Introduction to American Politics Chapter 7 The Media

The media are systematically biased toward one ideology.

False

Sort the following into examples of filtering or framing.

- Filtering: -- newspapers deciding to publish leaked NSA documents -- a television station stops airing pieces about Iraq now that most American troops have withdrawn -Framing: -- a report focuses on recent grisly murders in a city even though overall crime is down

Match the news source to the ideological group that tends to prefer it.

- Liberal: -- MSNBC -- NPR - Conservative: -- Fox News

Identify whether the characteristic of media coverage is the result of audience pressure or other pressures.

- other journalistic pressures: -- journalists protecting identity of sources - result of audience pressure: -- newspapers putting content online -- reporters exaggerating importance of a story

Which of the following is an example of media concentration?

Clear Channel owning multiple FM radio stations in the same city

Choose all of the following headlines that are examples of horse race election coverage.

Correct: - "Race Tightens as Jones's Lead Over Smith Narrows" - "Allegations of Misconduct Eroding Candidate Jones's Lead in Polls" Incorrect: - "Candidate Jones Accused of Sexually Harassing Former Employees" - "Candidate Smith Says Global Warming is Greatest Threat to Country"

Choose all of the reasons a news outlet might strongly consider not publishing a potential story.

Correct: - Doing so might endanger a valuable source. - The story contains important national security secrets. Incorrect: - The story is likely to be very controversial. - The story is likely to be very popular with readers and viewers.

Why might a reporter prefer to write a horse race story about the election?

Correct: - It attracts a wide audience. - It is straightforward to write. - It can be easily updated. Incorrect: - It has important implications for the electoral outcome.

How has the Internet influenced the way reporters cover the government?

Correct: - It has increased competition among reporters to find interesting stories. - It has increased the demand for new stories. Incorrect: - It has decreased the resources reporters have to draw on. - It has reduced the incentive to put out new stories.

How has the Internet changed the media landscape?

Correct: - It has increased the average American's access to political news. - It has created opportunities for two-way interactions between citizens and reporters. Incorrect: - It has increased the budgets available to traditional TV and radio news stations. - It has increased newspaper and magazine readership.

In which ways has the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) changed its approach to regulation over its history?

Correct: - Restrictions on media ownership have been relaxed. Incorrect: - The FCC was eliminated in the 1930s. - Media outlets no longer need to maintain the equal time provision. - The FCC is allowed to regulate only wireless communication companies now.

Choose all of the following statements about media bias that are accurate.

Correct: - Some journalists or commentators take an ideological or a partisan perspective. Incorrect: - The media are systematically biased against liberals. - All journalists and commentators avoid taking ideological or partisan positions. - The media are systematically biased against conservatives.

Which of the following are reasons for why the rise of the Internet has not led to a better-informed citizenry?

Correct: - The Internet only makes the information available; people still need to actively seek it out. - People do not consult a wide range of sources. Incorrect: - Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit have distracted people from learning about politics. - The Internet does not have any reputable news.

Choose all of the reasons that news organizations filter and frame.

Correct: - They are trying to attract as large an audience as possible. - They are trying to make stories simple. Incorrect: - They are trying to persuade readers to feel a certain way. - They are trying to convert people to a particular ideology.

When reporters write horse race stories, which aspects of the election are they failing to cover?

Correct: - an analysis of how a candidate is likely to behave in office - a description of the candidate's campaign promises Incorrect: - a prediction about which candidate is likely to win the race - which candidate is ahead in the polls today

In which of the following situations is a government official giving a reporter information on background?

Correct: - anonymously releasing future campaign stops Incorrect: - giving an interview about a campaign that will be shown on 60 Minutes - posting a campaign advertisement to YouTube - holding a press conference to announce a campaign

What reasons might make a reporter hesitant to report a story?

Correct: - concerns about maintaining good relationships with sources - concerns about jeopardizing national security - concerns about the event being staged to generate good coverage Incorrect: - concerns about a competitor releasing a story with a different point of view

When politicians fight over calling a bill "health care reform" or "health care rationing," or advocates argue for calling their side "pro-choice" or "pro-life," what are they trying to shape?

Correct: - how the media frame the issue Incorrect: - the public's ability to use certain criteria when considering the issue - the media's willingness to report about the issue

Which of the following are examples of the by-product theory of information?

Correct: - learning about a scandal because it is trending on Twitter or Facebook - learning about an election from watching The Daily Show Incorrect: - learning about an election by searching for it on Politico - learning about a scandal from watching NewsHour

The Federal Communications Commission was developed to serve which of the following functions?

Correct: - regulate broadcast content - promote competition in the broadcast industry Incorrect: - censor news that the government did not released - increase the political knowledge of American citizens

Which of the following stories can be considered attack journalism?

Correct: - reporting on congressional misconduct and scandals - describing a bureaucratic agency's failures to regulate an industry - investigating a senator suspected of having an affair Incorrect: - covering the latest results from a presidential race - identifying potential candidates for the presidential primary

Which characteristics distinguish yellow journalism?

Correct: - sensational stories - bold headlines Incorrect: - complete coverage of events - accuracy - impartiality

The following chart tracks the number of media stories on mass shootings between December 2012 and December 2013, highlighting particular mass shootings and incidences of gun violence. Over time, which media effect is best demonstrated?

Filtering

When the media do not report on a particular idea, which form of influence are they exercising?

Filtering

What is the single biggest explanation for why the American media's coverage of politics emphasizes attack journalism and soft news?

Soft News and attack journalism attract larger audiences than hard news.

__________ states have shield laws; however, __________ not a shield law at the federal level.

Some; is not

According to the by-product theory, most Americans acquire political information __________.

Unintentionally

Which of the following statements about information on background is correct?

When a reporter get information on background, she can use the information but not identify its source

What is a shield law?

a law that allows reporters to refuse to name their sources

The graphic shows all of News Corp/21st Century Fox's media holdings. With its vast array of holdings, News Corp is a classic example of a media __________.

conglomerate

If a TV station allows a state's Republican gubernatorial candidate to appear on a talk show, but refuses to allow the Democratic candidate a similar opportunity, the TV station is guilty of violating the

equal time provision

New politicians often grant access in an attempt to control the media. These attempts often __________ because reporters have incentives to get sensational material.

fail

Which media effect best describes stories that presented Democratic victories in special elections as an example of Democrats gaining the momentum in the run up to the 2018 elections?

filtering

Match the source of media power to its influence on public opinion.

filtering: - what issues Americans think about framing: - what opinions Americans hold on issues