Ch.6 Media & Politics in TX
The most common way that Americans get their news is from
conversations
The media source from which most Texans now get their news is
Television
Once the nations main source of news, newspapers have declined because of
competition from tv and the internet.
Which of the following is not true of the 404 non daily newspapers being published n TX in 2012?
They are influential in state politics because they are read by elites.
Which of the following is not true of newsmagazines?
There are more newsmagazines than there are newspapers, and they are read by more people.
Despite their relative decline, why are the print media still important sources of information?
They cover stories in more detail, inform the elite, and remain the largest gatherers of news.
Which of the following are more likely to require that stories be vetted for accuracy and to attempt to follow standards of objectivity?
major print media
Which of the following are more likely to require that stories be vetted for accuracy and to attempt to follow standards of objectivity?
major print media
Which of the following best describes the status of radio as a news source in America?
99% of American homes have at least one radio, but radio has limited value as a source of political news.
What happened when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) abolished the Fairness Doctrine in 1987?
Conservative talk radio hosts quickly outpaced liberals.
Which of the following is true of public radio stations like KERA and KUHT?
They provide substantial coverage of local, state, and national news.
Commercial tv began in TX
after WWII
Which TV news format is most used by the public?
cable news
Websites and computer applications that allow users to create online communities and engage in social networking are known as
social media
A web page on which writers regularly record opinions, information , and links to other sites is known as a
blog
Which of the following is not true of social networking sites like FB and Twitter?
Less than 10 % of US adults get news from FB
Which of the following is not one of the roles that the text say media fills in US and TX politics?
To be a forum solely for unbiased discussion of political topics
People are more likely to hear and remember ideas and info if they come from
a trusted opinion leader
Which of the following has been a trend in news coverage?
Competition for viewers and advertising dollars has led to more entertainment and less news in broadcasts.
Followers of talk radio, cable news (such as FOX or MSNBC ) or ideological blogs are likely to
develop more political knowledge, but accept inaccurate or incomplete versions of reality.
In the 19th century, (1800s) newspapers in TX and the other American states wer
highly partisan and not always truthful.
The term Yellow Journalism referred to
journalism based on sensationalism and exaggeration.
The media play a role in keeping and protecting democracy by
keeping citizens informed enough to make intelligent decisions and investigating government activities.
Which of the following is not a reason that newspapers began to move away form strong partisanship toward more even handed , objective reporting in the last half of the 19th century?
The govt passed laws requiring greater objectivity and less partisanship
For reporting to exhibit professionalism , it should be
objective neutral and accurate
On the editorial pages of newspapers and magazines
advocacy is practiced and editors and columnists give their opinions
The standards of professionalism are sometimes compromised when professional reporters over report the views of
govt officials and others with power whom they see as reliable, legitimate and knowledgeable.
When reporting is done in a combative style that features opposition , it is referred to as
adversarial journalism
Which of the following tend not to be heavily partisan in TX?
newspapers
When the media help keep public officials honest by asking hard questions and looking into suspicious actions, they are engaging in
investigative journalism
In the 1970s , the media in TX supported Common Cause and other public interest groups in pushing through legislation to require
open meetings and open records.
Which of the following is true of the TX medias coverage of scandals in state politics?
Media investigations have uncovered corruption and led to instances of public officials being held accountable.
When it comes to agena setting in TX, the media
struggle to exert influence because of fewer reporters, fragmented govt competition with interest groups and more
When it comes to shaping our perceptions of events and issues, the media
provide info but their ability to shape opinion is reduced by personal knowledge connections and pre existing opinions
The strongest effect of attack ads on electoral politics seems to be that
people who marginally support an attacked candidate become less certain and abstain from voting for that candidate.
When the news media says how important an issue is or which part of a situation is most important they are engaging in
priming
When the news media provides meaning or defines the central theme of an issue they are engaging in
framing
Which of the following conclusions is not supported by todays research on media influence?
The media have an influence on what citizens think about.
Compared to political candidates at the national level, candidatesin TX
have an easier time controlling or at least influencing how the media covers them.
When critics of the media complain about horserace journalism they are pointing to the fact that
the media tend to focus more on who is winning an election than on the issues that matter.
Candidates began to use social media for their campaigns in a manor way in
2008 &2012
One of the key strategies that helped Barack Obama win both of his elections for Presdident was
identifying and micro targeting potential younger voters through their email and social media accounts.
Which of the following is not true of Rick Perry's highly successful 2010 gubernatorial campaign?
He relied heavily on direct mail , phone banks, and volunteers knocking on the doors of strangers.
Which of the following is not true of civic engagement and the Internet, according to study by the Pew Research Internet Project?
Use of the Internet and social media lead to less civic engagement and political activity.
When it comes to measures of civic engagement like voter turnout, being involved in groups, donating to charity volunteering and discussing political issues online
Texans are below the national average
Which of the following is true of mdia outlets today?
reporters tend to be liberal and democratic, while owners and publishers tend to be conservative and Republican.
Texas newspapers have generally supported
conservative political candidates
Talk radio has long been dominated by
conservatives
Which amendment to the U.S. Constituition protects freedom of the press?
1st Amendment
American courts are very hesitant to allow prior restraint, which means
it is difficult for the govt to detain reporters who are critical of their policies.
The agency responsible for media regulation is the
Federal Communications Commission FCC
The idea that Internet service providers should treat all Internet data equally without charging differentially or blocking content they don't like is referred tot as
net neutrality
Which of the following is true regarding freedom of the press in TX?
TX has a shield law that protects journalists from having to reveal certain confidential sources.
Which of the following is not true of the media today?
There are no sites on the Internet dedicated to checking facts.
When a news medium focuses on a narrow audience defined by special interest, they are engaging in
niche journalism
Which of the following is true of media ownership today ?
Just six corporations own most of the national media outlets .
The trends in media ownership in TX has been that
ownership of TX media outlets by TX companies has declined.
Which of the following is not a common concern about concentration of media ownership ?
There is an increase in hard news and a decrease in soft news.
The reporters assigned to cover stat level news , commonly working in the state capital, are known as the
Capital press corps
When the three major television networks began to face competition from cable news in the 1980s. they responded by
reducing coverage of hard news and increasing overage of scandals,horserace journalism, and controversial sound bites.
Which demographic groups are more likely to use social media? How might this have an impact on political participation rates among these groups?
Pg 205-207
Do the media shape our political opinions? If so in what ways? If not , why not?
Pg 215-217
How has the Internet ( & social media in particular) had an impact on campaigns in TX? What are the positive and negative aspects of the rise of social media in elections?
Pg 219-220
What aspects of the media are regulated by the national govt , and which aspects are regulated by the govt of TX? Distinguish how print and electronic media are regulated.
Pg 223-225