AP Gov March 2017
The trend of ownership of mass media in the United States has been toward
Greater concentration of ownership
Criticism of talk radio centers on its
Airing of extreme views, which tends to polarize politics
The Federal Communication Commission
Is insulated from political control by either the President or Congress
How can government surveillance of internet activity impact democracy?
It can have a chilling effect on speech
How does personification affect media coverage of elections?
It encourages horserace journalism which focuses on the polls, the candidates' money, and endorsements rather than the policy issues and events
Journalism that scrutinizes public and business institutions and publishes perceived misconduct is known as:
Watchdog journalism
The Telecommunications Act of 1996
Relaxed the rules governing media ownership
What do most scholars believe to be the media's greatest influence in politics?
Setting the political agenda - the list of issues that need government attention
If higher courts treat bloggers as journalists
Some fear a "wild west" atmosphere in which untrained private individuals can broadcast what they wish on line without professional organizational or legal concern about its source
The internet was started
In 1969, with support from the U.S. Department of Defense
1996 Telecommunications Act
*Eliminated the number of television stations one company could own *Was passed by Congress under the pressure by businesses *Led to megamergers in media ownership
Private ownership of both the print and broadcast media in America
*Gives the news industry in America more political freedom than any other country in the world *Makes the media more dependent on advertising revenues AND *Puts pressure on news operations to appeal to audiences
The ratings game
*Has led the media to adjust their delivery or content of the news AND *Has led the media to coordinate news and commercials to target a particular audience
The FCC
*Have 5 members *Commissioners are nominated by the President for a 5 year term *Commissioners can be removed from office only through impeachment
How did the Telecommunications Act affect media ownership in the United States?
*It eliminated the limits on the number of television stations one company can own *It placed no national limits for radio ownership *It relaxed local limits for radio ownership *It lifted regulations from regular cable systems
Which of the following is a function the mass media serves for the political system?
*Reporting the news *Setting the agenda for government action and *Influencing citizens' opinions
Which of the following general areas of mass media are subject to regulation?
*Technical Considerations *Ownership and *Content
The members of the FCC
Are appointed by the President
Most Americans would regard government ownership of the media
As an unacceptable threat to freedom that would interfere with the market place of ideas
Group leaders who follow news in specific areas and influence mass opinion indirectly through the 2 step flow of communication are called?
Attentive policy elites
Why has the broadcast media been subjected to additional regulations beyond what is applied to the print media?
Because it uses public property - the airwaves
A(n) ___________ is a political website operated by private citizens posting their own thoughts on politics and public affairs - they are updated daily
Blog
The First Amendment to the Constitution prohibits Congress from abridging freedom of the press. What kinds of media receive freedom of the press protection?
Cable Television
Available evidence seems to indicate that there are _________ among editors and owners of the major news media
Conservative leanings
In a study of presential elections from 1988 to 2004, it was discovered that:
Democratic candidates typically got more good press than Republican candidates
Private ownership of the media in the United States makes the American news industry
Dependent on advertising revenues
When media executives, news editors, and prominent reporters decide which events to report while upholding standards of careful reporting and principled journalism they are acting as:
Gatekeepers
Among the types of bureaucratic entities, the FCC is an example of a(n)
Independent regulatory commission
The overall effect of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was:
More concentration of ownership in mass media
How does information flow in a totalitarian system?
More freely in one direction - from the government to the people
When will courts uphold government censorship of the Press?
Only in very limited circumstances - example: to protect military secrets
How does private ownership of mass media affect its content and presentation?
Private ownership provides more freedom in the industry AND Private ownership provides more diversity in content and presentation AND Private ownership makes them dependent on advertising revenues
Part of the reasoning used in support of eliminating the equal opportunities rule, the reasonable access rule, and the fairness doctrine was the belief that one of the advantage of private ownership of the media is to favor one policy view over another
TRUE
What has the biggest news audience of all commercial media?
Television
__________ occurs when a magazine informs a relatively small number of group leaders who follow news in a specific area, and those leaders in turn mobilize their followers to put pressure on public officials
The Two-Step flow of communication
How does the media industry respond to the critics of concentrated ownership of the media?
The argument by the media industry is that there is still enough diversity among news sources in America
The Broadcast Media have historically given more equal treatment to political candidates than have the print media because:
The broadcast media have operated under content regulations imposed by the FCC
What is the significance of mass media in democratic governments?
The mass media has the dual capability of reflecting and shaping our political views
How did television networks' coverage on the night of the 2000 presidential election affect public opinion towards both major candidates?
The networks' unanimous declaration of George Bush's victory that night created an impression that Al Gore was defeated in the presidential election and was perceived as a challenger to the results
Why is there personification of political news?
To gain audience appeal
Why was the Federal Radio Act (1927) passed?
To impose order on the radio airwaves
In a democracy, the mass media perform the function of:
promoting communications between government and citizens
