorious for its large-scale piracy, and this has been a significant problem for the company, which relies on intellectual property rights to make a profit. However, Disney has been trying to combat piracy through various means, such as partnering with local production companies and investing in streaming platforms.

Question 13

21st Century Fox generally provides which of the following?

Accepted Answer

21st Century Fox is a media conglomerate that focuses on producing and distributing popular television programming that will attract large, profitable audiences. They do not have a specific political leaning and do not primarily air reruns of programs produced by other major media companies.

Question 14

______ is the largest publisher in the English language.

Accepted Answer

Bertelsmann is one of the largest media companies in the world and is known for its extensive publishing operations, including Penguin Random House, which is the largest publisher in the English language.

Question 15

In 2014,the following company changed its name to iHeartMedia:

Accepted Answer

In 2014, Clear Channel Communications changed its name to iHeartMedia.

Question 16

What company owns NBCUniversal?

Accepted Answer

Comcast owns NBCUniversal.

Question 17

The media in the United States are typically owned by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The majority of media outlets, including newspapers, television networks, and radio stations, in the United States are privately owned by corporations and individuals for-profit purposes. This means that their primary objective is to make money, rather than to serve the public interest. While there are some exceptions, such as public broadcasting, most media in the US are not owned or controlled by the government, public cooperatives, or charitable foundations.

Question 18

______ is where a media company uses its combined properties to promote each other and add value to the company.

Accepted Answer

Synergy refers to the combined effect produced by multiple parts of a media company working together and using their respective strengths to create a greater overall impact. This can include cross-promotion of properties, shared branding, and coordinated marketing efforts. By leveraging synergies, media companies can achieve economies of scale and strengthen their market positions, ultimately increasing their overall value.

Question 19

Which of the following is a way that Facebook makes money from its users/subscribers?

Accepted Answer

Facebook collects user data from their activities on the site, such as games and quizzes, and sells that data to corporate partners for targeted advertising. This is one of the primary ways Facebook generates revenue. A and B are incorrect, as Facebook does not charge a monthly fee or sell their mobile app for a fee. D is incorrect as Facebook is a publicly traded company and generates revenue through various means.

Question 20

According to media scholar and critic Ben Bagdikian,in 1983 approximately ______ corporations owned a majority of media outlets in the United States.

Accepted Answer

In 1983, Ben Bagdikian highlighted that around 50 corporations owned the majority of media outlets in the United States, pointing to the concentration of media ownership.

Quiz 3: The Media Business: Consolidation, Globalization, and the Long Tail