Question 1

In order to be an online citizen, an individual must have

Accepted Answer

A)  the right to vote in elections. 
B)  a college education. 
C)  experience with political participation offline. 
D)  the basic skills necessary to read a simple newspaper article. 
E)  a government-issued ID number. 
A)  the right to vote in elections. 
B)  a college education. 
C)  experience with political participation offline. 
D)  the basic skills necessary to read a simple newspaper article. 
E)  a government-issued ID number.

Question 2

The following are all concerns raised by the growing popularity of online news except

Accepted Answer

A)  a decline in investigative journalism. 
B)  a reduction in the diversity of perspectives that can potentially be heard. 
C)  a negative impact on political knowledge. 
D)  a decrease in political tolerance. 
E)  uneven quality in news content. 
A)  a decline in investigative journalism. 
B)  a reduction in the diversity of perspectives that can potentially be heard. 
C)  a negative impact on political knowledge. 
D)  a decrease in political tolerance. 
E)  uneven quality in news content.

Question 3

Which governmental regulation provides candidates for the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages?

Accepted Answer

A)  the right of rebuttal 
B)  the equal time rule 
C)  the fairness doctrine 
D)  the diversity in media doctrine 
E)  the agenda-setting provision 
A)  the right of rebuttal 
B)  the equal time rule 
C)  the fairness doctrine 
D)  the diversity in media doctrine 
E)  the agenda-setting provision

Question 4

Google News and Real Clear Politics are good examples of

Accepted Answer

A)  digital citizenship. 
B)  nonprofit journalism. 
C)  the penny press. 
D)  news aggregators. 
E)  niche journalism. 
A)  digital citizenship. 
B)  nonprofit journalism. 
C)  the penny press. 
D)  news aggregators. 
E)  niche journalism.

Question 5

Most local newspapers get their national news from

Accepted Answer

A)  local reporters. 
B)  wire services. 
C)  the Internet. 
D)  government reports, press briefings, and announcements. 
E)  interviews with politicians. 
A)  local reporters. 
B)  wire services. 
C)  the Internet. 
D)  government reports, press briefings, and announcements. 
E)  interviews with politicians.

Question 6

The press release was created

Accepted Answer

A)  during the administration of James Monroe in the 1810s. 
B)  in the early twentieth century by a public relations firm working for a railroad. 
C)  by Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. 
D)  by P. T. Barnum as a way of publicizing his circus. 
E)  by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. 
A)  during the administration of James Monroe in the 1810s. 
B)  in the early twentieth century by a public relations firm working for a railroad. 
C)  by Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. 
D)  by P. T. Barnum as a way of publicizing his circus. 
E)  by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.

Question 7

The 1996 Telecommunications Act reduced the number of mergers and consolidations in the media industry by breaking up numerous media conglomerates.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following is not a reason that Americans prefer online news?

Accepted Answer

A)  the convenience of getting the news online 
B)  the up-to-the-moment currency of the information available online 
C)  the depth of the information available online 
D)  the diversity of online viewpoints 
E)  the accuracy and objectivity of the information found online 
A)  the convenience of getting the news online 
B)  the up-to-the-moment currency of the information available online 
C)  the depth of the information available online 
D)  the diversity of online viewpoints 
E)  the accuracy and objectivity of the information found online

Question 9

When the media focus on a candidate's relative standing in the polls instead of substantive issues, they are demonstrating ______ coverage.

Accepted Answer

A)  bandwagon 
B)  horse race 
C)  momentum 
D)  lame duck 
E)  dog show 
A)  bandwagon 
B)  horse race 
C)  momentum 
D)  lame duck 
E)  dog show

Question 10

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the government and the media in the United States today?

Accepted Answer

A)  The government controls most media content through regulations and tightly controlled press briefings. 
B)  The government owns, but does not control, the major sources of media. 
C)  The government does not own but regulates the content and ownership of broadcast media. 
D)  Broadcast media are not regulated in the United States. 
E)  The government heavily regulates print media but imposes no regulations on radio and television broadcasts. 
A)  The government controls most media content through regulations and tightly controlled press briefings. 
B)  The government owns, but does not control, the major sources of media. 
C)  The government does not own but regulates the content and ownership of broadcast media. 
D)  Broadcast media are not regulated in the United States. 
E)  The government heavily regulates print media but imposes no regulations on radio and television broadcasts.

Question 11

Which statement is NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  National news reporters, as opposed to local reporters with less access, are generally more favorable toward politicians. 
B)  Most radio news is essentially a headline service. 
C)  More local news reporters than national reporters are inclined to give politicians positive coverage. 
D)  Most television news offers more headlines and sound bites than analysis. 
E)  Politicians often seek to manipulate the news by providing the media with sound bites that will dominate news coverage for at least a few days. 
A)  National news reporters, as opposed to local reporters with less access, are generally more favorable toward politicians. 
B)  Most radio news is essentially a headline service. 
C)  More local news reporters than national reporters are inclined to give politicians positive coverage. 
D)  Most television news offers more headlines and sound bites than analysis. 
E)  Politicians often seek to manipulate the news by providing the media with sound bites that will dominate news coverage for at least a few days.

Question 12

What has helped accelerate the trend toward less variety in national news in the past decade?

