Question 1

The First Amendment

Accepted Answer

A)  is silent on protection of the press. 
B)  gives detailed instructions about when press censorship is acceptable. 
C)  gives the government broad powers to regulate the press. 
D)  gives broad protection from government interference to the press. 
E)  only expresses protections related to speech. 
A)  is silent on protection of the press. 
B)  gives detailed instructions about when press censorship is acceptable. 
C)  gives the government broad powers to regulate the press. 
D)  gives broad protection from government interference to the press. 
E)  only expresses protections related to speech.

Question 2

Although the freedom of the press is highly valued in American society, there are numerous ways in which the current political system actually limits this freedom. In thinking about modern developments, such as technological advances, professional training, reliance on governmental sources, and corporate ownership, which of these, if any, have the most beneficial and most negative effects on the freedom of the press, today?

Accepted Answer

The current political system in the Unit

Question 3

Why is it a problem for democracy that fewer people are getting their news from newspapers?

Accepted Answer

A)  Newspapers offer the most comprehensive political coverage. 
B)  As newspapers are the least expensive form of news media, this means that only the wealthier part of the population is politically informed. 
C)  With the rising numbers of immigrants, newspapers have traditionally been the only bilingual source, thus shutting out more and more participants from the political process. 
D)  Newspapers have the greatest number of sources, so they have the most diverse outlook. 
E)  Newspapers are the least corporate-owned news source, so they are the least biased. 
A)  Newspapers offer the most comprehensive political coverage. 
B)  As newspapers are the least expensive form of news media, this means that only the wealthier part of the population is politically informed. 
C)  With the rising numbers of immigrants, newspapers have traditionally been the only bilingual source, thus shutting out more and more participants from the political process. 
D)  Newspapers have the greatest number of sources, so they have the most diverse outlook. 
E)  Newspapers are the least corporate-owned news source, so they are the least biased.

Question 4

_______ describes the way news outlets have been proliferating and, at the same time, become more narrowly targeted towards specific audiences.

Accepted Answer

A) Fragmentation 
B)  The blogosphere 
C)  Homogenization 
D)  Yellow journalism 
E)  Mass marketing 
A) Fragmentation 
B)  The blogosphere 
C)  Homogenization 
D)  Yellow journalism 
E)  Mass marketing

Question 5

Television networks

Accepted Answer

A)  work hard to bring in innovative and original "experts." 
B)  interview "experts" who tend to represent the current opposition party. 
C)  rarely allow reporters to communicate explicit interpretations of events. 
D)  do not even pretend to be objective in reporting political news. 
E)  are not well suited to provide dramatic coverage of events. 
A)  work hard to bring in innovative and original "experts." 
B)  interview "experts" who tend to represent the current opposition party. 
C)  rarely allow reporters to communicate explicit interpretations of events. 
D)  do not even pretend to be objective in reporting political news. 
E)  are not well suited to provide dramatic coverage of events.

Question 6

Think about recent news stories that you have seen. Briefly describe one or two of these. Do you think that they are representative of news stories, in general? Is your viewpoint consistent with that of the authors of your textbook? Moreover, what is your take on how well the media perform in facilitating democratic values? Why do you think so?

Accepted Answer

Recently, I have seen news stories about

Question 7

What news story recently attracted sustained attention by the mainstream media?

Accepted Answer

A)  Revelations about intelligence and the war in Iraq. 
B)  The so-called Downing Street memo. 
C)  Informational committee hearings on the war in Iraq. 
D)  Vice President Dick Cheney shooting a long-time friend while hunting 
E)  none of the above 
A)  Revelations about intelligence and the war in Iraq. 
B)  The so-called Downing Street memo. 
C)  Informational committee hearings on the war in Iraq. 
D)  Vice President Dick Cheney shooting a long-time friend while hunting 
E)  none of the above

