Deck 18: Mass Media and Mass Communication

Question 1

Mainstream news sources and outlets always act like the "lap dogs" of the powerful because of media conglomeration.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Ownership of the mass media has become more widely distributed over time.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

According to functionalists, the mass media encourage conformity by devoting attention to crime, criminals, and deviance.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Regan has studied media and believes that people are active participants who interpret the ideas and information conveyed in media and then act on it if that seems personally appropriate.Which of the following approaches are Regan's views in line with?

A)cultural studies
B)conflict theory
C)functionalism
D)social deconstructionism

Question 5

Why is it possible that the human mind and the human body are extensions of mass media?

A)because many people are heavily influenced by the media they consume
B)because many people have increasing access to "virtual" technologies
C)because humans are creating technologies that may soon yield the first cyborgs
D)because most humans are now connected through the World Wide Web

Question 6

The Internet penetration rate in Canada is second only to that of the United States.

Question 7

Canadians spend more time watching television, listening to the radio, going to the movies, reading newspapers and magazines, playing CDs, and using the Internet than they do sleeping, working, or going to school.

Question 8

It is only when the mass media deal with news stories that touch on less central values that one may witness a diversity of media opinion.

Question 9

The Renaissance was a scholarly and artistic revival that began in the United States around 1850 and subsequently spread to the rest of the Americas.

Question 10

The invention of the cellphone predates the creation of the World Wide Web.

Question 11

According to cultural studies experts, people are passive consumers of media.

Question 12

Research on television representation points to little change in the way the mass media treat various minority groups.

Question 13

Research shows that people tend to use social media to replace telephone and face-to-face communication.

Question 14

Senior viewers tend to be more selective and focused on their television viewing than are younger viewers.

Question 15

When opinion leaders evaluate media messages, this is an example of step 1 in the two-step flow of communication.

Question 16

British sociologist Stuart Hall believes that people are not empty vessels into which the media pour a defined assortment of beliefs, values, and ideas.Rather, audience members take an active role in consuming the products of the mass media.

Question 17

What do sociologists call the process whereby the World Wide Web, television, telephone, and other communications media are blended into new hybrid media forms?

A)media diffusion
B)media imperialism
C)media convergence
D)media conglomeration

Question 18

James is excited to have contributed to the distribution of the first mass-media product in the Western world.What project did he assist in?

A)the London Times newspaper
B)the Bible
C)Wesley's Book of Hymns
D)The Great Military Strategists of Europe

Question 19

How do mass media promote inequalities in society?

A)by delivering content that normalizes inequality and makes it acceptable
B)by brainwashing people into thinking that inequality is good and equality is bad
C)by teaching that violent behaviour and aggression are desirable
D)by socializing people to not care what happens to humankind

Question 20

In the interaction between audiences and media sources, the media sources usually dominate.

Question 21

Which perspective on mass media suggests that humans actively filter, interpret, resist, and sometimes reject media messages, according to their own interests and values?

A)social deconstructionism
B)interpretive approaches
C)conflict theory
D)functionalism

Question 22

James and Andrew created an Internet application they called Shazam that will allow millions of people to download music for free without using a central server.What is this phenomenon indicative of?

A)the growth of lateral disintegration
B)evidence of media diffusion
C)evidence of Internet democratization
D)the spread of cultural colonization

Question 23

In Andrea Press and Elizabeth Cole's study of attitudes toward abortion, which of the following groups had the most consistently cohesive views?

A)pro-life women from all classes
B)pro-choice middle-class women
C)pro-choice working-class women who thought of themselves as working class
D)pro-choice working-class women who aspired to the middle class

Question 24

According to Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky, what mechanism subtly biases the news in a way that supports powerful corporate interests?

A)advertising
B)competitive reporting
C)investigative reporting
D)sourcing

Question 25

Despite some limitations, conflict theorists make valid points about the homogeneity of media messages when they focus on which of the following?

A)war efforts
B)core cultural values
C)political parties
D)social problems

Question 26

Award-winning journalist Jean Collins has factual information that a local mining corporation has been exceeding allowable Canadian standards for environmental pollution.Despite the story's excellent sources and factual accounts, the newspaper's editor pulls the story before it has run.According to Herman and Chomsky, why would the editor most likely have refused to publish the story?

