Deck 10: Electronic Media Regulation

Question 1

At the heart of the FCC's most recent net neutrality ruling is

A)the change in classification of an ISP to a telecommunications service
B)the change in classification of an ISP to an information service
C)a rejection of the concept of net neutrality
D)the idea that it is not appropriate for the FCC to regulate ISPs

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The Federal Communications Commission's funding comes from

A)the U.S.president's office
B)Congress
C)broadcast station owners
D)car washes

Answer 2

B

Question 3

During the general election campaign,Channel 3 decides to use four consecutive Wednesday nights from 6:30 p.m.to 7 p.m.to interview candidates for governor.On consecutive programs,Channel 3 invites on the program and interviews Sarah,then Tim,then William,and then Marilyn.Don,who is running for governor as a member of the Slippery Party,demands Channel 3 give him 30 minutes of time.Channel 3

A)need not give or sell Don any time at all because Don is not a candidate of a major political party
B)need not give or sell Don any time at all because the programs were regularly scheduled news interview programs
C)must sell Don 30 minutes of time
D)must give Don 30 minutes of free time

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934

A)applies only 45 days before a general election and 60 days before a primary election
B)requires broadcast stations and cable systems to make equal opportunities available to legally qualified candidates for the same political office
C)applies only to candidates for federal offices
D)applies to print media
E)both B and D

Question 5

Ramon is the Democratic candidate for governor.He purchases 60 seconds of time on Channel 3 and runs a campaign ad two weeks before the general election.Alycia is the Green Party candidate for governor.She asks Channel 3 to sell her a minute of time.Channel 3's general manager

A)need not sell Alycia 60 seconds of time because the general manager decides who buys commercial time on the station
B)need not sell Alycia 60 seconds of time because it is not 45 days before the general election
C)need not sell Alycia 60 seconds of time because she does not have a real chance of winning the election
D)must sell Alycia 60 seconds of time

Question 6

A group of citizens in the State of Zipzap gets enough valid signatures on a petition to put a referendum on the ballot that would require the state legislature to adopt a state holiday on Charles Dickens' birthday.An all-news radio station sells advertising time to those who favor the holiday,but refuses to sell time for advertisements against the holiday.The anti-Dickens group tells the station manager that under Section 315,the manager must give the group equal opportunity.Who is correct,and why?

A)the anti-Dickens group,because Section 315 requires equal opportunity
B)the anti-Dickens group,because the Section 315 requires broadcasters to be balanced in their presentations of ballot issues
C)the station,because the station does not have to give time to the anti-Dickens group if the pro-Dickens group bought time
D)the station,because Section 315 does not apply to ballot issues,only to political candidates

Question 7

Which provisions of cable law allow cable television systems to provide local television station signals to the systems' customers?

A)must carry and retransmission consent
B)must carry a copyright agreement
C)retransmission consent and copyright agreement
D)retransmission consent and cable access permission

Question 8

Which of the following does the 2105 FCC Open Internet Order ban?

A)Throttling
B)Paid Prioritization
C)Blocking
D)All of the above

Question 9

What event prompted the U.S.Congress to regulate radio broadcasting?

A)World War I
B)the Titanic disaster
C)Marconi inventing wireless transmission
D)a U.S.Supreme Court decision

Question 10

Which of the following is the most important justification courts use to defend broadcast regulation?

A)spectrum scarcity
B)pervasive presence
C)special impact
D)paramount character

Question 11

Because KOOL-TV's programs are so popular,it is able to-and does-carry 15 minutes of advertising per hour,including on its Saturday morning children's program.Is this permissible?

A)yes,because there are no legal restrictions on the amount of time a broadcast television station may use for commercials
B)yes,because 15 minutes of commercials per hour complies with the legal requirements for all programming on broadcast television stations
C)yes,because 15 minutes of commercials per hour complies with the legal requirements for children's programming on broadcast television stations
D)no,because 15 minutes of commercials per hour does not comply with the legal requirements for children's programming on broadcast television stations

Question 12

The legislation currently regulating broadcast radio and television stations in the United States is the

A)Wireless Ship Act of 1910
B)Radio Act of 1912
C)Federal Radio Act of 1927
D)Communications Act of 1934

Question 13

FCC commissioners serve

A)5-year terms
B)7-year terms
C)10-year terms
D)as long as the president wants them to serve

Question 14

What is FirstNet?

