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Chapter 14 Media Freedom, Regulation, and Ethics
Chapter 14: Media Freedom, Regulation, and
Ethics
1. The First Amendment is based on the _____________ philosophy that people cannot govern
themselves in a democracy unless they have access to the information they need for that
governance.
a. social responsibility
b. socialistic
c. libertarian
d. federalist
2. The _____________ principle is represented by the paired ideas that the free flow or trade of
ideas ensures that public discourse will allow the truth to emerge and that truth will emerge
from this public discourse because people are inherently rational and good.
a. social responsibility
b. Federalist
c. First Amendment
d. self-righting
3. When discussing the First Amendment, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black said, “No law
means no law.” He was expressing the _____________ position on the freedom of press and
speech.
a. absolutist
b. social responsibility
c. patriarchal
d. self-righting
4. The Supreme Court, in its decision in _____________, stated that the First Amendment was
“among the fundamental personal rights and ‘liberties’ protected by the due process clause of
the Fourteenth Amendment from impairment by the states.” Given that, “Congress shall make
no law” is now interpreted as “government agencies shall make no law.”
a. Valentine v. Chrestensen
b. Gitlow v. New York
c. Time, Inc. v. Hill
d. Schenck v. United States
Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-14 | 3
whole or part.
11. The guarantee to a fair trial is secured in the _____________ Amendment to the Constitution.
a. First
b. Sixth
c. Fourteenth
d. Twenty-third
12. In 1981 in _____________, the Supreme Court determined that television cameras in the
courtroom were not inherently damaging to fairness, and different states have since adopted
different standards on the issue.
a. Chandler v. Florida
b. New York Times v. Sullivan
c. Near v. Minnesota
d. the Red Lion Decision
13. The false and malicious publication of material that damages a person’s reputation (typically
applied to print media) is
a. slander.
b. libel.
c. privilege.
d. fair comment.
14. Oral or spoken defamation of a person’s character (typically applied to broadcasting) is
a. slander.
b. libel.
c. privilege.
d. fair comment.
15. Potentially libelous or slanderous expression is protected by the First Amendment if it meets
the test of all EXCEPT which of the following?
a. truth
b. privilege
c. fair comment
d. justice
16. The basis for the test of _____________ is the idea that the press cannot be deterred from
covering legislative, court, or other public activities for fear that the comments of a speaker or
witness will open it to claims of libel or slander.
a. truth
Chapter 14 Media Freedom, Regulation, and Ethics
b. privilege
c. fair comment
d. due process
17. When a media outlet distributes content with knowledge of its falsity or a reckless disregard
for the truth, it has acted with
a. prior restraint.
b. actual malice.
c. due cause.
d. lack of privilege.
18. The power of the government to prevent the publication or broadcast of expression is called
a. prior restraint.
b. actual malice.
c. due cause.
d. lack of privilege.
19. In 1957 in _____________, the Supreme Court determined that sex and obscenity were not
synonymous, a significant advance for freedom of expression. It did, however, legally affirm
for the first time that obscenity was unprotected expression.
a. Miller v. State of California
b. Near v. Minnesota
c. Roth v. United States
d. Ginzburg v. United States
20. The legal definition of obscenity was established by which important Supreme Court
decision?
a. Miller v. State of California
b. Near v. Minnesota
c. Citizens United v. FEC
d. Ginzburg v. United States
21. According to the FCC, language or material that depicts sexual or excretory activities in a way
that is offensive to contemporary community standards is
a. obscene.
b. pornographic.
c. offensive.
d. indecent.
Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-14 | 5
whole or part.
22. Legislation that expressly protects reporters’ rights to maintain sources’ confidentiality in court
is called a
a. moral agent.
b. public domain.
c. shield law.
d. prior restraint.
23. Among the regulatory requirements that disappeared during the broadcast deregulation
movement of the Reagan administration is _____________, which required broadcasters to
cover issues of public importance and to be fair in that coverage.
a. safe harbor
b. ascertainment
c. the Fairness Doctrine
d. clear and present danger
24. Among the regulatory requirements that disappeared during the broadcast deregulation
movement of the Reagan administration is _____________, which required broadcasters to
determine actively and affirmatively the nature of their audiences’ interest, convenience, and
necessity.
a. safe harbor
b. ascertainment
c. the Fairness Doctrine
d. clear and present danger
25. The FCC chairman most closely associated with the deregulation of broadcasting is
_____________, an appointee of the Reagan administration.
a. Reed Hundt
b. Edward Markey
c. Mark Fowler
d. Newton Minnow
26. Identifying and granting ownership of a given piece of expression, _____________ is
designed to protect the creator’s financial interest in that expression.
a. public domain
b. fair use
d. ascertainment
Chapter 14 Media Freedom, Regulation, and Ethics
into _____________, meaning it can be used without permission.
a. public domain
b. fair use
d. ascertainment
28. A theory that explains how media should ideally operate in a given system of social values is
_____________ theory.
a. a social scientific
b. a holistic
c. a libertarian
d. normative
29. _____________ asserts that media must remain free of government control, but in exchange
must serve the public. Its core assumptions are a cross between the libertarian principles of
freedom and the practical admissions of the need for some form of control over the media.
a. Libertarianism
b. The self-righting principle
c. Social responsibility theory
d. Normative theory
30. Rules of behavior or moral principles that guide our actions in given situations are
a. consciences.
b. ethics.
c. moral agents.
d. strictures.
31. In applying ethics, the person making the decisions is called the
a. moral compass.
b. ethical actor.
c. moral agent.
d. interested party.
32. Among the individual or group interests that often conflict in ethical dilemmas are those of the
_____________, a particular person or group that is likely to be affected by media
practitioners’ actions.
