Question 1

All of the following are important roles for the media in American democracy EXCEPT
A)helping inform the public about current political issues and events.
B)providing a forum through which candidates, politicians, and even the public can debate policies and issues.
C)enabling privately owned companies to advertise their products to the public.
D)serving as a watchdog on the actions of politicians and other political actors.

Accepted Answer

Enabling privately owned companies to advertise their products is not a role of the media in American democracy. While advertising is a significant part of media revenue, it is not a core function of the media in promoting democracy. The other options – informing the public about political events and issues, providing a forum for political debates, and serving as a watchdog on political actors – are crucial roles of the media in American democracy.

Question 2

The traditional news media aim to provide objective reporting on current events by
A)excluding the personal views of reporters or editors from their coverage.
B)including the personal views of reporters and editors in their coverage.
C)quoting only official government sources in their coverage.
D)quoting only nongovernment sources in their coverage.

Accepted Answer

The traditional news media aim to provide objective reporting on current events by excluding the personal views of reporters or editors from their coverage. This means that journalists strive to report the facts and present balanced coverage without injecting their own opinions or biases into the reporting.

Question 3

If a number of newspapers published stories exposing an elected official's acceptance of monetary bribes from a corporation in exchange for passing a particular law, it would be an example of the media serving their role as a
A)first branch.
B)first estate.
C)watchdog.
D)judge and jury.

Accepted Answer

The media serving their role as a "watchdog" refers to their responsibility to monitor and investigate government and corporate actions, and hold those in power accountable for any misconduct or unethical behavior. In this scenario, exposing an elected official's acceptance of bribes would be a prime example of the media fulfilling their watchdog role. The other options (A, B, and D) do not accurately reflect the media's function in this scenario.

Question 4

The fact that a smaller and smaller number of companies owns a larger and larger share of the American media is concerning primarily because it
A)limits the ability of all news organizations to remain profitable.
B)violates the First Amendment to the Constitution.
C)increases the risk that politicians and citizens who express less popular or minority viewpoints will have difficulty finding a public forum.
D)increases the risk of government censorship.

Accepted Answer

As the number of companies owning media outlets decreases, it becomes more difficult for diverse viewpoints to find a public forum in mainstream media. This can lead to a lack of representation for less popular or minority viewpoints, as they may not have the platform to make their voices heard. This is a significant concern for a democracy that values freedom of expression and diversity of thought.

Question 5

During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton received ________amount of media coverage as Donald Trump.
A)double the
B)half the
C)one-tenth the
D)roughly the same

Accepted Answer

The answer of During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton received...

Question 6

The media are sometimes referred to as the "fourth branch of government" because
A)they receive a number of subsidies paid for through tax revenue.
B)they could not do their job without cooperation from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
C)they are explicitly discussed in Article IV of the Constitution.
D)they provide a check on the power of government and political leaders.

Accepted Answer

The media are called the "fourth branch of government" because they provide a significant check on the power of government and political leaders. They help to ensure transparency, accountability, and oversight of the actions taken by those in power.

Question 7

Large media conglomerates, such as the Hearst, McClatchy, and Gannett corporations, own approximately ________ percent of daily newspapers.
A)25
B)40
C)55
D)75

Accepted Answer

Large media conglomerates, such as the Hearst, McClatchy, and Gannett corporations, own approximately 75 percent of daily newspapers. This consolidation of ownership has led to concerns about media monopolies and the potential impact on the diversity and quality of news content.

Question 8

Public broadcasting in the United States
A)accounts for a much larger share of the media market than in other Western democracies, such as France, Germany, and Denmark.
B)accounts for a much smaller share of the media market than in other Western democracies, such as France, Germany, and Denmark.
C)accounts for roughly the same share of the media market as in other Western democracies, such as France, Germany, and Denmark.
D)is illegal under the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

Public broadcasting in the United States accounts for a much smaller share of the media market than in other Western democracies. In the United States, public broadcasting receives a small portion of government funding and relies heavily on donations from individual viewers and corporate sponsors. In contrast, public broadcasting in other countries, such as the BBC in the UK, receives a significant portion of their funding from the government.

