Name_________________________

Per_______

Define or Explain:

yellow journalism (pg.179)

muckrakers (pg.180)

newsworthiness (pg.184)

infotainment (pg.185)

"happy talk" (pg.185)

photo opportunities (pg. 191)

horse race journalism (pg.192)

media event (pg.194)

1. What is the main "business" of the mass media in the United States ? (pg.177)

2. Describe the five specific ways the mass media serves the political system: (pg.177)

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

3. What are the four most prominent branches of the mass media ? (pg.178-183)

a)

b)

c)

d)

4. Describe how television revolutionized American politics. (pg.182-183)

Explain why the broadcast and print media devote so little time to political news or documentaries ? (pgs.184-186)

6.Explain how cross-ownership can limit Americans' access to the truth ? (Feature 6.1 on pg.187)

7. Explain the function of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ? (pg.188)

8. Explain the role of the Office of the Press Secretary ? (pg. 190-191)

9. What happens to journalists who reveal the source of background information given by "senior officials" ? (pgs.191-192)

10. Who are the gatekeepers and what types of stories do they normally let through the "gate" ? (pg.192)

11. Where do Americans get most of their news ?

12. Explain the role of the media with regard to; (pgs.198-202)

a) influencing public opinion

b) setting the political agenda

c) "socializing" the next generation

13. What is the most pronounced bias among journalists regarding presidential candidates ? (pg.206)

14. Take a stand on the following question is based upon the reading on page 208.

Was the media correct when it suppressed stories dealing with the womanizing and extra-marital affairs of John Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. ? Explain