Q&A Hero

Q: Ethics are based on universal and eternal standards, so there’s no need to change them just because of new technologies. It’s how we use the technology that needs to change.

Q: When people communicate face-to-face, we call it A) individual communication. B) non-applied media. C) interpersonal communication. D) basic pedagogy.

Q: What term is used to describe the theft of copyright-protected material? A) download license B) piracy C) assignment D) intellectual objective

Q: Some media organizations try to address the freebies issue by acknowledging favors.

Q: A defining characteristic of mass communication is that it A) can easily survive without technological assistance. B) relies on technology. C) preceded technology. D) continues to exist despite technological advances.

Q: Ben Day’s launch of his New York Sun is significant in the history of newspapers because it A) was the nation’s first newspaper. B) was the first to rely on advertising to make a profit. C) introduced photography to newspapers. D) offered the first home-delivery to subscribers.

Q: Such user-generated sites as Twitter and YouTube are viewed as threats by authoritarian governments.

Q: Hillbilly music had its origins in the A) rock ‘n’ roll of the 1950s. B) rhythm and blues of the 1920s and 1930s. C) cowboy and western songs from the Old West. D) English ballads and ditties brought to rural Appalachia.

Q: Paul Garrett coined the phrase enlightened __________.

Q: Galvanic skin checks test an audience’s physiological reactions.

Q: The U.S. media are a watchdog of government on the people’s behalf.

Q: A hybrid communication function of public relations and advertising that links the two is known as __________ communication.

Q: Even when conducted by a skillful interviewer, a focus group’s results may be skewed by a loud participant.

Q: A troubling question raised by Linda McMahon’s $50 million Senate campaign is whether public office is now limited only to those rich enough to buy enormous amounts of ad time and space.

Q: A person can transfer ownership interests in intellectual property rights, which is called A) permission. B) an infringement waiver. C) an assignment. D) a consensual agreement.

Q: All journalistic organizations refuse free movie, drama, concert and other tickets in order to maintain critical integrity.

Q: Describe demassification and explain the circumstances that have brought it about. Do you foresee further demassification occurring as a result of further technological advances? Cite examples that support your outlook.

Q: All of the following were contributing factors in the success of the penny press EXCEPT A) industrialization B) immigration C) literacy D) democracy

Q: __________ is the company that resulted from the merger of the XM and Sirius satellite radio networks.

Q: Public radio stations are NOT allowed to carry __________, but they can acknowledge their supporters on the air, even those who manufacture or sell products.

Q: YouTube has been used for presidential debates in every presidential election since 2000.

Q: Rhythm and blues emerged from early black music during the A) 1850s and 1860s. B) 1880s and 1890s. C) 1930s and 1940s. D) 1950s and 1960s.

Q: Mass media base content decisions on audience reaction.

Q: Historically, the only financial connection between political candidates and the news media was the purchase of advertising time and space by the candidates.

Q: When a copyright holder grants rights to another party to use the holder’s intellectual property, it’s legally considered to be A) a transfer of rights. B) permission. C) first-use rights. D) a consensual grant..

Q: The appearance of impropriety is just as serious a concern in many ethical codes as actual impropriety.

Q: Describe the role mass media have played in resolving or exacerbating a contentious, contemporary issue facing the United States and explain how they have hindered or aided us in reaching community consensus. Cite specific examples of media actions to support your position.

Q: The first truly mass medium was A) parchment scrolls. B) magazines. C) newspapers. D) posters.

Q: The Associated Press Managing Editors ethics code calls on journalists to reciprocate for all favors they receive.

Q: In additional to the functions they serve for individual consumers, the mass media act as a cultural unifying influence at the societal level. Describe three recent examples that illustrate how and why the actions or content of the mass media can help bind a society together.

Q: Wikipedia does all of the following EXCEPT A) averages four errors for every three found in the Encyclopaedia Britannica. B) contains more than 30 times as many articles as the printed Encyclopaedia Britannica. C) offers versions (“editions”) in more than 35 languages. D) represents the techno-driven environment in which printed media operate today.

Q: The quasi-public agency that administers federal funds to noncommercial radio and television stations is the Corporation for __________.

Q: As evidenced by an educational conference during which participants were encouraged to use Twitter, the messaging system can create an afterlife on the web.

Q: What is the ultimate determinant of genre trends? A) media conglomerates B) the Federal Communications Commission C) producers D) audiences

Q: As a public relations tool, an employee newsletter is an example of __________ relations.

Q: As a result of heatmapping, graphic designers have learned they can use the same principles of layout and design on the Internet that they use for print publications.

Q: As CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch’s million dollar contributions to Republican organizations seem to some to violate the long-time separation between news organizations and party politics.

Q: The mass media can inform, persuade, entertain, and enlighten individual consumers. Rank these four functions in terms of their relative importance to you, personally. Explain your rankings by citing a specific example of how you have recently used the media for each of these purposes.

Q: When members of Congress modified Wikipedia entries about themselves and their voting records A) nothing was done to correct them. B) they were barred from the site while Wikipedia staff restored accurate content. C) Congress passed a law making it illegal to falsely change Wkipedia content. D) Wikipedia was temporarily shut down.

Q: __________ went on the air in 1970 with its flagship All Things Considered that featured long-form stories.

Q: Jack Dorsey developed Twitter from software he developed to dispatch taxis, couriers, and emergency services.

Q: Which came first in the ongoing waves of popular television content? A) variety shows B) quiz shows C) reality shows D) police dramas

Q: An early advocate of public relations as a top-level management function was __________.

