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SMPA 1050 Exam #1- Aday Questions and
Correct Answers
Hostile Media Effect Ans: The more we care about a certain topic,
the more likely we are to think that the press is biased against our
side and for the other side
Why is "lie" a loaded term? Ans: The idea of a lie is that you not
only told people something false, you did it with the intent to
mislead them. Calling people liars is saying that they meant to
mislead those they told the lie to- they might have just been
misinformed or uneducated on the subject.
Objectivity in the media Ans: Not taking a side- instead, presenting
both sides as fairly as possible without bias. An impossible goal,
but one that the media strives to achieve. Detached balance for
credibility
"View From Nowhere" Ans: A journalistic sense of zero
perspective. Removes you from responsibility for stating the facts.
Hutchens Commission (1947) Ans: AKA the Commission on the
Freedom of the Press. There isn't just a right to inform, but people
also have the right to BE informed.
Recent Trends in News Values Ans: -Celebrities as news and in
news (DiCaprio, Wolf Blitzer)
- Substitution of talk and opinion for news (cable news isn't all
news)
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- News is entertainment, entertainment is news (in a way it wasn't
before)
- Hard news replaced by soft news (feel-good pieces instead of real
stories)
- More about attracting people and profit than a public service
Party Press Ans: News sponsored by politicians and parties. Only
elites in politics and economy read them. Founding of USA-1830s.
"Preaching to the choir"- meant for those who could vote and the
wealthy. Top-down: politicians to people
Penny Press Ans: 1830- late 1800s. Cheaper and meant for the
common person now that more people can vote. Looked for large
circulation. Made $ thru ads. Reporters politically independent.
Democratic Market Society reason why this exploded- country
booms, so does the media. Bottom-up: people to politicians. Facts
> opinion.
Muckrakers Ans: late 19th- early 20th century. Extension of Penny,
first instances of investigative journalism. Beginning of objective
model ("he said, she said").
Kerner Commission Ans: Part of the reason social issues blew up
when they did (like the '68 riots) was because the media, in its
bias, missed underlying tensions.
Media Bias Ans: Media rooms were mostly white males in areas
with heavy black populations- didn't reflect the city. This reflected
societal problems- uphill battle for minorities in media too. Still
true(ish) to this day. Not just what's included, but what's NOT
included.
Political Communication Triangle Ans: Public-Press-Politicians
© 2025 All rights reserved
SMPA 1050 Exam #1- Aday Questions and
Correct Answers
Hostile Media Effect Ans: The more we care about a certain topic,
the more likely we are to think that the press is biased against our
side and for the other side
Why is "lie" a loaded term? Ans: The idea of a lie is that you not
only told people something false, you did it with the intent to
mislead them. Calling people liars is saying that they meant to
mislead those they told the lie to- they might have just been
misinformed or uneducated on the subject.
Objectivity in the media Ans: Not taking a side- instead, presenting
both sides as fairly as possible without bias. An impossible goal,
but one that the media strives to achieve. Detached balance for
credibility
"View From Nowhere" Ans: A journalistic sense of zero
perspective. Removes you from responsibility for stating the facts.
Hutchens Commission (1947) Ans: AKA the Commission on the
Freedom of the Press. There isn't just a right to inform, but people
also have the right to BE informed.
Recent Trends in News Values Ans: -Celebrities as news and in
news (DiCaprio, Wolf Blitzer)
- Substitution of talk and opinion for news (cable news isn't all
news)
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
- News is entertainment, entertainment is news (in a way it wasn't
before)
- Hard news replaced by soft news (feel-good pieces instead of real
stories)
- More about attracting people and profit than a public service
Party Press Ans: News sponsored by politicians and parties. Only
elites in politics and economy read them. Founding of USA-1830s.
"Preaching to the choir"- meant for those who could vote and the
wealthy. Top-down: politicians to people
Penny Press Ans: 1830- late 1800s. Cheaper and meant for the
common person now that more people can vote. Looked for large
circulation. Made $ thru ads. Reporters politically independent.
Democratic Market Society reason why this exploded- country
booms, so does the media. Bottom-up: people to politicians. Facts
> opinion.
Muckrakers Ans: late 19th- early 20th century. Extension of Penny,
first instances of investigative journalism. Beginning of objective
model ("he said, she said").
Kerner Commission Ans: Part of the reason social issues blew up
when they did (like the '68 riots) was because the media, in its
bias, missed underlying tensions.
Media Bias Ans: Media rooms were mostly white males in areas
with heavy black populations- didn't reflect the city. This reflected
societal problems- uphill battle for minorities in media too. Still
true(ish) to this day. Not just what's included, but what's NOT
included.
Political Communication Triangle Ans: Public-Press-Politicians
© 2025 All rights reserved
