Croteau&Hoynes: Media/Society, 5th Edition
Chapter 2: The Economics of the Media Industry
Test Bank
1. Which of the following correctly links a broadcaster and its parent company?
2. A company seeking to become vertically integrated in the book industry may want
to purchase which of the following companies?
3. Conglomeration refers to the process in which:
4. The notion of a “private ministry of information” refers to:
5. The “homogenization hypothesis” about media ownership and the diversity of
media content proposes that concentrated ownership will:
6. “Quasi–monopoly” local newspaper ownership means that:
7. Which of the following media conglomerations is not American?
8. When Warner Bros. released Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001,
corporate parent AOL Time Warner promoted the film using a variety of media.
Which of the following media they did not use?
9. The belief that “nothing succeeds like success” leads network television
executives to:
10. News companies are taking various measures to keep costs down lately. Which
of the following does not belong to such measures?
11. When advertisers sponsor TV programs, they are especially interested in the:
12. The shift to advertising as a source of revenue for the 19th-century British press
led to:
13. Which kind of news is particularly vulnerable to pressure from advertisers?
14. Which of the following media companies is the dominant player in the U.S. radio
industry?
Croteau&Hoynes: Media/Society, 5th Edition
15. Many argue that increased media concentration by a small number of
conglomerations causes some effects on media contents. Which of the following
does not belong to such effects?
16. If a media company integrates a talent agency, a film studio, and a movie
theater, this is called ________ integration.
17. “Advergames” is an example of _______ marketing.
18. Advertisers’ strategy to build their products into the storyline of a movie,
television series, or video game by including them in a seemingly natural and
recurring way that may be hard to recognize is called _______.
19. The advertising strategy in which brands become integral characters in media
contents and thereby media production costs are shared by advertisers is known as
_______
20. ____________ refers to the ways reporters doubt themselves, tone down their
work, omit small items, or drop entire stories to avoid pressure, eliminate any
perception of bias, or advance their careers.
Croteau&Hoynes: Media/Society, 5th Edition
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21. Which of the following is true about early newspapers in the United States (18th
to early 19th century)?
22. _______ refers to the degree to which there is diversity in media content readily
available to audiences.
23. Which corporation owns the sports cable network ESPN?
24. Networks’ tendency to minimize the risk of losing money on programs is known
as _____
25. The approach to media that says media products should be understood as the
result of a social process that occurs within an institutional framework is known as
the ______ perspective.
Type: E
26. From American Idol to Survivors to Jersey Shore, a recent trend in television is
the proliferation of reality shows. Why do you think there is such proliferation of
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27. Many network television shows constantly imitate each other, creating copies
and spin-offs. From the perspective of media economics, why do we see similar
programs across the networks?
28. Define media “concentration” and “conglomeration.” Then discuss their potential
effects on media contents and production.
29. Analysts often say that profit-driven logic has taken over news operations in
many media firms these days. What would be the consequences of cost
minimization and profit maximization on news media specifically?
30. It is often said that economic forces helped develop the norms of objectivity and
neutrality in U.S. newspapers during the 19th century. Clarify this statement to your
best ability.
31. The number of media businesses in the United States has decreased over the
last several decades.
32. A “production perspective” in media studies suggests that media products should
be seen as the result of social and economic processes of production.
33. Bertelsmann is the largest global media company measured by revenue.
34. The homogenization hypothesis suggests that media concentration would lead to
decreased diversity in media contents.
35. “Horizontal” integration refers to the integration of media companies of similar
sizes.
36. CBS is an example of a niche media company aimed at specific audiences.
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37. Media products are free-floating texts, independent of organizational or external
constraints.
38. The U.S. press of the early 19th century was a biased, partisan press.
39. “Advergames” refers to adventure games played online.