Question 9

Privately owned media companies in the United States earn most of their revenue from
A)advertising.
B)subscriptions.
C)government grants.
D)charitable donations.

Accepted Answer

Privately owned media companies in the United States earn most of their revenue from advertising. Subscription revenue is also an important source of income, but it typically provides less revenue than advertising. Government grants and charitable donations may be sources of revenue for some media companies, but they are not typically a primary source of income.

Question 10

The trend in concentration of traditional media ownership occurred in large part due to
A)the relaxation of government regulations in the 1980s and 1990s.
B)government regulations enacted in the 1970s that required small media companies to sell their holdings to larger corporations.
C)the Supreme Court's decision in Red Lion Broadcasting Company v.FCC.
D)the federal government's decision to end the Fairness Doctrine in 1968.

Accepted Answer

The trend in concentration of traditional media ownership occurred largely due to the relaxation of government regulations in the 1980s and 1990s, which allowed for mergers and acquisitions that created large media conglomerates. This consolidation led to fewer owners controlling a larger percentage of the media market.

Question 11

In the United States, freedom of the press is protected by
A)Article I of the Constitution.
B)the Declaration of Independence.
C)the First Amendment of the Constitution.
D)the Freedom of the Press Act of 1790.

Accepted Answer

The First Amendment of the Constitution explicitly protects the freedom of the press.

Question 12

During the last decade, the number of newspaper journalists working in the United States has
A)grown by more than 40 percent.
B)decreased by 40 percent.
C)decreased by 100 percent.
D)remained constant.

Accepted Answer

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of newspaper journalists working in the United States has decreased by about 40 percent from 2008 to 2018.

Question 13

Advertising revenue at print newspapers is currently ________ what it was in 2005.
A)roughly equal to
B)one-tenth
C)half
D)more than double

Accepted Answer

The answer of Advertising revenue at print newspapers is currently...

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of a public broadcasting organization?
A)the New York Times
B)the American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
C)the National Broadcasting Network (NBC)
D)the National Public Radio (NPR)

Accepted Answer

National Public Radio (NPR) is a public broadcasting organization that operates as a non-profit media organization providing national and local news, cultural programming, and music to over 1000 independently operated stations across the United States.

Question 15

Much of the national news published in local newspapers is provided by
A)United Press International (UPI).
B)the Associated Press.
C)USA Today.
D)National Public Radio.

Accepted Answer

The Associated Press (AP) is a non-profit news agency that provides national and international news to newspapers, broadcasters, and online news outlets. It is one of the largest and most trusted news organizations in the world, and is responsible for much of the national news content that appears in local newspapers.

Question 16

Which of the following statements best characterizes the traditional news media's relationship to objectivity?
A)Given that completely objective reporting is unattainable because people inevitably have biases that shape their understanding of events, journalists do not attempt to be objective and report only one side of a story.
B)Although completely objective reporting is unattainable because people inevitably have biases that shape their understanding of events, journalists attempt to be objective by reporting both sides of a story.
C)Journalists are trained to be objective in their reporting, so their personal biases rarely matter and their coverage of events almost always succeeds in objectively presenting both sides of a story.
D)The Federal Communications Commission requires that all journalists sign a "pledge of objectivity" before being employed at a media company.

Accepted Answer

The traditional news media's relationship to objectivity is one in which they acknowledge that completely objective reporting is unattainable due to people's inherent biases. However, journalists attempt to be objective by covering both sides of a story, presenting facts and avoiding personal opinions as much as possible. This is reflected in the ethical codes and standards that most news organizations adhere to. Option A is incorrect because it suggests that journalists do not attempt to be objective, which is not true. Option C is also incorrect because while journalists are trained to be objective, it does not mean that their personal biases rarely matter. Option D is incorrect because the Federal Communications Commission does not require journalists to sign a "pledge of objectivity."

