Government 170 Chapters 5 and 6

The power of the media to draw public attention to particular issues and problems is called ________. agenda setting polling framing canvassing the bandwagon effect

agenda setting

The difference between a political value and a political attitude is that values are liberal while attitudes are conservative. conservative while attitudes are liberal. specific preferences while attitudes are basic principles. basic principles while attitudes are specific preferences. held for a short term while attitudes are held for a long term.

basic principles while attitudes are specific preferences.

The term public opinion is used to describe political debates that take place between citizens in public settings. beliefs and attitudes toward different issues, events, and people. the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions. the president's collected speeches and writings during his or her term in office. the analysis of events broadcasted by reporters during the evening news.

beliefs and attitudes toward different issues, events, and people.

The proliferation of news sources in recent years has encouraged polarization because it has led to the death of adversarial journalism. 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. discouraged polarization because people can now access a wider array of viewpoints than before. had no effect whatsoever on polarization because most Americans are not influenced by media coverage. discouraged polarization because it has eliminated selection bias by journalists.

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.

The fact that Americans strongly support the idea that governmental interference with individuals' lives and properties should be kept to a minimum illustrates their commitment to ________. socialism liberty anarchy equality democracy

liberty

Most local newspapers get their national news from ________. the Internet wire services interviews with politicians local reporters government reports, press briefings, and announcements

wire services

Despite its widespread availability,________typically provide(s) the least depth of news coverage. radio newspapers magazines television the Internet

television

Which of the following is regulated by the federal government? magazines television newspapers the Internet satellite radio

televison

The ________ regulates broadcast media. Public Broadcast System Federal Communications Commission Department of Commerce Voice of America Federal Bureau of Investigation

Federal Communications Commission

Which of the following best characterizes the Clinton administration's attempts to influence public opinion? Clinton administration officials made no attempts to influence public support for White House initiatives. Despite the advice of some of his supporters, Clinton refused to establish a political "war room" to plan his administration's public relations efforts. Clinton administration officials almost never communicated with representatives from the departments of the executive branch about how to coordinate the president's public relations efforts. Clinton administration officials used techniques similar to those used in election campaigns to bolster popular enthusiasm for White House initiatives. Clinton refused to employ any political consultants or pollsters in his administration.

Clinton administration officials used techniques similar to those used in election campaigns to bolster popular enthusiasm for White House initiatives.

Which of the following statements is true with regard to Latino Americans? Second- and third-generation Latino Americans are more likely to consume Spanish-language news than first-generation Latino Americans. First-generation Spanish-speaking immigrants do not share a group affinity. Immigration policy is not very important to Latino Americans. Latino Americans are more likely than African Americans to perceive that America is a racist society. Latino Americans are less likely than African Americans to perceive that America is a racist society.

Latino Americans are less likely than African Americans to perceive that America is a racist society.

Why do radio stations repeat the news so often throughout the day? There is not enough news to fill an entire day's worth of programming. In order for radio news to sink in, people need to hear stories more than once. Radio news normally provides more headlines than in-depth coverage since it comes directly from the television script. The owners of radio stations are legally allowed to devote only a limited amount of time to political stories. The audience is constantly changing since most people listen to the radio in their cars.

The audience is constantly changing since most people listen to the radio in their cars.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the government and the media in the United States today? The government does not own but regulates the content and ownership of broadcast media. The government controls most media content through regulations and tightly controlled press briefings. The government heavily regulates print media but imposes no regulations on radio and television broadcasts. Broadcast media are not regulated in the United States. The government owns, but does not control, the major sources of media.

The government does not own but regulates the content and ownership of broadcast media.

What is one of the main differences between those who have gone to college and those who have not? Those with a college education are less likely to believe that women and men should have equal roles. There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education. Those with a college education are more likely to believe that the United States should not concern itself with other nations' problems. There is a lower level of political participation among those with a college education. Those with a college education are more likely to believe that abortion should never be allowed.

There is a higher level of political participation among those with a college education.