A)because newspapers generally do not publish stories that are political in content
B)because the facts cannot be checked appropriately for accuracy
C)because the corporation likely contributes a lot of advertising revenues to the paper
D)because the corporation will sue the newspaper

Question 27

Marion generally watches television for an hour or two per day to unwind after long days at work on her computer, surfing the Internet.What is she engaged with in these activities?

A)mass communication
B)mass media
C)mass interaction
D)mass behaviour

Question 28

Families have relinquished a great deal of control over the transmission of values, beliefs, and norms to the mass media.What are media engaged in when they take on this role?

A)coordination
B)entertainment
C)social control
D)socialization

Question 29

Olivia is planning to research the various ways that people decipher the hit television series Dexter (2006).As a cultural studies expert, which of the following research techniques should she use to find out how people interpret the show?

A)survey questionnaires and network viewing rates
B)historical documents from similar shows and observation
C)in-depth interviews and participant observation
D)focus groups and opinion polls

Question 30

What media corporation has been criticized for using its considerable power to launch "Fox News North" and promote right-wing ideological interests?

A)Shaw Communications Inc.
B)Rogers Communications Inc.
C)Quebecor Inc.
D)CTVglobemedia Inc.

Question 31

What year did the first television broadcast occur in Canada?

A)1921
B)1931
C)1941
D)1951

Question 32

Which of the following countries has the greatest percentage of population with Internet access?

A)Canada
B)the United States
C)Australia
D)the Netherlands

Question 33

According to the textbook, what is the potential effect of the Internet on the mass media for those able to access it?

A)The Internet can make mass media more democratic.
B)The Internet can make mass media free of user-pay costs.
C)The Internet can make mass media more partisan.
D)The Internet can make mass media more flexible.

Question 34

Award-winning author Saul Bellow (1964) stated that "a scandal [is] after all a sort of service to the community." Which of the following ideas does this statement reflect?

A)Scandals provide good entertainment value.
B)Scandals demonstrate which behaviours fall within and outside acceptable boundaries.
C)Scandals are enjoyed by people of all classes and therefore bring people together.
D)Scandals socialize children by providing role models and showing them how to act.

Question 35

Tristan is passionately opposed to the installation of smart meters that monitor power usage in citizens' homes.If he wishes to influence more people to oppose this imposition, whom should he recruit to help him in his campaign?

A)his friends
B)his member of parliament
C)the local media
D)his union shop steward

Question 36

According to the text, what term is used to describe the process that is utilized on the Internet whereby companies offer small enticements to encourage viewers to "click through to a goal"?

A)sparking
B)phishing
C)web herding
D)bottom-up influencing

Question 37

What significant technology was invented by Johannes Gutenberg?

A)the telegraph
B)the World Wide Web
C)the printing press
D)the microcomputer

Question 38

Maria can now watch live television on her new Android phone, as well as play music and film her friends.What is Maria engaging in with this technology?

A)narrowcasting
B)vertical integration
C)horizontal integration
D)media convergence

Question 39

Wanda lives in Canada and feels passionately that Canadian culture is in danger of being overwhelmed by American cultural values as imported via mass media.What is Wanda worried about?

A)cultural diffusion
B)media imperialism
C)cultural convergence
D)media conglomeration

Question 40

Which of the following groups is the most likely to watch a television program, talk on the phone, eat, read a magazine, and play with a pet simultaneously?

A)preschool children
B)youth
C)middle-aged people
D)seniors

Question 41

Graeme is exhausted and stressed out after a 16-hour-per-day week at work.According to the textbook, how is he likely to decompress in this situation?

A)by engaging in challenging physical activity
B)by engaging in unchallenging media consumption
C)by engaging in face-to-face social activities
D)by engaging in challenging mind diversions like Sudoku or crossword puzzles

Question 42

Daytime television programs often show people behaving badly and audience reactions to this behaviour.Besides entertaining people, what important function do these shows fulfill?

