Media Review

The agenda-setting function of the media refers to the power to

• endorse specific candidates for political office

• favor the position of one interest group over another

• counter the censorship activities of media watch groups

• decide which issues are important enough to bring to public attention

Which of the following provides the most accurate explanation of how consumer-driven media increases partisan polarization?

• Consumer-driven media tends to avoid discussing controversial political topics.

• Consumer-driven media reinforces existing political biases in individuals.

• Consumer-driven media relies heavily on corporate advertising.

• Consumer-driven media is overwhelmingly conservative.

The media’s effect on public opinion can best be described as

• influencing older citizens’ opinions of incumbents

• affecting the public’s views on domestic policy only

• influencing which issues the public sees as important

• influencing the public’s views on controversial issues only

Which of the following portrays an accurate example of horse race media coverage?

• After a lengthy investigation, a newspaper publishes an article about a candidate receiving thousands of dollars in illegal campaign funds.

• A cable news show intentionally smears a candidate by running an exaggerated story about indiscretions in a candidate's personal life.

• A candidate announces her intention to run for president of the United States on Twitter rather than through a television appearance.

• News media outlets report the results of public opinion polls that show the relative popularity of presidential candidates.

Which of the following most accurately describes media coverage of elections?

• Coverage of presidential primaries gives relatively equal power to states regardless of when they hold their primaries.

• Network news coverage is usually dominated by reporters who offer relatively short sound bites from the candidates.

• Radio and television stations must provide on their news broadcasts equal time for and equal coverage of major party candidates.

• Reporters who use secret sources in their campaign coverage are shielded by federal law from having to reveal those sources.

Which of the following is not a way the media impacts public opinion?

• Framing

• Agenda-Building

• Representing

• Priming

What is a politician's use the media to run a permanent campaign by controlling their public image to positively influence public opinion?

• Spin

• News management

• Media management

• Leaks

Which of the following describes a consequence of the growing concentration of ownership of the news media?

• Newspaper prices have gone down.

• There is increased similarity of network news coverage.

• Coverage of political events has gotten more liberal over time.

• Candidates get more free airtime.

An advertisement airs on television attacking a candidate running for office. The advertisement was produced and distributed by a group that was not affiliated with nor funded by any political campaign. Which of the following statements explains why this expenditure is not prohibited by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002?

• Political spending by groups not directly affiliated with a campaign is a form of protected speech.

• The press can freely criticize elected officials in their publications.

• Restrictions on individual contributions to political campaigns violate the First Amendment.

• The press can protect the confidentiality of their sources with regard to campaign funding violations.

Tom believes that the government should be limited in its regulation of the economy, but he wants to find out more about economic policy. As he researches the topic, he increasingly relies on a well-respected conservative blog as his main source of information. Tom's actions demonstrate the tendency of individuals to seek out information from sources that

• integrate social and economic concerns

• integrate social and economic concerns

• integrate social and economic concerns

• focus on individual opinions rather than group consensus