The Fairness Doctrine required that all network news reports be balanced and fair-minded or they would be labeled editorials. broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints. all regulated newspapers establish a section of the editorial page for letters from readers. all broadcasters provide candidates for the same political office with equal opportunities to communicate their messages to the public. all radio stations present at least five minutes of news an hour.

broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints.

Which group has had great popularity on radio talk shows? socialists liberals communists racial and ethnic minorities conservatives

conservatives

Opposition to legalized abortion is a position most likely supported by ________ while support for legalized abortion is a position most likely supported by ________. libertarians; liberals conservatives; liberals liberals; libertarians libertarians; conservatives liberals; conservatives

conservatives; liberals

The social desirability effect refers to the bias in surveys that comes from the repeated failure of pollsters to interview respondents who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. fact that respondents report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable rather than what they actually believe or know to be true. impression conveyed by polls that something is important to the public when actually it is not. tendency for people to shift their electoral support to the candidate whom public-opinion polls report as the front-runner. strong desire that people have to express their opinions to survey researchers.

fact that respondents report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear or whatever they think is socially acceptable rather than what they actually believe or know to be true.

The fact that journalists referred to the Obama administration's health care initiative as "reform" instead of as "health care rationing" is an example of the media's power of ________. sound bites news enclaves adversarial journalism agenda setting framing

framing

Besides their ideological biases, journalists also exhibit selection biases in favor of news stories they view as having a great deal of dramatic or entertainment value. important for the purpose of public awareness. favorable to leaders and issues they support. sympathetic to the government as a whole. critical of leaders and issues they oppose.

having a great deal of dramatic or entertainment value.

The media can set the political agenda in the United States by endorsing a particular political candidate. identifying an issue as a problem that must be solved. maintaining a strictly nonpartisan approach to news reporting. refusing to follow government regulations regarding the content of news broadcasts. accepting advertising only from businesses that are identified as being ideologically "correct."

identifying an issue as a problem that must be solved.

The belief that government is a wasteful and dangerous institution and should be limited to as few activities as possible is an example of a political ________. culture truism ideology value interest

ideology

Which of the following terms describe America's fundamental political values? Republican and Democrat independent and moderate internationalist and isolationist liberal and conservative liberty, equality of opportunity, and democracy

liberty, equality of opportunity, and democracy

Niche journalism refers to news reporting targeted for a demographic of readers based on content or ideological presentation. journalism that is highly critical of government officials and the status quo. any political reporting that can only be found offline. journalism that is uncritical of government officials and the status quo. any political reporting that can only be found online.

news reporting targeted for a demographic of readers based on content or ideological presentation

The fact that Democratic Party leaders have become more liberal and Republican Party leaders more conservative is important because partisans in the public no longer rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. it has made the gender gap much smaller. partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues. Republicans have become less hawkish over time. Democrats have become more hawkish

partisans in the public tend to rely on party leaders for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues.

The complex set of beliefs and values that, as a whole, form a general philosophy about the government is called ________. public opinion political efficacy political socialization political sophistication political ideology

political ideology

The process by which underlying political values are formed is known as ________. attitudinal evolution value enhancing ideological education brainwashing political socialization

political socialization

If a radio station aired a personal attack against a candidate but refused to allow the same candidate the opportunity to respond to that attack on its station, the station would be violating the ________. Telecommunications Act of 1996 Communications Decency Act right of rebuttal equal time rule Fairness Doctrine

right of rebuttal

The small group selected by pollsters to represent the entire population is called the ________. quota validity quotient reliability quotient hypothesis sample

sample

The concept of a marketplace of ideas refers to the use of opinion pollsters who market a politician's speeches, ideas, and votes. the elimination of government regulations on broadcast media such as radio and television. the competition between varying opinions and ideas that are aired in public forums. the explosion of information brought on by the Internet and other advances in electronic communication. important changes in copyright and patent laws that have restricted Americans' access to free information.

the competition between varying opinions and ideas that are aired in public forums.