Study guide 259Political media today
Describe the role of the media in American politics and
how people get political information. (Pages 234–241)Summary
The media have been the primary sources of political information in
America since the Founding, though the forms of media have changed
considerably over time. While the term “media” traditionally referred
only to print sources, technological advances have allowed political
information to be spread through radio, television, and the Internet.
The creation of the Internet and the proliferation of media sources
more generally have drastically increased the amount of information
about politics that is available to the average American.Key terms
mass media (p. 234)
yellow journalism (p. 235)
broadcast media (p. 235)
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) (p. 235)equal time provision (p. 236)
media conglomerates
(p. 236)
by-product theory (p. 239)Practice Quiz Questions
- The deregulation of the media has resulted in.
a increasing enforcement of the equal time provision
b increasing enforcement of the fairness doctrine
c increasing use of the Internet
d increasing scrutiny of media concentration
e increasing frequency of cross-ownership - Which is the result of the decreased barriers to publication
on the Internet?
a Few opportunities exist for citizens to interact with reporters or
government officials.
b People with no official connection to politics can contribute to the
commentary and reach a wide audience.
c The accuracy of political information has improved.
d Few average citizens report on events as they happen.
e Like-minded political supporters have difficulty organizing and
staying informed on issues.
3. Why hasn’t the Internet increased citizens’ political
knowledge?
a It can be hard to find political news on the Internet.
b Most people do not have access to the Internet.
c Most people read content from a wide range of balanced
media sources.
d Most people fail to systematically search for information
about politics.
e Search engines don’t include political topics.
4. What is the by-product theory of political information?
a Local media sources often rely on major sources for their national
news coverage.
b Most Americans learn about politics accidentally.
c Reporters often learn about a political story while working on a
different story.
d Bloggers typically do not produce news; rather, they comment on
news gathered secondhand.
e News coverage often influences policy decisions.
How do politicians use the
media? How do the media
use politicians?
Explain how politicians use the media to achieve their
goals. (Pages 241–245)Summary
Coverage of politics requires that the reporter, on the one hand, make
a trade-off between cultivating sources with favorable stories and
providing complete and accurate information. Politicians, on the other
hand, want favorable media coverage that highlights their achieve-
ments. One of the best ways reporters can cover political events is to
get information “off the record.” To maintain this information resource,
the confidentiality of sources must be protected, although reporters
can be compelled to reveal them in court.Key terms
on background or off the
record (p. 241)leaking (p. 243)Practice Quiz Questions
- Shield laws.
a allow editors to protect their reporters from vengeful
politicians
b allow politicians to protect reporters who provide
favorable coverage
c protect politicians from slander
d allow reporters to protect confidential sources
e protect reporters from being sued for slander
Study Guide
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