A)blurring distinctions between reality and escapism
B)acting as agents of social control
C)coordinating social relations
D)connecting individuals to the nation

Question 43

Which theoretical approach examines the ways that mass media contribute to economic inequality?

A)functionalism
B)conflict theory
C)symbolic interactionism
D)postmodernism

Question 44

Habir argues passionately that media consumers are not cultural dopes or passive robots.Which theoretical perspective on mass media are his views in line with?

A)functionalism
B)conflict theory
C)interpretive approaches
D)postmodern approaches

Question 45

Robert believes that mass media perform many functions that make social order possible.Which theory do his ideas reflect?

A)functionalism
B)conflict theory
C)symbolic interactionism
D)postmodernism

Question 46

Andrew faithfully reads his subscription to Maclean's magazine and The National Post as a way of staying informed about life in Canada.In doing this, what is Andrew a part of?

A)an imagined community
B)a Canadian fantasy
C)a simulated reality
D)a national web

Question 47

As societies like Canada become larger and more complex, older methods of communication become less feasible.According to the textbook, what does this process lead to?

A)the disintegration of the boundary between fantasy and reality
B)the disorganization of key societal institutions
C)increased competition for scarce resources
D)the development of new means for societal organization and operation

Question 48

What is media endorsement of capitalism, consumerism, and democracy an example of?

A)convergence of media opinions
B)divergence of media opinions
C)authoritarian control of media
D)national media standards

Question 49

Which of the following statements best reflects a working-class woman's evaluation of a television sitcom?

A)"That's so close to real life."
B)"Nobody acts like that in real life."
C)"That could be my life."
D)"This is not worth watching."

Question 50

ABC Communications Inc.owns a number of television and radio stations and several newspapers.What concept does this type of ownership reflect?

A)media bias
B)horizontal integration
C)vertical integration
D)media regulation

Question 51

By exposing various deviants and showcasing the police and the law, along with model citizens, the media reinforce cultural ideas about who is deserving of rewards and who is deserving of punishments.What does this accomplish?

A)generating class conflict
B)stimulating violence and aggression
C)setting boundaries for normative behaviour
D)merging fantasy and reality

Question 52

Sandra is convinced that mass media is nothing but a profit-generating machine controlled by the elite.Which theory do her ideas reflect?

A)social constructionism
B)postmodernism
C)symbolic interactionism
D)conflict theory

Question 53

What do we call the practice of a single corporation owning businesses that operate in different commercial sectors?

A)cross-media control
B)oligarchy
C)media convergence
D)conglomeration

Question 54

What do we call the practice of a single company controlling more and more production in a particular industry?

A)horizontal integration
B)vertical integration
C)socioeconomic integration
D)productive integration

Question 55

LMNO Corporation owns a coliseum, a hockey team, several magazines and newspapers, a television network, and various retail outlets.Which of the following concepts does LMNO Corporation exemplify?

A)cross-media control
B)media conglomeration
C)media convergence
D)multimedia concentration

Question 56

What body is charged with overseeing Canada's broadcasting and telecommunications systems?

A)the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
B)the Canadian Broadcasting Commission
C)the Canadian Council on Public Media
D)the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Council

Question 57

Which of the following best summarizes the way that black women have been portrayed in mainstream media?

A)Their portrayal has narrowed over time.
B)Their portrayal has remained the same over time.
C)Their portrayal has been consistently negative.
D)Their portrayal has been contested by alternative portrayals.

Question 58

Which of the following theories focuses on the importance of media as a stress reliever in ways that maintain the social order?

A)feminist theory
B)conflict theory
C)symbolic interactionism
D)functionalism

Question 59

Which of the following is a limitation of conflict theory on the issue of elite control of media?

A)News agencies may rely heavily on government and corporate sources but this does not stop journalistic criticism.
B)There are few examples of mainstream journalists who oppose official viewpoints.
C)Journalists are almost always exposed to flak.
D)Conflict theory neglects the socializing function of mass media.

Question 60

Xavier is angry that most of the content available on the Internet is from a single source and, through various media sources, he urges people to create their own Web content.What is Xavier fighting against?