Q: Jimmy Wales developed this online reference site that allows people to collaborate on writing and editing web content. A) Wikipedia B) Google C) Sony D) Yahoo

Q: Edward R. __________ was a pioneer broadcast journalist.

Q: Passed links, Twitter’s equivalent of footnotes, help recipients locate additional information or reference sources on the Internet.

Q: Special adjustments made to ensure that the message of a performance will be effectively delivered by mass media transform the performance into A) an authentic performance. B) a live-on-tape performance. C) a mediated message. D) a pre-recorded message.

Q: The Committee on Public Information, better known as the Creel Committee, was created to stem antiwar sentiment during __________.

Q: Heatmapping is a new research tool that uses a video camera to track people’s eye movements as they look at a web page to determine what attracted their attention without asking questions.

Q: One lesson of Linda McMahon’s unsuccessful run for the Senate is that a willingness to spend massive amounts of money ($50 million) is not enough, by itself, to win an election.

Q: What term is used to define creative works? A) creativity B) intellectual property C) property of the mind D) mindworks

Q: Nothing is inherently wrong in taking gifts and favors if they do not influence coverage and the benefactor understands that.

Q: Nicholas Carr, a widely published technical writer, is concerned that “The Internet has been chipping away at his capacity for concentration and contemplation” and has reduced his ability to do “deep reading.” Discuss how and why Carr’s concerns may relate to Novelist Philip Roth’s fear that the novel has become a dying art form and may cease to exist.

Q: Thomas Edison could make and re-play sound recordings by 1877, but there was no way to copy or duplicate them until __________ found a way to do it 10 years later in 1887.

Q: When someone posts a message on Twitter, it’s called a twit.

Q: A blockbuster movie shown on television would be considered A) authentic performance. B) mediated performance. C) artistic performance. D) recorded performance.

Q: Circus promoter __________ was best known for his puffery.

Q: Nielsen’s new A2/M2 process tracks both local and network television viewership.

Q: By spending $50 million of her own money on her unsuccessful election campaign, Linda McMahon set a record for the most expensive campaign for the U.S. Senate in history.

Q: What protects the ownership rights of creative works such as books, articles, and lyrics? A) a trademark B) a patent C) a copyright D) free expression rights

Q: One of the techniques of new journalism practiced in the 1960s was using fiction-writing methods in news stories.

Q: What is the primary difference separating an authentic performance from a mediated performance? A) timeliness B) quality C) subject matter D) audience feedback

Q: After the __________ in 1914 where two women and 11 children were killed, mine owner John D. Rockefeller Jr. visited the Colorado mine to defuse the situation.

Q: Media Metrix measures Internet audiences.

Q: To get around Federal Election Commission regulations, some groups seek “527 status” from the IRS which means all of the following EXCEPT A) candidates can distance themselves from distasteful attack ads while still benefiting from them. B) in election years, they cannot begin running political ads until May 27, the origin of “527 status.” C) they are still a PAC but have slightly different rules about how they distribute their money. D) they cannot give money directly to candidate, but they can buy ads to influence an election.

Q: What type of law protects ownership rights to intellectual property? A) First Amendment B) public domain C) copyright law D) libel law

Q: The reenactments of such things as crimes are universally accepted as ethical practices.

Q: Define media literacy and discuss three ways consumers can become more media literate.

Q: Explain the basic difference between an oligopoly and a monopoly. Then discuss how these terms apply to the current economic conditions within the various American mass media. Identify which, if any, of our mass media are oligopolies and which, if any, are monopolies.

Q: One problem with the accuracy of diaries is that viewers would forget about them and then enter information days later.

Q: All of the following statements about PACs are accurate EXCEPT A) The largest PAC is a union, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. B) PACs are allowed to directly funnel money into individual candidates’ political campaigns. C) PACs originated as a legal way to get around restrictions on political contributions. D) The term “PAC” originally stood for People Against Corruption, which now seems very ironic.

Q: Once the trial of the Norwegian teen who published instructions for getting around the anti-copy protection on movie DVDs was over, A) Norway revised its laws to forbid any software that could be used to undermine copyrights. B) Norwegian authorities expressed complete satisfaction with the outcome. C) The U.S. and other countries quickly passed new laws parallel to those already in Norway. D) The U.S. government, on behalf of the Hollywood movie industry, appealed to the World Court.

Q: Serious journalists rarely cover staged news events.

Q: Is the Internet a form of mass communication or interpersonal communication? Provide two detailed examples to support your position.

Q: One of the often overlooked benefits of trade groups is the industry-wide standardization they promote. Describe at least two industry-wide standardizations or sets of technical standards that were developed by mass media industry trade groups and explain how the benefits of these standards extended far beyond the companies that comprise the industry.

Q: Recent studies show that American adults and teenagers, on average, listen to radio more than __________ hours per week.

Q: Ashton Kutcher became the first person to have 1 million followers on Twitter.

Q: In defiance of the movie studios, the government prosecuting him, and copyright-lovers, the demonstrators supporting the hacker who broke the anti-copying code on movie DVDs A) hacked into the computer system for Norway’s court system and shut it down for three days. B) held a protest march with 1 million supporters outside the courthouse where he was on trial. C) printed and sold t-shirts imprinted with his program for breaking the copy-protection. D) symbolically burned more than 10,000 movies on DVDs in protest.

Q: Washington Post reporter Janet Cooke was forced to produce the sensational fiction that made up Jimmy’s World.

Q: Studies have shown Americans on average spend almost one-third of their waking hours actively using the mass media and now depend on the mass media to help them live their lives. Estimate how much time you devote to each of the major media in a typical week or month and discuss how this compares to the current national averages. Also describe three ways in which you depend on the mass media.