Ch 6. Politics and the Media

How does the text refer to the White House and the departments of state and defense? A) Golden triangle B) Iron triangle C) Black triangle D) White trio E) None of the above

A) Golden Triangle

Which FCC regulation required stations to devote a "reasonable" percentage of air time to a fair discussion of public issues? A) The fairness doctrine B) The equal time rule C) The public interest rule D) The discussion rule E) None of the above

A) The fairness doctrine

Which of the following applies to today's media? A) They are concentrated in ownership despite the number of outlets. B) They include a broad number of wire services as sources of news. C) They include an expanding number of newspapers. D) They include a great number of owners for cable channels. E) None of the above

A) They are concentrated in ownership despite the number of outlets.

Radio and television stations are required by the FCC to include public service programming for what reason? A) They operate in the public interest. B) They operate daily news programs. C) The provide the daily weather broadcast. D) They operate 24 hours a day. E) None of the above

A) They operate in the public interest.

According to the text, the media does not tell the people what to think; instead, they tell the people what (and whom) to think about. a. True b. False

A) True

Cable News Network (CNN) is now an important source of information for the president of the United States. a. True b. False

A) True

Electronic journalism operates under legal restraints that do not apply to print journalism. a. True b. False

A) True

In 1984 the Federal Communications Commission decided that the "equal-time" rule does not apply to televised debates among candidates, thus allowing a station to invite some candidates and not others. a. True b. False

A) True

Some bias is probably unavoidable in reporting the news. The bias is both personal and structural according to the text. a. True b. False

A) True

According to the text, the first Amendment does not assume a ____________ press, any more than the Constitution assumes pure and ambition-free politicians. A) bias-free B) trustworthy C) Democratic D) popular E) None of the above

A)Bias Free

What do the dynamics of the media include? A) An increasing number of daily papers, but a declining number of radio and television stations B) A declining number of daily papers, but an increasing number of radio and television stations C) An increasing number of daily papers and an increasing number of radio and television stations D) A declining number of daily papers and a declining number of radio and television stations E) None of the above

B) A declining number of daily papers, but an increasing number of radio and television stations

Television news editors prefer stories that do which of the following? A) Stress contrasts in sound B) Are easily visualized C) Stress detail D) Can be learned from E) None of the above

B) Are easily visualized

Decisions by editors about which stories will be covered promote references to the media as a _______. A) vehicle B) gatekeeper C) spotlight D) mediator E) None of the above

B) Gatekeeper

Which of the following characterizes the Federal Communications Commission? A) It operates to impose more restrictions on printed media than electronic media. B) It operates to impose more restrictions on electronic media than printed media. C) It operates out of the Department of Political Communications. D) It is composed of 13 members. E) None of the above

B) It operates to impose more restrictions on electronic media than printed media.

Focusing public and governmental attention on issues of importance promote references to the media as a _______. A) gatekeeper B) spotlight C) vehicle D) mediator E) None of the above

B) Spotlight

All except which of the following statements are true in deciding what is newsworthy? A) There is much agreement among the networks on what constitutes the most newsworthy events. B) "Scoops" rarely qualify as newsworthy. C) Economics plays an important part in selecting news stories. D) A significant percentage of news stories are set in Washington, D.C. E) None of the above

B)"Scoops" rarely qualify as newsworthy.

According to the text, the media have not displaced parties to any significant extent in linking the governors and the governed. a. True b. False

B)False

Campaign reporting by the three broadcast networks tilts sharply toward which of these? A) The Senate races B) The House races C) The presidency D) Special elections E) None of the above

C) The presidency

News stories that identify "serious" contenders and "front-runners" function as which of the following? A) Vehicles B) Gatekeepers C) Spotlights D) Talent scouts E) None of the above

D) Talent scouts

Journalists are described as which of the following? A) They tend to come from the cities and suburban communities of the Northeast or the West. B) They come exclusively from Ivy League or other highly selective private institutions. C) They have generally been quite active in working for parties or candidates. D) They overwhelmingly favor Democratic or otherwise liberal candidates when they vote. E) None of the above

D) They overwhelmingly favor Democratic or otherwise liberal candidates when they vote.

The press is referred to as the ______ of government. A) First branch B) Second branch C) People's branch D) Third branch E) None of the above

E) None of the above

The media serve as gatekeepers of political knowledge. a. True b. False

a. True

Television news is not designed to be gripping and dramatic because once a viewer is tuned to a particular channel they tend to stay there. a. True b. False

b. False

The "fairness doctrine" was set up by the Federal Communications Commission to apply only during federal elections. a. True b. False

b. False

The press is often called the second branch of government. A. True B. False

b. False

The visual component of television actually plays remarkably little role in the formation of voter impressions about candidates. a. True b. False

b. False