Govt. Ch. 6 & 7 Test Review
Equal Time Provision
An FCC regulation requiring broadcast media to provide equal airtime on any non-news programming to all candidates running for an office.
Prior Restraint
If the government can convince a judge that the publication of a particular story would lead to immediate harm to a person, a judge can halt publication.
Yellow Journalism
Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers using bold headlines, illustrations, and sensational stories
What are the domestic and international agendas for liberals?
⚪Domestic issues ●Government involvement in economy to protect workers, expand social services ●Advocate for poor minorities, women, consumers, and the environment ●Separation of church and state ⚪Foreign affairs ●Oppose sending American troops to influence the domestic affairs in other countries ●Support for international organizations
What are the domestic and international agendas for conservatives?
⚪Domestic issues ●Oppose social and economic engineering, such as wealth redistribution and affirmative action ●Favor light business/industry regulation, low taxes for higher earners, traditional family structures, and school prayer ⚪Foreign affairs ●Support stronger military power and spending ●Less supportive of international organizational efforts and entanglements
Social desirability bias
A tendency to give socially approved answers to questions about oneself.
What ideological group is most often reflected by major nationwide talk radio shows?
Democrats
Cross-Ownership
occurs when one firm owns different media outlets in the same area
What sample size produces an accurate representation in a survey?
1,000 to 1,500 people
Sampling Error
A calculation that describes what percentage of the people surveyed may not accurately represent the population being studied. Increasing the number of respondents lowers the sampling error.
In recent elections, from which ethnic group does the Democrats want to garner support?
Minorities
Attack Journalism
journalists focus on scandal, government failures, and politicians' personal failings.
FCC (Federal Communications Commission)
(Federal Communications Commission) regulates the television and radio industry, grants licenses to television and radio stations, and blocks monopolies.
What are the guidelines for good surveys?
-Do not imply a desired answer -Contains mutually exclusive options -Accommodates for all answer options -Measures only one aspect
What are the four criteria for democratic citizens?
1. Political knowledge - you know something 2. Ideology - you believe in something 3. Tolerance - you accept that somebody else can believe differently than you (and still be okay) 4. Participation - you vote (at the very least)
Issue Scale
A survey response format in which respondents select their answers from a range of positions between two extremes.
Ideology
A way of describing political beliefs in terms of a position on the spectrum running from liberal to moderate to conservative.
Mass Survey
A way to measure public opinion by interviewing a large sample of the population.
Latent Opinion
An opinion formed on the spot, when it is needed (as distinct from a deeply help opinion that is stable over time).
Public Opinion
Citizens' views on politics and government actions. -Explains the behavior of citizens and public officials -Helps explain policy outcomes
Horse Race Journalism
Election coverage by the mass media that focuses on which candidate is ahead rather than on national issues.
What things shape ideologies?
Family, Social Groups, Religion
Which gathers more accurate information, focus groups or large-scale surveys?
Focus groups; face-to-face always produces more accurate responses
Soft News
Media coverage that aims to entertain or shock, often through sensationalized reporting or by focusing on a candidate or politician's personality or even looks!
What are the types of polls?
Robopolls - automatic phone calls
Focus Group
Small groups of people interviewed in a group setting. Allow respondents to answer questions in their own words rather than being restricted to a few options in a survey question, they can provide deep insights into why people hold the opinions they do.
Political socialization
The process by which an individual's political opinions are shaped by other people and the surrounding culture.
Deregulation
development of new communication technologies / eliminates the "rules" or regulations about how media show operate, or how much media a single company can own.
Framing
influence on public opinion caused by the way a story is presented or covered, including the details, explanations, and context offered in the report.
Filtering
influence on public opinion that results from journalists' and editors' decision about which of many potential news stories to report
Shield Law
legislation, which exists in some states but not at the federal level, that gives reporters the right to refuse to name the sources of their information.
Hard News
media coverage focused on facts and important issues surrounding a campaign
What happens to spending as policy mood becomes more liberal?
more government spending on social services, minorities, and protecting workers
Leaking
release of classified or politically embarrassing information by a government employee to a member of the press
Mass Media
sources that provide information to average citizens on a day-to-day basis