chapter 10 exam 3

· Which ideological group (liberals or conservatives) more often claims the mainstream media to be ideologically biased against them?

Conservatives

· Why it is controversial in today's social media environment?

Critics contend that the liabilities publishers contend with lead them to take responsibility for the content they promote

· What are the main characteristics of thematic and episodic framing? Be sure to be able compare each type of frame.

Episodic: Portrays an events as a stand-alone occurrence. Leads the news consumer to react to an event in a visceral and emotional way- SPECIFIC and EMOTIONAL Thematic: Puts the event in broader context. Understands the causes of the event and perceives it relative to broader longer-term trends and patterns- BROAD

· What is Section 230?

Establishes that online platforms may not be sued for content posted by users on their site even if the platforms act like publishers

· According to the textbook, there are two main dimensions used to assess media sources. Be sure to know and understand these dimensions.

Factual reliability and ideological bias

· The market, meaning the audience, heavily influences media content. What are the two reasons listed in the textbook that help explain how the audience influences media content?

High-quality programming costs more money and organizations want to save Lack of audience demand discourages investment in high-quality programming

o How, according to the textbook, can social media provide a third democratic function?

It helps like-minded people find one another, notify each other of political events and participation opportunities, and encourage each other to take action and contribute.

· What is happening to local newspapers today and what impact is this having on the watchdog role of the media at the local level of government?

Newsroom employment in newspapers declined by 50% in the US between 2008 and 2019, which means that the ability of newspapers to act as a watchdog at the local level has diminished

· How did the Obama and the Trump administration each approach the issue?

Obama: Attempted to fortify net neutrality in 2015 Trump: Reversed that course by ending net neutrality

· The rise of the Information Revolution accompanied by the proliferation of cable news has helped create a political knowledge gap in the United States and elsewhere. How does the textbook describe this process?

People uninterested in politics know less on the topic because they can choose among many other channels to watch People interested in politics know even more because they have more sources of political news

· Be sure to know the chronological development of news media sources from oldest type to newest.

Print media-> Radio coverage -> network television-> cable television-> the internet

· In modern America, soft news sources serve an important purpose in informing people. What is that purpose, according to the textbook?

Raising awareness by sounding the alarm

· What does "freedom of the press" typically mean today?

Refers to the freedom of journalists and news media organizations to report information without fear of censorship, financial penalty, imprisonment, physical abuse, or intimation by government

· What is the "Fairness Doctrine"? Is it still in use today?

Required holders of broadcast licenses to cover controversial issues in a balanced manner. It was repealed in the 1980s.

· What is the "equal time rule"?

States that registered candidates running for office must be given equal opportunities for airtime and advertisements at non-cable television and radio stations beginning 45 days before a primary election and 60 days before a general election

· What is meant be "indecency regulations"?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has the authority to regulate obscene content like defamation

· What is meant by unmediated communication?

The ability for powerful officials to directly communicate with the public without going through traditional media filters

· Net neutrality has been an important issue in the past decade. What is net neutrality?

The idea that Internet Service Providers must treat all web traffic equally, and therefore may not be allowed to charge different rates or discriminate against different websites in any way

· How does the textbook define media?

The means of the mass communication and the people and organizations who use these channels of communication to inform the general public

Where does the term "the press" come from? HINT: It has to do with Johannes Gutenberg

The movable type printing press

o What is the "watchdog role" of the press?

The role of the press/media in investigating and alerting the public about government wrongdoings

· What is meant by "ideological bias"?

The systematic slanting of coverage in favor of one or more ideological or partisan orientation and against others

o What is the "marketplace" of ideas?

The theory that government should not suppress expression of unpopular ideas, but rather should let different viewpoints compete for social acceptance

o How do those two concepts relate to the two vital democratic functions of the free press mentioned previously?

The watchdog role helps promote a free flow of information and the marketplace of ideas allow for public commentary and debate

· Be sure to know how the Supreme Court has interpreted the freedom of the press. Has it passed judgments to limit the freedom of press at all?

They interpreted the freedom of expression as forbidding most, but not all, content-based restrictions on political expression. The freedom of press is not absolute.

· Which amendment of the U.S. Constitution and which section of the Georgia Constitution provide protections for the freedom of the press?

U.S. Constitution: First Amendment Georgia Constitution: Section 1

· Make sure to know and understand the "upside" and "downside" of unmediated communication according to the textbook.

Upside: Politicians can escape unfair negative portrayals of themselves created by biases in the media Downside: Politicians can escape scrutiny from journalists who hold them accountable for corrupt activity, incompetent governance, and/or for making false or misleading statements

· What is meant by "citizen journalism"?

Video and print news posted to the internet or social media by citizens rather than the traditional news media

What is the debate around it?

Which companies should be able to set different prices

· Make sure to understand two different ways media can mislead the public.

being bias use techniques to control the people.

When (and why), according to textbooks, do current FCC regulations allow broadcasters to show indecent programming or air profane language?

between the hours of 10pm and 6pm because most children are in bed by those hours

· What is the consequence for television and radio stations that break this equal time rule?

not sure

· Be sure to know and understand each of the following types of media effects (and how they differ from each other): Agenda setting Priming Framing

o Agenda setting: media influence what the public thinks about through covering some events and issues more than others o Priming: how we think about an issue by unconsciously bring certain considerations to the top of our head when we evaluate the issue o Framing: The media influences how we think about an issue by highlighting particular considerations or aspects of the issue

Civic Poison

o Civic Poison: The worst sources available, which should always be avoided: factually unreliable opinion, misinformation, and/or propaganda

Civic Salad

o Civic Salad: The best and healthiest political information, which should be consumed in abundance: factually reliable, ideologically diverse, but not ideologically extreme

· Make sure to know if the following tend to be liberal or conservative: o Journalists o Owners of (and shareholders) of major media organizations:

o Journalists: Liberal o Owners of (and shareholders) of major media organizations: Conservative

Left/Right-Wing Dessert

o Left/Right-Wing Dessert: Factually reliable information, but extreme right/left wing ideological content that should be consumed, if at all, in moderation

Be sure to know which of these media are regulated by either the courts, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), or both: Newspapers Television Radio Cable Satellite

o Newspapers: U.S. court system o Television: both o Radio: both o Cable: both o Satellite: Both

· What are the "two vital functions a free press and independent media play in democracy"?

promotes a free flow of information can facilitate public commentary and debate over the public interest

· According to the textbook, the mediating role of the media has always been of concern. what is "mediating role" and the two general reasons it is of concern.

to stand between powerful authorities and the people. concern: potential to either enlighten or mislead the public.