Media- Ap Government

mass media

a mechanism of mass communication, including television, radio, internet, newspapers, magazines, books, recording, movies.

bully pulpit

a public office or position of authority that provides its occupation with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issues

media event

a speech or photo opportunity staged to give a politicians view on an issue

Near v. Minnesota 1930

allegations against city officials. federal government said they could make the allegations since parts were true.

Yellow Journalism

Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates that news to create sensations and attract readers

New York Times v. U.S

Pentagon Papers: said war wasn't in vietnam. Federal government said they could publish but the supreme court said they could since it wouldn't harm the soldiers

Halelwood v. Kulmeier

Student Newspaper: Wanted to publish pregnancy articles but school said they couldn't publish it. Federal government said the schools and the right to restrict the students papers

The media executives, news editors, and prominent reporters who decide which events to report and how to report them are known as • horse race journalists. • pack journalists. • gatekeepers. • news sophisticates. • journalistic recorders.

gatekeepers.

Woordward and Bernstein Watergate

information that the two news reporters used and the federal government ended up kicking nixon and some of his people out of the office.

watchdog

investigates leads

scorekeeper

keeps track of the winning and losing points

Compared with national television news programs, local television news programs report • less about crime and justice. • less about government and politics. • more about economic and social issues. • more about government and politics. • more initial news because they have more time.

less about government and politics.

telecommunications act of 1996

loosens restrictions ownership, resulted in mergers and concentration of ownership.

Broadcast media include • radio and television. • targeted communications. • multimedia. • cooperative-owned media. • media conglomerates.

radio and television.

Even if there is a distinct partisan trend in newspaper endorsements, the impact of such is questionable because • newspapers generally support independent candidates. • there has been a decline in newspaper readership. • most newspapers do not report on politics. • Americans trust the Internet more than newspapers. • newspapers are privately owned.

there has been a decline in newspaper readership.

Equal Time Rule

A FCC rule that if a broadcaster sells time to one candidate, it must sell equal time to other candidates.

Political Agenda

A bunch of topics under discussion by a government executive that tries to influence current or near political news/debate.

Branzburg v. hayes 1972

Any information given in privacy will not be held up in court. The person who gave the information has to tell the judge.

Which of the following is true of twentieth-century media competition in major city newspaper outlets? • Ownership was concentrated among a few individuals. • Competition decreased. • There was much turnover in ownership. • Competition remained constant. • Cost increases were driven by increased competition.

Competition decreased.

What media source claims the biggest U.S. news audience of all commercial media? • Radio • Internet • Magazine • Television • Newspaper

Television

New York Times v Sullivan 1964

case in which supreme court concluded that "actual malice" must be proven to support a finding of libel against a public figure

The rise of television as a source of political information has • decreased the average citizen's concern for material goods. • served to confuse viewers about the truth in government. • contributed little to citizens' knowledge of public affairs. • greatly increased the average citizen's knowledge of political issues. • made Americans more trusting of their government.

contributed little to citizens' knowledge of public affairs.

gatekeepers

controls what the media see's

Private ownership of the media in the United States makes the American news industry • dependent on advertising revenue • less free to cover stories that are of interest to the audience. • dependent on government subsidies. • a product of popular trends. • less concerned about ratings than media in other countries.

dependent on advertising revenue

The now-abolished ________ obligated broadcasters to discuss public issues and to provide equal coverage of all opinions on those issues. • equal time rule • fairness doctrine • equal opportunities rule • free exercise rule • reasonable access rule

fairness doctrine

horse race journalism

focuses on the winning/ standings in the polls (not the political issues)

The trend in ownership of mass media in the United States has been toward • lower profits. • greater concentration of ownership. • ownership by smaller companies. • less concentration of ownership. • fewer large media outlets.

greater concentration of ownership.

federal communications communison (FCC)

ownership and licensing restriction, stations must serve the community needs

The first newspapers in the United States were • farmers' almanacs. • published by British tabloids • partisan political organs. • literary gazettes. • official government publications.

partisan political organs.

In a democracy, the mass media perform the function of • promoting communication between government and citizens. • ensuring that government represents the will of the majority. • educating the nonvoter. • making sure people vote. • informing non-participatory citizens of their rights.

promoting communication between government and citizens.

shield laws

protects people that don't want to be known

Early regulation of broadcast media in the United States resulted from • congressional efforts to control monopolistic economic activities. • corruption in media ownership. • radio station owners seeking to impose order on the use of the airwaves. • print media owners seeking to limit the competition they would have to face • the efforts of executive branch bureaucrats to increase their power.

radio station owners seeking to impose order on the use of the airwaves.

fairness doctrine

rule requiring media stations to provide different view points for any controversial political issue

sound bite

short videos or recordings of a dramatizing story rather than explaining its meeting

Libel (printed)

talking badly about someone with wrong facts

trail ballons

tests the public reaction to policy or appointments by releasing information to the media

Content analysis of network news suggests that most coverage focuses on • governors • the president. • the House of Representatives. • the Senate. • the Supreme Court.

the president.

Officials send out _______ when they intentionally leak news to gauge the reaction of the public or other political leaders. • air memos • opinion hounds • debate whistles • trial balloons • ghost polls

trial balloons