Answer: b
Test Bank Item Title: TB_Q9.1.27
Topic: The Influence of the Media on Politics
Learning Objective: LO 9.1: Describe changes in the nature and extent of the
political influence of the various news media.
Page Reference: 271
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
28. When politicians try to influence the “spin” the media give to their actions or
issues, they engage in which of these?
a. issue control
b. issue framing
c. media control
d. issue politicizing
Topic: The Media and Public Opinion
Learning Objective: LO 9.3: Evaluate the media’s influence on public opinion
and attention.
Page Reference: 280
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Easy
29. When individuals perceive only what they want to in the media, it is known as
__________.
a. political association
b. political bias
c. selective perception
d. biased perception
Topic: The Media and Public Opinion
Learning Objective: LO 9.3: Evaluate the media’s influence on public opinion
and attention.
Page Reference: 281
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
30. The greatest amount of news coverage during political campaigns occurs in which
type of race?
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a. state legislative
b. governor
c. presidential
d. congressional
Topic: The Media and Elections
Learning Objective: LO 9.4: Describe the media’s role in elections and the
associated problems and benefits.
Page Reference: 283
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
31. What impact did wire services have on the content of news?
a. They led to greater sensationalism in news coverage.
b. They led to greater emphasis on local news.
c. They further strengthened the trend toward objectivity.
d. They led to a decrease in coverage of elections.
Topic: The Changing Role of the U.S. News Media
Learning Objective: LO 9.2: Trace the evolution of the news media over the
course of U.S. history.
Page Reference: 274
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
32. Many political and campaign events do not receive attention from the media
because news outlets do not consider them to be __________.
a. framed
b. newsworthy
c. opportunistic
d. transparent
Topic: The Media and Elections
Learning Objective: LO 9.4: Describe the media’s role in elections and the
associated problems and benefits.
Page Reference: 284
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
284
Difficulty Level: Moderate
33. Because of 24/7 news cycles and on-the-spot reporting, many citizens feel their
elected leaders should make decisions in what manner?
a. intelligently
b. deliberately
c. instantly
d. collaboratively
Topic: The Media and Governance
Learning Objective: LO 9.5: Assess the media’s relationship to governance in
the United States.
Page Reference: 288
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
34. George W. Bush’s decision to embed reporters in the Iraq War was an example of
an elected official __________ the news coverage.
a. manipulating
b. exposing
c. clarifying
d. repudiating
Topic: The Media and Governance
Learning Objective: LO 9.5: Assess the media’s relationship to governance in
the United States.
Page Reference: 288
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
35. Unlike the Supreme Court or the president, what kind of news coverage is
Congress likely to receive?
a. sporadic
b. positive
c. negative
d. balanced
285
Topic: The Media and Governance
Learning Objective: LO 9.5: Assess the media’s relationship to governance in
the United States.
Page Reference: 289
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
36. A minority reporter would be most likely to work at which of the following
outlets?
a. a local television station
b. a local newspaper
c. a national newspaper
d. a radio station
Topic: The Changing Role of the U.S. News Media
Learning Objective: LO 9.2: Trace the evolution of the news media over the
course of U.S. history.
Page Reference: 276
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
37. Newsweek, CNN, Fox News, the New York Times, National Public Radio, and the
Daily Dish blog are all examples of what?
a. biased media
b. objective media
c. mass media
d. self-regulation
Topic: The Influence of the Media on Politics
Learning Objective: LO 9.1: Describe changes in the nature and extent of the
political influence of the various news media.
Page Reference: 266
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
38. Media outlets that tell people what is happening in the world, regardless of the
level of entertainment, are known as __________.
a. infotainment
b. objective journalism
286
c. news media
d. subjective journalism
Topic: The Influence of the Media on Politics
Learning Objective: LO 9.1: Describe changes in the nature and extent of the
political influence of the various news media.
Page Reference: 266
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
39. How do the majority of people sometimes feel about the quality of news received
via the Internet?
a. skeptical
b. reassured
c. disinterested
d. informed
Topic: The Influence of the Media on Politics
Learning Objective: LO 9.1: Describe changes in the nature and extent of the
political influence of the various news media.
Page Reference: 267
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
40. Rupert Murdoch’s ownership of numerous television stations, newspapers, and
other media companies is an example of __________.
a. the privatization of the news
b. pack journalism
c. media consolidation
d. media fragmentation
Topic: The Changing Role of the U.S. News Media
Learning Objective: LO 9.2: Trace the evolution of the news media over the
course of U.S. history.