Question 17

Public broadcasting refers to any television, radio, and digital media that
A)receives funding from the public through license fees, subsidies, or tax dollars.
B)reports extensively on government officials and political issues.
C)sells subscriptions to members of the public.
D)makes its content available to the public at no cost.

Accepted Answer

Public broadcasting refers to media that receives funding from the public through license fees, subsidies, or tax dollars. This funding model allows public broadcasting to provide content and services to the public at no cost or with reduced costs.

Question 18

Which of the following is a good example of a media monopoly?
A)the New York Times
B)ESPN
C)NPR
D)Disney

Accepted Answer

Disney is the best example of a media monopoly because it owns a large number of media properties including television networks (ABC, ESPN), film studios (Disney, Pixar, Marvel), theme parks, and various other media outlets. This gives Disney a significant amount of control over the media industry and limits competition.

Question 19

Which of the following stories would an American news outlet that relies primarily on advertising revenue be LEAST likely to cover?
A)a celebrity wedding
B)a sex scandal involving a high-ranking government official
C)an economics professor providing testimony to a congressional committee on the effect of tariffs
D)an attack advertisement from a presidential candidate that accuses her opponent of racially insensitive remarks

Accepted Answer

An economics professor providing testimony to a congressional committee on the effect of tariffs is likely to be viewed as less sensational and may not garner as high of viewership or readership as stories involving celebrities, scandals, or political attack ads. Therefore, it may not generate as much advertising revenue for the news outlet.

Question 20

Which of the following statements best characterizes media ownership in the United States?
A)Most of the country's television networks, movie studios, record companies, cable channels, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, and digital media sites are owned and operated by the federal government.
B)Most of the country's television networks, movie studios, record companies, cable channels, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, and digital media sites are owned and operated by state governments.
C)A small number of giant, privately owned corporations control most of the country's television networks, movie studios, record companies, cable channels, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, and digital media sites.
D)A large number of small, privately owned corporations control most of the country's television networks, movie studios, record companies, cable channels, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, and digital media sites.

Accepted Answer

A small number of giant, privately owned corporations such as Disney, ViacomCBS, Comcast, and AT&T control the majority of the country's television networks, movie studios, record companies, cable channels, book publishers, magazines, newspapers, and digital media sites. This phenomenon is known as media consolidation or media convergence, and it raises concerns about the diversity of voices, content, and perspectives in the media landscape.

Quiz 7: The Media

All of the following are important roles for the media in American democracy EXCEPT

The traditional news media aim to provide objective reporting on current events by

If a number of newspapers published stories exposing an elected official's acceptance of monetary bribes from a corporation in exchange for passing a particular law, it would be an example of the media serving their role as a

The fact that a smaller and smaller number of companies owns a larger and larger share of the American media is concerning primarily because it

During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton received ________amount of media coverage as Donald Trump.

The media are sometimes referred to as the "fourth branch of government" because

Large media conglomerates, such as the Hearst, McClatchy, and Gannett corporations, own approximately ________ percent of daily newspapers.

Public broadcasting in the United States

Privately owned media companies in the United States earn most of their revenue from

The trend in concentration of traditional media ownership occurred in large part due to

In the United States, freedom of the press is protected by

During the last decade, the number of newspaper journalists working in the United States has

Advertising revenue at print newspapers is currently ________ what it was in 2005.

Which of the following is an example of a public broadcasting organization?

Much of the national news published in local newspapers is provided by

Which of the following statements best characterizes the traditional news media's relationship to objectivity?

Public broadcasting refers to any television, radio, and digital media that

Which of the following is a good example of a media monopoly?

Which of the following stories would an American news outlet that relies primarily on advertising revenue be LEAST likely to cover?

Which of the following statements best characterizes media ownership in the United States?