Multiple Choice

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Chapter 7: The Mass Media and the Political Agenda

Multiple Choice

This activity contains 20 questions.

A candidate's secret to controlling the media's focus is

	limiting media contact to planned in-depth interviews.
	limiting what they can report on to carefully scripted events.
	avoiding the media whenever possible.
	restricting media coverage to television.

An event held primarily for the purpose of being covered is called a

	news coverage.
	press conference.
	trial balloon.
	media event.

High-tech politics refers to

	the use of cable television to broadcast the workings of the government.
	a proposal for direct democracy through the use of telephone voting.
	politics in which the behavior of citizens and policymakers is shaped by technology.
	a futuristic society in which politics is controlled by computers, freeing people for more honorable pursuits.

In order to get their ideas placed on the governmental agenda, political activists depend most heavily on

	political parties.
	politicians.
	the media.
	word-of-mouth.

More than any other development in the twentieth century, the rise of television broadcasting has reinforced and furthered

	pluralism in the American political process.
	compromise in the American political process.
	individualism in the American political process.
	trust in the American political process.

News coverage by the print and broadcast media is generally

	comprehensive.
	detailed.
	controversial.
	superficial.

One of the most important strategies for policy entrepreneurs is to

	stage dramatic events.
	contact members of Congress.
	convey a long-term positive image via the media.
	contribute money to election campaigns.

Prior to the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt,

	the media were dominated by a few influential newspapers.
	image-building was essentially built around radio broadcasting.
	press conferences were held twice a week.
	the president was rarely directly questioned by the media.

Television news programs are tailored to

	white middle-class America.
	a fairly low level of audience sophistication.
	a highly educated audience.
	an urban population.

The 1960 presidential debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy illustrates the

	importance of experience in presidential politics.
	role of radio broadcasting in the United States.
	visual power of television in American politics.
	importance of issues in presidential debates.

The bottom line that shapes how journalists define the news, where they get the news, and how they present it is

	government regulations.
	the historical integrity of the profession.
	profits.
	the First Amendment right to freedom of the press.

The cozy relationship between politicians and the press ended when

	Ronald Reagan began to manipulate the press to his advantage.
	Franklin D. Roosevelt chastised the news reports he deemed inaccurate.
	the Vietnam War and Watergate soured the press on government.
	the press discovered John F. Kennedy in a compromising situation with a woman other than his wife.

The media inevitably encourage the growth of government when they

	act as a watchdog.
	focus on injustice in society.
	uncover government waste.
	focus on policy issues.

The media seem to have the least effect in terms of

	what Americans think about.
	direct impacts, such as how people vote.
	the importance people attach to problems.
	how people evaluate political leaders.

The overall effect of the media on democracy has been

	surprisingly little, since the media has failed to produce a more informed society.
	to produce greater competency in the citizenry.
	to increase voter participation.
	to create a higher sense of political efficacy and trust in democracy.

The principle sources of news and information in the United States are

	the broadcast media.
	the print media.
	newspapers.
	magazines and radio.

The strongest media impact on opinion change comes from

	interest groups.
	presidential statements.
	news commentators.
	newspaper editorials.

The vast majority of social science studies have found that the media are

	overwhelmingly liberal.
	overwhelmingly conservative.
	not biased toward a particular ideology.
	highly partisan.

Three out of four Americans read a newspaper owned by

	television stations.
	large corporate chains located out of town.
	fearless local editors.
	the Associated Press.

When journalists select which stories to cover, the overriding bias is toward

	stories involving the most important policy issues of the day.
	international and foreign policy stories.
	stories about the personality quirks of political celebrities.
	stories that will draw the largest audience.

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