Federal Gov. Ch. 6 Review Questions
If a cable news channel decides to report on a senator's financial indiscretions rather than report on a piece of congressional legislation that failed to pass, that news channel is practicing which of the following?
Agenda setting
According to Gallup Poll data, about half of Americans feel that the news media have what type of bias?
Liberal
Available evidence seems to indicate that most journalists and reporters have which of the following?
Liberal leanings
Which of the following is the most commonly used source for news in America?
Local news shows on television
Forms of communication, including radio and television, that have a broad reach to many people are known as which of the following?
Media
Newspapers owned by publicly traded chains are more likely to do which of the following?
Resort to negative or positive spin on the news
Which of the following terms describes when the president influences policy by appealing directly to the American people through mass media?
Going public
A story that contains no policy content and is not related to the day's events but that commonly discusses popular personalities and is designed to draw greater viewer interest is called which of the following?
Infotainment
Over time, what has happened to the concentration of media ownership due to decreased regulation and oversight?
It is has grown.
Which of the following is a potential problem with concentrated media ownership?
It may result in a limited watchdog function.
When journalists consider it their job to be critical of politicians, searching for inaccuracies in fact and weaknesses in argument, this is called which of the following?
Watchdog journalism
In what ways do social networking, blogging, and the Internet play a role in politics today?
Politicians at all levels of government office have placed importance on having a web presence.
Edward R. Murrow earned his fame via which of the following as he broadcast news of German air raids on London during World War II?
Radio
The main focus of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was to do which of the following?
Relax the rules governing media ownership
When the media uncovers public wrongdoing and brings that wrongdoing to the public's attention, it is engaged in which role of the media?
Serving as a "watchdog"
The power of the media to determine what the government ought to do is referred as which of the following?
Setting the public agenda
Which of the following countries heavily censors Internet news and search engines?
China
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has allowed which of the following?
Companies to own more media outlets
Radio, television, wire, and cable are regulated by which of the following?
The Federal Communications Commission
A single corporation can offer television, phone, and Internet services due to which of the following?
The Telecommunications Act of 1996
Which of the following statements about the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is most accurate?
The government established the FCC to distribute and regulate the radio, television, and wireless frequencies.
Microphones and cameras were banned from congressional chambers until which of the following years when the House permitted live coverage?
1979
When the media regularly focus public attention on violent crime, political corruption, or economic woes, they are engaged in which of the following?
Agenda setting
Which of the following may exist among journalists that possibly could affect campaign coverage in congressional elections?
Anti-incumbent bias
Group leaders who follow news in specific areas are called what type of policy elites?
Attentive
Which of the following best describes concerns about concentrated media ownership?
Concentration could lead to a decline in the democratic debate, and media owners might steer the national agenda.
Private ownership of the media in the United States makes American news which of the following?
Dependent on advertising revenues
In 1934, Congress created which of the following to regulate mass media and the distribution of information?
Federal Communications Commission
Which of the following amendments to the Constitution protects the freedom of the press?
First Amendment
Election coverage that focuses on the competition between the candidates is called which of the following?
Horse race journalism
Which of the following refers to news sources such as newspapers, television, and radio that provide a large audience with information about the nation and the world?
Mass media
Which of the following describes a producer or editor who exercises direct control over new content?
Neutrality agent
In response to financial stress, some have suggested that newspapers operate as which of the following, so they can be funded through endowments and donations?
Nonprofits
Representatives of the mass media frequently defend the importance of freedom of the press, even if it comes at the expense of which of the following?
Order
Which of the following statements best describes the principle of net neutrality?
Online information should not be restricted by internet service providers.
The amount of information online is so vast that most people rely on which of the following to help them determine which news is real and important?
The mainstream media
Which of the following statements is most accurate?
The media in the United States have played an important role in advancing equality.
Issues that are perceived by the political community as meriting public attention and governmental action are known as which of the following?
The public agenda
While most of the mass media in the United States are privately owned, which of the following is also correct?
They do not operate free of government regulation.