A)Another term for net neutrality
B)A broadband network dedicated exclusively to the public safety community
C)A limitation that arises because only a certain number of broadcast radio and television stations in a geographical area may use the spectrum without causing interference.
D)A new television network

Question 15

The Federal Communications Commission regulates

A)newspaper mergers
B)broadcast and print advertising
C)broadcast radio and television
D)all the above

Question 16

A week before the general election,John,a legally qualified candidate for mayor,is asked to make a free appearance on a radio station's Saturday morning children's book program.John does so and reads from "Charlotte's Web." Sara,a legally qualified candidate for mayor,demands time from the station.The station manager

A)must sell Sara the same amount of time John was given,on a Saturday morning
B)must give Sara the same amount of time John was given,on a Saturday morning
C)need not give Sara any time,because John did not purchase an advertisement
D)must not give Sara any time,because John appeared on a children's show

Question 17

Federal law says FCC decisions should be based on

A)the public benefit
B)the public concern
C)the public economy
D)the public interest

Question 18

Section 315 (political broadcasting and cablecasting)is in effect

A)beginning three months before an election
B)only during presidential elections
C)only when a candidate for federal office asks to buy advertising time
D)all the time

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of an MVPD (multichannel video programming distributor)?

A)DirecTV
B)HBO
C)CBS
D)PBS

Question 20

Generally speaking,how does the FCC justify its regulations?

A)It is working in the public interest
B)It is upholding the First Amendment
C)It is protecting the commercial interests of broadcasters
D)All of the above

Question 21

Cable television regulation is in the hands of city governments exclusively; the U.S.Congress has adopted no cable television laws.

Question 22

Before,after,and during children's television programs stations may run no more than 10 1/2 minutes of commercials during weekends,and 12 minutes of commercials during weekdays.

Question 23

FCC regulations require any commercial on a broadcast station to identify who paid for a political or candidate ad.

Question 24

In overturning a congressional attempt to limit online sexual expression,the Supreme Court held in Reno v.American Civil Liberties Association (ACLU)that the Internet has complete First Amendment protection.

Question 25

The Supreme Court has ruled that must-carry rules for cable are content-neutral because they do not dictate specific programming.

Question 26

The reason the FCC can regulate cable is because it uses the spectrum to broadcast its signals,just as broadcasting does.

Question 27

Cable laws allow franchising authorities to require local cable systems to provide access channels for public,educational,and government use.

Question 28

Cable laws forbid television stations from requiring a local cable systems to delete certain programs.

Question 29

An FCC license is not required to operate a radio station that has a signal reaching only two or three miles from its transmitter in the United States.

Question 30

During the general election period you interview Tom Tillson,a Democratic candidate for governor,on "Questions and Responses." You have been running "Questions and Responses" as a one-hour news interview program every Sunday morning for the last seven years.The next day,Michelle Fuller,who is running as a Republican for governor,calls you and says,"Since you put my opponent on the air for free,you must do the same for me." Is she correct? Why or why not?

Question 31

What is the lowest unit rate and when is it in effect?

Question 32

On-the-spot coverage of bona fide news events is an exception to the use rule under Section 315.

Question 33

May a broadcast station or cable system refuse to sell advertising time to the first legally qualified candidate for a statewide or local elective office who asks to buy time? Why or why not?

Question 34

The U.S.Supreme Court held that the Internet has full First Amendment protection,similar to print media.

Question 35

May a broadcast station or cable system refuse to sell advertising time to the first legally qualified candidate for the U.S.Senate who asks to buy time? Why or why not?

Question 36

The FCC has classified direct broadcast satellite service as broadcasting.

Question 37

Three months before the primary election,two people-Joseph and Janet-announce their candidacies for mayor.Joseph purchases a 60-second advertisement on a local radio station.Janet asks the station to sell her 60 seconds for a commercial.The station's charge to Janet for the cost of the time is the lowest unit rate.

Question 38

Programs like the Howard Stern show or Jerry Springer are exceptions to the use rule because they often discuss current events.

Question 39

Cable television began in the late 1940s because mountains and other barriers prevented local television station signals from reaching some people's homes.

Question 40

A group of citizens in the State of Rdsx gets enough valid signatures on a petition to put a referendum on the ballot that would require the state legislature to adopt a state holiday on Ted Williams' birthday.An all-sports radio station sells advertising time to those who favor the holiday,but refuses to sell time for advertisements against the holiday.The anti-Williams group tells the station manager that under Section 315,the manager must give the group "equal opportunity." Who is correct,and why?

Question 41

Suzy Sordid and Chucky Chuckles are the morning personalities on radio station KWAK-FM.The Sordid-Chuckles show,airing from 6
a.m.to 10
a.m.,is the most popular in the city.Suzy and Chucky often discuss explicit sexual themes in a joking way-but always manage to stay just this side of obscenity.Briefly state if KWAK-FM might run afoul of an FCC regulation or federal law? If so,briefly state why it might? And if it does,how can KWAK-FM come into compliance with pertinent regulations and laws?

Question 42

What practices does the FCC's 2015 Open Internet Order ban?

Question 43

Explain the arguments for and against net neutrality.

Question 44

What are the two primary justifications for regulating broadcast media?

Question 45

What is net neutrality?