Chapter 14 Media Freedom, Regulation, and Ethics
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Answer: a
Bloom’s level: Remember
33. The issue of _____________, an important tool of journalism, involves the ability of media
professionals to keep secret the names of people who provide them with information.
a. prior restraint
b. privacy
c. confidentiality
d. ascertainment
34. One conflict of interest issue that troublese media professionals is _____________, in which
combat reporters allow military control over their output in exchange for close access to the
troops.
a. prior restraint
b. shield laws
c. privacy
d. embedding
35. In addition to industry professional codes, many media organizations have formulated their
own institutional policies for conduct. In the case of the broadcast networks, these are
enforced by
a. Standards and Practices Departments.
b. policy books.
c. operating policies.
d. ombudsmen.
36. Many media organizations utilize _____________, practitioners internal to the company who
serve as “judges” in disputes between the public and the organization.
a. standards and practices departments
b. policy chiefs
c. operating executives
d. ombudsmen
37. Reporters acting deferentially toward news sources in order to ensure continued access is
called
a. prior restraint.
b. actual malice.
c. embedding.
d. access journalism.
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distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in
whole or part.
used for noncommercial or educational purposes.
a. public domain
b. fair use
c. licensing
d. prior permission
39. Royalty payments in the music industry are collected from users and paid to musicians by
_____________ like ASCAP and BMI.
a. ombudsmen
b. standards and practices companies
c. licensing companies
d. public domain units
40. Social responsibility theory was developed after World War II to replace _____________,
which was seen as too idealistic a standard for the operation of the U.S. media system.
a. normative theory
b. libertarianism
c. ascertainment theory
d. the self-righting principle
41. The libertarian model of press control is based on the self-righting principle.
42. Those who hold the absolutist position on the First Amendment are willing to make an
exception when it comes to control of offensive and indecent content.
43. Purely entertainment content, such as a fun summer movie, does not enjoy First Amendment
protection because it is totally commercial in its intent, and therefore, not of “the press.”
44. In the free-press-fair-trial debate, the First and Sixth Amendments conflict.
Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-14 | 9
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distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in
whole or part.
45. Slander typically applies to the false and malicious publication of material that damages a
person’s reputation.
46. NBC successfully used the traffic-cop analogy to win its argument in NBC v. United States.
47. Most media professionals favor licensing of media practioners if it will produce higher
standards of operation.
48. When media professionals are faced with ethical dilemmas, they are moral agents.
49. Democracy requires a free press.
50. The editors of The Progressive fought the government over the issue of prior restraint.
51. What is the traffic-cop analogy?
53. What are the seven assumptions of social responsibility theory?
Baran: Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, 9e TB-14 | 10
whole or part.
54. What are the three levels of ethics? Define each.
55. List and define six sets of individual or group interests that moral agents often find in conflict.
56. Why is confidentiality important in contemporary news gathering and reporting?
57. What is digital rights management? What are its elements and what problem does it hope to
resolve?
58. Explain the difference between operating policies and editorial policies.
59. List four limitations of media industry self-regulation.
60. Of all the court cases you’ve read about in this chapter, which do you find the most important
in terms of protecting media’s First Amendment rights? Explain your answer.
61. What is prior restraint? Why is it so offensive to supporters of the First Amendment? When
might its use be acceptable? Defend your answer.
62. What is the distinction between pornography, obscenity, and indecency? Which enjoy First
Chapter 14 Media Freedom, Regulation, and Ethics
Amendment protection? Which do not? Would you grant that protection to all these forms of
content, or would you restrict them all? Defend your position.
63. What is your opinion of media industry self-regulation? Do you think it is preferable—even
with its limitations—to more stringent government oversight? Do you think that different
media warrant different levels of government control, as is the case in the United States
today? Defend your answers.