A)media diffusion
B)media imperialism
C)media convergence
D)media conglomeration

Question 61

What do we call the practice of a single corporation controlling production and distribution of various products across a number of fields?

A)horizontal integration
B)vertical integration
C)socioeconomic integration
D)productive integration

Question 62

Anna has a part-time job, she goes to school full-time, and she enjoys an active social life.According to the textbook, if Anna is like most Canadians, what does she spend a significant amount of her daily time doing?

A)reading
B)working out
C)watching TV
D)playing video games

Question 63

Jimmy now remotely programs his home PVR from work using a downloaded "app." What enables him to do this?

A)media convergence
B)vertical integration
C)horizontal integration
D)media concentration

Question 64

Recent public opinion polls demonstrate that provincial premier candidate Edmund is falling behind in the polls.In order to boost his ratings, he directs his campaign manager to create commercials that show his opponent as unable to manage getting her children organized for school, much less being able to organize a provincial government.What is Edmund engaging in?

A)conflict media
B)negative advertising
C)destructive promotion
D)impression management

Question 65

What do we call print, radio, television, and other communication technologies?

A)mass media
B)mass behaviour
C)mass interaction
D)mass dissemination

Question 66

Through Canadian-controlled radio and television, the government ensures that Canadians have access to important national issues, values, and culture.In this situation, what function of media is the government engaging?

A)entertainment
B)socialization
C)coordination
D)social control

Question 67

News agencies rely heavily upon official press releases, news conferences, and interviews organized by large corporations and government agencies.Both routinely slant information to reflect upon themselves favourably.What is this process known as?

A)advertising
B)focusing
C)sourcing
D)flak

Question 68

Which of the following terms is used to signify the fact that humans now live in a world dominated by mass media?

A)the Internet era
B)the global village
C)the electronic connection
D)the World Wide Web

Question 69

Approximately what percentage of their time do Canadians spend interacting with various media today?

A)20 percent
B)30 percent
C)40 percent
D)50 percent

Question 70

Despite improvements in recent decades, according to the textbook, what do feminists and people of colour continue to criticize mainstream media for?

A)misrepresentation
B)too-broad portrayals
C)overrepresentation of poor people as criminals or insane
D)underrepresentation of males in children's shows

Question 71

What do we call information that is transmitted from a single source to a large impersonal audience?

A)remote communication
B)indirect communication
C)disconnected media
D)mass media

Question 72

Chelsea wears clearly labelled brand-name clothing and makes sure that everyone is aware that she owns an iPhone, a PVR, and a Toyota Yaris.What does her behaviour illustrate?

A)individualism
B)corporatism
C)consumerism
D)narcissism

Question 73

When the cellphone was invented, Josh was ten years old.Approximately what age is he today?

A)10-19
B)20-29
C)30-39
D)40-49

Question 74

Michael is planning to run for mayor of his city, and he has been avidly consuming old television footage from the Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate in 1960.Michael is determined to use television media as effectively as Kennedy did.Whose services should he seek out for this plan?

A)image consultants
B)public opinion pollsters
C)focus groups
D)policy analysts

Question 75

On prime-time television, in which of the following roles do women predominate?

A)professionals
B)law enforcement
C)criminals
D)unemployed

Question 76

Many forms of mass media provide people with pleasure, relaxation, and short-term escape from their problems and worries.What function of media does this reflect?

A)coordination
B)entertainment
C)social control
D)socialization

Question 77

What was the dominant mass medium until the 1950s?

A)telegraph
B)radio
C)personal letter
D)newspaper

Question 78

In their study of attitudes toward abortion, how did Andrea Press and Elizabeth Cole characterize most of the responses?

A)as mainly pro-life
B)as confrontational
C)as uninformed
D)as contradictory

Question 79

Which of the following means of communication is increasingly less feasible due to Canada's size and complexity?

A)print media
B)face-to-face interaction
C)interactive computer technology
D)simultaneous media channels

Question 80

XYZ Communications owns a coliseum, a hockey team, several magazines and newspapers, a television network, and various retail outlets.What concept does this type of ownership reflect?

A)media bias
B)horizontal integration
C)vertical integration
D)media regulation