Croteau&Hoynes: Media/Society, 5th Edition
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Chapter 3: Political Influence on Media
Test Bank
1. This landmark media regulation eased media ownership requirements so that big
media businesses could flourish. What is this regulation called?
2. The following clause comes from the U.S. Constitution. To promote the progress
of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the
exclusive rights to their respective writings and discoveries. To what does this clause
refer?
3. The government regulation forcing networks to buy programming from
independent producers is called the _______.
4. One of the myths about government regulation of the media is that:
5. So-called radio pirates have faced legal troubles because they:
6. The major ongoing debate about media regulation is:
7. Government has regulated broadcast media differently than print media primarily
because:
Croteau&Hoynes: Media/Society, 5th Edition
8. Which of the following government regulations clearly benefits the media
industry?
9. The phrase “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech or
of the press” is from the:
10. The Telecommunications Act of 1996:
11. The First Amendment was originally designed for:
12. The chief media and communication regulatory body in the United States is the:
13. The five commissioners on the FCC are:
14. One of the arguments about the media that “free market” advocates usually
make is that:
Croteau&Hoynes: Media/Society, 5th Edition
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15. Compared to most other industrialized nations, the United States has generally
had _______ regulation of the media industry.
16. Which of the following is not a common characteristic of the early broadcasting
systems in Europe?
17. In the early years of broadcasting, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
was an example of a(n):
18. Digitization and fiber optics have:
19. Conservatives often support regulations that:
20. The Fairness Doctrine required that broadcasters address public issues of
concern to the community and:
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21. The Fairness Doctrine:
22. Motion picture ratings, television content ratings, and “explicit lyric” CD warning
labels are examples of:
23. In the United States, ____________ is outlawed.
24. Pornographic material is illegal to:
25. In recent years, the U.S. military has considered information to be “sensitive,”
and thus subject to censorship, if it:
Type: E
26. What are the major arguments supporting government’s stricter media
regulations? What philosophies/ideologies support such regulations? What are the
major arguments against regulations? What philosophies/ideologies are behind
fewer government regulations?
27. What is “net neutrality”? Define the concept and provide major arguments for
and against it.
28. Explain the differences between indecent material, pornography, and obscene
material. Which are legal? What regulations apply to different categories?
Croteau&Hoynes: Media/Society, 5th Edition
29. Government often controls and manages the flow of information during war
times. Provide some examples of such control, particularly on journalists’ war
coverage.
30. Explain the idea of “Creative Commons License.” What is it and how does it
compare to the traditional copyright law?
31. Embedded journalism refers to citizens’ participatory reporting of government
affairs.
32. The “Fin–Syn” (Financial interest and syndication) rules limited major television
networks’ ability to produce their own in-house programs.
33. The 1996 Telecommunications Act facilitated concentration of media companies.
34. The United States generally has more media regulations than Europe.
35. Sexually explicit materials involving children are illegal in the United States.
36. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) regulates U.S. interstate and international
communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable.
37. Conservatives generally favor deregulation of media based on free market
principles.
38. Major telecommunication companies such as Comcast and Time Warner
generally favor Net Neutrality.
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39. The 1949 Fairness Doctrine required media companies to pay a fair amount of
copyright fees to independent artists.