Question 8

In foreign policy situations, reliance on official news sources can sometimes

Accepted Answer

A)  contribute to media propagating government statements that are false or misleading. 
B)  encourage a balanced a objective perspective in reporting. 
C)  reduce the likelihood that journalists' reporting will endanger American troops. 
D)  decrease the chances that a story could undermine delicate diplomatic negotiations. 
E)  none of the above 
A)  contribute to media propagating government statements that are false or misleading. 
B)  encourage a balanced a objective perspective in reporting. 
C)  reduce the likelihood that journalists' reporting will endanger American troops. 
D)  decrease the chances that a story could undermine delicate diplomatic negotiations. 
E)  none of the above

Question 9

There is little or no systematic evidence that

Accepted Answer

A)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more reactionary direction. 
B)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more conservative direction. 
C)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more Democratic direction. 
D)  reporters' views distort news coverage. 
E)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more Republican direction. 
A)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more reactionary direction. 
B)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more conservative direction. 
C)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more Democratic direction. 
D)  reporters' views distort news coverage. 
E)  the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more Republican direction.

Question 10

Government officials may often be able to control, to a large extent, what journalists report and how they report it.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

What type of news coverage has been increasing to the point of misinformation, especially on local news telecasts?

Accepted Answer

A) crime coverage 
B)  foreign news 
C)  political news 
D)  news from Washington, D.C. 
E)  election coverage 
A) crime coverage 
B)  foreign news 
C)  political news 
D)  news from Washington, D.C. 
E)  election coverage

Question 12

From the time of its invention, the flow of information on the Internet has been heavily regulated.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

All of the following statements about infotainment is true except which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Infotainment does a better job of informing Americans about politics than other types of news. 
B)  As a result of infotainment, the networks and the big-city dailies have lost audience. 
C)  All too often, "more entertaining" means that sensation and scandal replace consideration of domestic politics. 
D)  More entertaining also means short coverage rather than longer, more analytical coverage. 
E)  Dramatic visuals push aside stories that cannot be easily visualized. 
A)  Infotainment does a better job of informing Americans about politics than other types of news. 
B)  As a result of infotainment, the networks and the big-city dailies have lost audience. 
C)  All too often, "more entertaining" means that sensation and scandal replace consideration of domestic politics. 
D)  More entertaining also means short coverage rather than longer, more analytical coverage. 
E)  Dramatic visuals push aside stories that cannot be easily visualized.

Question 14

Study after study has shown that the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more liberal direction.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The type of coverage Woodward and Bernstein provided of the Watergate scandal is generally known as investigative journalism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The Alien and Sedition Acts were created to allow greater freedom of the press under John Adams'' administration.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

What is the dominant point of view with respect to foreign policy news?

Accepted Answer

Most news about foreign affair

Question 18

Why couldn't the U.S. government control the news coming out of Iraq in 2003, such as the number of military and civilian casualties, along with the news of the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and other prisons?

Accepted Answer

A) There were too many journalists and news organizations from around the world reporting, along with too many American soldiers and Iraqi civilians posting what they were seeing and experiencing to weblogs. 
B)  In the beginning, the U.S. government was able to control all the news coming from Iraq, but as the war grew longer, the soldiers kept writing home letters about the front, which were given to news organizations to print or air. 
C)  The official sources no longer had a united stand, so the news coming from Washington was less and less consistently controlled. 
D)  The government in Washington was less interested in controlling the news as, in general, polls showed the public was not that interested in the war; thus the government didn't control the story because it was unimportant to them. 
E)  The United States government has been able to control all of the sources of news coming from Iraq. 
A) There were too many journalists and news organizations from around the world reporting, along with too many American soldiers and Iraqi civilians posting what they were seeing and experiencing to weblogs. 
B)  In the beginning, the U.S. government was able to control all the news coming from Iraq, but as the war grew longer, the soldiers kept writing home letters about the front, which were given to news organizations to print or air. 
C)  The official sources no longer had a united stand, so the news coming from Washington was less and less consistently controlled. 
D)  The government in Washington was less interested in controlling the news as, in general, polls showed the public was not that interested in the war; thus the government didn't control the story because it was unimportant to them. 
E)  The United States government has been able to control all of the sources of news coming from Iraq.