Accepted Answer

A)  the rise of the Internet as a major source of news reporting 
B)  the growing level of government censorship and restrictions on the media 
C)  the corporate consolidation of news media into a small number of conglomerates 
D)  the increasing popularity of AM radio talk shows 
E)  the growing popularity of newspapers as a source of news 
A)  the rise of the Internet as a major source of news reporting 
B)  the growing level of government censorship and restrictions on the media 
C)  the corporate consolidation of news media into a small number of conglomerates 
D)  the increasing popularity of AM radio talk shows 
E)  the growing popularity of newspapers as a source of news

Question 13

Most journalists describe themselves as conservative

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Which of the following is not a reason why a free media is necessary to democratic government?

Accepted Answer

A)  A free media is needed to investigate wrongdoing on the part of government officials. 
B)  A free media is needed to publicize and explain governmental actions. 
C)  A free media is needed to evaluate the performance of politicians. 
D)  A free media is needed to shed light on matters that may otherwise be known only to a small number of government insiders with technical knowledge. 
E)  A free media is needed to ensure economic equality. 
A)  A free media is needed to investigate wrongdoing on the part of government officials. 
B)  A free media is needed to publicize and explain governmental actions. 
C)  A free media is needed to evaluate the performance of politicians. 
D)  A free media is needed to shed light on matters that may otherwise be known only to a small number of government insiders with technical knowledge. 
E)  A free media is needed to ensure economic equality.

Question 15

Which of the following is regulated by the federal government?

Accepted Answer

A)  newspapers 
B)  television 
C)  magazines 
D)  the Internet 
E)  satellite radio 
A)  newspapers 
B)  television 
C)  magazines 
D)  the Internet 
E)  satellite radio

Question 16

What percentage of radio stations in the United States are devoted to talk, news, or public affairs?

Accepted Answer

A)  2 percent 
B)  20 percent 
C)  33 percent 
D)  50 percent 
E)  80 percent 
A)  2 percent 
B)  20 percent 
C)  33 percent 
D)  50 percent 
E)  80 percent

Question 17

During the nineteenth century, newspapers were controlled by

Accepted Answer

A)  Wall Street. 
B)  political parties. 
C)  churches and other religious groups. 
D)  state governments. 
E)  the federal government. 
A)  Wall Street. 
B)  political parties. 
C)  churches and other religious groups. 
D)  state governments. 
E)  the federal government.

Question 18

Since the 1980s, the ownership of news media has expanded and fallen into many different hands.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

The Valerie Plame affair is important because it illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  how prominent political figures inevitably fail to influence media coverage on important events. 
B)  how selection bias is much less important than ideological bias in understanding media coverage. 
C)  how the preferences of better educated and more affluent segments of the audience have little influence over the content of media coverage. 
D)  the declining homogenization of national news since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. 
E)  how prominent political figures can manipulate news coverage and secure the publication of stories that serve their purposes through leaking information to journalists. 
A)  how prominent political figures inevitably fail to influence media coverage on important events. 
B)  how selection bias is much less important than ideological bias in understanding media coverage. 
C)  how the preferences of better educated and more affluent segments of the audience have little influence over the content of media coverage. 
D)  the declining homogenization of national news since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. 
E)  how prominent political figures can manipulate news coverage and secure the publication of stories that serve their purposes through leaking information to journalists.

Question 20

The proliferation of news sources in recent years has

Accepted Answer

A)  discouraged polarization because people can now access a wider array of viewpoints than before. 
B)  encouraged polarization because many media outlets seek to position themselves within a discrete ideological or partisan niche rather than maintain a middle-of-the-road stance. 
C)  discouraged polarization because it has eliminated selection bias by journalists. 
D)  encouraged polarization because it has led to the death of adversarial journalism. 
E)  had no effect whatsoever on polarization because most Americans are not influenced by media coverage. 
A)  discouraged polarization because people can now access a wider array of viewpoints than before. 
B)  encouraged polarization because many media outlets seek to position themselves within a discrete ideological or partisan niche rather than maintain a middle-of-the-road stance. 
C)  discouraged polarization because it has eliminated selection bias by journalists. 
D)  encouraged polarization because it has led to the death of adversarial journalism. 
E)  had no effect whatsoever on polarization because most Americans are not influenced by media coverage.

Exam 7: The Media

In order to be an online citizen, an individual must have

The following are all concerns raised by the growing popularity of online news except

Which governmental regulation provides candidates for the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages?

Google News and Real Clear Politics are good examples of

Most local newspapers get their national news from

The press release was created

The 1996 Telecommunications Act reduced the number of mergers and consolidations in the media industry by breaking up numerous media conglomerates.

Which of the following is not a reason that Americans prefer online news?

When the media focus on a candidate's relative standing in the polls instead of substantive issues, they are demonstrating ______ coverage.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the government and the media in the United States today?

Which statement is NOT correct?

What has helped accelerate the trend toward less variety in national news in the past decade?

Most journalists describe themselves as conservative

Which of the following is not a reason why a free media is necessary to democratic government?

Which of the following is regulated by the federal government?

What percentage of radio stations in the United States are devoted to talk, news, or public affairs?

During the nineteenth century, newspapers were controlled by

Since the 1980s, the ownership of news media has expanded and fallen into many different hands.

The Valerie Plame affair is important because it illustrates

The proliferation of news sources in recent years has

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