Page Reference: 275 – 276
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
287
41. Before the advent of objective journalism in the early twentieth century,
__________ focused on exaggeration and sensationalism.
a. yellow journalism
b. party journalism
c. junk journalism
d. biased journalism
Topic: The Changing Role of the U.S. News Media
Learning Objective: LO 9.2: Trace the evolution of the news media over the
course of U.S. history.
Page Reference: 273
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
42. The process by which individuals develop their political attitudes, values, and
beliefs is called __________.
a. political socialization
b. social development
c. cultural assimilation
d. peer influence
Topic: The Media and Public Opinion
Learning Objective: LO 9.3: Evaluate the media’s influence on public opinion
and attention.
Page Reference: 281
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
43. The FCC fined CBS in 2004 for what infamous television violation?
a. swearing at the Super Bowl half-time show
b. swearing at the World Series opening ceremony
c. nudity at the Super Bowl half-time show
d. nudity at the World Series opening ceremony
Topic: The Changing Role of the U.S. News Media
Learning Objective: LO 9.2: Trace the evolution of the news media over the
course of U.S. history.
288
Page Reference: 277
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
44. Most U.S. news media are committed to __________.
a. expressing liberal viewpoints
b. being unbiased
c. expressing conservative viewpoints
d. providing international coverage
Topic: The Media and Public Opinion
Learning Objective: LO 9.3: Evaluate the media’s influence on public opinion
and attention.
Page Reference: 280
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
45. Some of those who object to free trade with China are drawing attention to
Chinese human rights abuses. This type of action is known as what?
a. socializing
b. issue framing
c. media bias
e. political socialization
Topic: The Media and Public Opinion
Learning Objective: LO 9.3: Evaluate the media’s influence on public opinion
and attention.
Page Reference: 280
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
46. The increasing use of television advertising has added to the __________ in
political campaigns.
a. drama
b. clout
c. costs
d. bias
Topic: The Media and Elections
Learning Objective: LO 9.4: Describe the media’s role in elections and the
associated problems and benefits.
Page Reference: 284
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
47. Image making in politics has resulted in an increased number of what?
a. journalists
b. CEOs
c. political contributions
d. media consultants
Topic: The Media and Elections
Learning Objective: LO 9.4: Describe the media’s role in elections and the
associated problems and benefits.
Page Reference: 286
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
48. What political actor is considered newsworthy in any public activity, regardless of
whether it has a political function?
a. the president
b. the Senate majority leader
c. the vice president
d. the Speaker of the House
Topic: The Media and Governance
Learning Objective: LO 9.5: Assess the media’s relationship to governance in
the United States.
Page Reference: 288
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
49. What television network provides uninterrupted coverage of congressional
deliberations and presidential nominating conventions?
a. CNN
b. C-SPAN
290
c. MSNBC
d. CBS
Topic: The Changing Role of the U.S. News Media
Learning Objective: LO 9.2: Trace the evolution of the news media over the
course of U.S. history.
Page Reference: 275
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
50. One concern raised by proposals to crack down on Internet piracy is that it might
__________.
a. limit people’s access to the Internet
b. lead to censorship
c. inadvertently cause the Internet to crash
d. accelerate media consolidation
Topic: The Media and Elections
Learning Objective: LO 9.4: Describe the media’s role in elections and the
associated problems and benefits.
Page Reference: 283
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
51. Which type of media, with its immediacy, visual imagery, and drama, has an
emotional impact that cuts across age groups, educational levels, social classes,
and races?
a. newspapers
b. newsmagazines
c. the Internet
d. television
Topic: The Influence of the Media on Politics
Learning Objective: LO 9.1: Describe changes in the nature and extent of the
political influence of the various news media.
Page Reference: 266 – 267
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
291
52. Which of the following is true of network news programs on ABC, CBS, and
NBC?
a. Viewership has decreased dramatically since the late 1980s.
b. They have been surpassed by cable news in terms of viewership.
c. They are biased in a liberal direction.
d. They provide more comprehensive coverage than radio programs.
Topic: The Influence of the Media on Politics
Learning Objective: LO 9.1: Describe changes in the nature and extent of the
political influence of the various news media.
Page Reference: 268
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
53. In terms of media consumption, how does the United States differ from other
countries?
a. A higher percentage of Americans turn to the Internet for news.
b. A higher percentage of Americans rely on the radio for news and information.
c. A lower percentage of Americans pay attention to political news.
d. A lower percentage of Americans read newspapers.
Topic: The Influence of the Media on Politics
Learning Objective: LO 9.1: Describe changes in the nature and extent of the
political influence of the various news media.
Page Reference: 269
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
54. Recent FCC rulings have produced a trend in media __________.
a. independence
b. regulation
c. conglomeration
d. bias
Topic: The Changing Role of the U.S. News Media
292