Question 19

Americans'' trust in the news media has grown as the media have diversified.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

According to the authors of Struggle for Democracy, in politics, interesting news often comes from

Accepted Answer

A)  "snitches." 
B)  anonymous leaks. 
C)  members of Congress. 
D)  police scanners. 
E)  local reporters. 
A)  "snitches." 
B)  anonymous leaks. 
C)  members of Congress. 
D)  police scanners. 
E)  local reporters.

The First Amendment

Why is it a problem for democracy that fewer people are getting their news from newspapers?

_______ describes the way news outlets have been proliferating and, at the same time, become more narrowly targeted towards specific audiences.

Television networks

What news story recently attracted sustained attention by the mainstream media?

In foreign policy situations, reliance on official news sources can sometimes

There is little or no systematic evidence that

Government officials may often be able to control, to a large extent, what journalists report and how they report it.

What type of news coverage has been increasing to the point of misinformation, especially on local news telecasts?

From the time of its invention, the flow of information on the Internet has been heavily regulated.

All of the following statements about infotainment is true except which of the following?

Study after study has shown that the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more liberal direction.

The type of coverage Woodward and Bernstein provided of the Watergate scandal is generally known as investigative journalism.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were created to allow greater freedom of the press under John Adams'' administration.

What is the dominant point of view with respect to foreign policy news?

Why couldn't the U.S. government control the news coming out of Iraq in 2003, such as the number of military and civilian casualties, along with the news of the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and other prisons?

Americans'' trust in the news media has grown as the media have diversified.

According to the authors of Struggle for Democracy, in politics, interesting news often comes from

Democracy and American Politics

The Constitution

Federalism States and Nations

Structural Foundations of the American Government

Public Opinion

Interest Groups and Business Corporations

Social Movements

Political Parties

Participation Voting, and Elections

Congress

The President

The Executive Branch

The Courts

Freedom: the Struggle for Civil Liberties

Civil Rights: the Struggle for Political Equality

The Budget and Economic Policies

Social Safety Nets

Foreign Policy and National Defense

Filters

Exam 6: News Media

The First Amendment

Why is it a problem for democracy that fewer people are getting their news from newspapers?

_______ describes the way news outlets have been proliferating and, at the same time, become more narrowly targeted towards specific audiences.

Television networks

What news story recently attracted sustained attention by the mainstream media?

In foreign policy situations, reliance on official news sources can sometimes

There is little or no systematic evidence that

Government officials may often be able to control, to a large extent, what journalists report and how they report it.

What type of news coverage has been increasing to the point of misinformation, especially on local news telecasts?

From the time of its invention, the flow of information on the Internet has been heavily regulated.

All of the following statements about infotainment is true except which of the following?

Study after study has shown that the views of reporters distort news coverage in a more liberal direction.

The type of coverage Woodward and Bernstein provided of the Watergate scandal is generally known as investigative journalism.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were created to allow greater freedom of the press under John Adams'' administration.

What is the dominant point of view with respect to foreign policy news?

Why couldn't the U.S. government control the news coming out of Iraq in 2003, such as the number of military and civilian casualties, along with the news of the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and other prisons?

Americans'' trust in the news media has grown as the media have diversified.

According to the authors of Struggle for Democracy, in politics, interesting news often comes from

Democracy and American Politics

The Constitution

Federalism States and Nations

Structural Foundations of the American Government

Public Opinion

Interest Groups and Business Corporations

Social Movements

Political Parties

Participation Voting, and Elections

Congress

The President

The Executive Branch

The Courts

Freedom: the Struggle for Civil Liberties

Civil Rights: the Struggle for Political Equality

The Budget and Economic Policies

Social Safety Nets

Foreign Policy and National Defense

Filters