Media Topic 2 - Selection & Presentation

Question 1

What is the media’s role in the selection and presentation of news?

Answer 1

The media selects and processes news based on a complex range of practical, ideological, cultural, economic, and social factors.

This suggests that news is a social construct rather than a neutral reflection of reality.

Question 2

What do Herman and Chomsky propose about mainstream news?

Answer 2

They propose a propaganda model, arguing that mainstream news is influenced by powerful social interests that control it.

Question 3

What are key questions regarding news content selection?

Answer 3

• How is the content of the news selected?
• Who decides which events are worthy of media coverage?
• Who decides who gets on TV?

Question 4

How do ownership and profit motives affect news content?

Answer 4

Owners can impose their views on editors, leading to conservative political leanings and a focus on profit that dilutes serious journalism.

Question 5

What is meant by ‘dumbing down’ or tabloidization of news?

Answer 5

It refers to the replacement of serious journalism with entertainment-focused content due to competitive pressures and audience attraction.

Question 6

What is citizen journalism?

Answer 6

Citizen journalism involves the public using mobile phones to record and share news events, transforming traditional journalism.

Question 7

How has the presentation of news changed with new media?

Answer 7

There is less reliance on newspapers and TV, and more use of social media for instant news access and dissemination.

Question 8

What is agenda setting in media?

Answer 8

Agenda setting is the media’s influence in determining which subjects are discussed publicly and how they are perceived.

Question 9

What is gatekeeping in the context of media?

Answer 9

Gatekeeping is the media’s power to refuse coverage of certain issues while allowing others to be published.

Question 10

What is norm-setting in media?

Answer 10

Norm-setting refers to how media promote conformity to social norms while marginalizing non-conformists through negative portrayal.

Question 11

What are news values?

Answer 11

News values are criteria that determine a story’s newsworthiness, such as being unexpected, timely, or involving well-known people.

Question 12

What is the impact of the media on public perception?

Answer 12

The way news items are presented influences public perception, including factors like story placement, headlines, and visuals.

Question 13

What are moral panics?

Answer 13

Moral panics are public fears about exaggerated threats, often targeted at certain activities or social groups deemed threatening.

Question 14

What elements contribute to the creation of a moral panic?

Answer 14

• Identification of ‘folk devils’
• Negative portrayal of the group
• Moral entrepreneurs condemning the group

Question 15

What is ‘churnalism’?

Answer 15

Churnalism refers to the trend of journalists producing articles based on second-hand information rather than original reporting.

Question 16

Who are primary definers in media?

Answer 16

Primary definers are influential figures, such as politicians and business leaders, whose views are prioritized by journalists.

Question 17

What did Davies (2008) find regarding news sourcing?

Answer 17

Davies found that 80% of stories in major newspapers were based on second-hand material, with only 12% generated by reporters.

Question 18

How do journalists’ assumptions shape media content?

Answer 18

Journalists’ assumptions can lead to biased reporting and reinforce dominant ideologies, affecting audience interpretations.

Question 19

What is the relationship between news values and profit-making?

Answer 19

News values are influenced by economic pressures to attract readers and viewers through sensationalized or exclusive stories.

Question 20

Fill in the blank: The media’s influence in laying down the list of subjects for public discussion is known as _______.

Answer 20

[agenda setting]

Question 21

True or False: The media always accurately reflects reality.

Answer 21

False

Question 22

What role does competition play in news reporting?

Answer 22

Competition leads to tighter deadlines, which can result in shortcuts in news gathering and decreased accuracy.

Question 23

What was Philo’s analysis regarding the 2008 global banking crisis?

Answer 23

Philo noted that media directed public anger at bankers while ignoring alternatives to the financial system.

Question 24

What are the consequences of media sensationalism?

Answer 24

Media sensationalism can lead to misrepresentation of events and the creation of moral panics.

Question 25

What is the primary reason journalists rely on primary definers?

Answer 25

Market competition pressures them to rely on convenient news sources ## Footnote This can lead to potential manipulation by governments and businesses.

Question 26

What percentage of stories in major newspapers are constructed from second-hand material according to Davies (2008)?

Answer 26

80 percent ## Footnote This includes stories provided by news agencies and the public relations industry.

Question 27

What demographic does the GMG highlight as predominant in journalism?

Answer 27

White, male, and middle-class ## Footnote This demographic influences source selection, important issues, and news presentation.

Question 28

What is the impact of journalists relying on news agencies and official sources?

Answer 28

It often leads to a lack of fact-checking ## Footnote Journalists simplify their work by depending on these sources.

Question 29

What are 'advertorials'?

Answer 29

Branded content paid for by advertisers that masquerades as news articles ## Footnote Examples include articles that promote products while appearing as journalism.

Question 30

What effect do advertorials have on news content?

Answer 30

They blur the lines between advertising, information, news, and entertainment ## Footnote This results in a reduction of quality and accuracy.

Question 31

According to pluralists, how do journalists sometimes act against the powerful?

Answer 31

By exposing injustice or corruption in government and business ## Footnote This indicates that they are not always influenced by powerful entities.

Question 32

What has the rise of new media done to mainstream media power?

Answer 32

It has begun to undermine the power of mainstream media organizations ## Footnote Citizen journalism allows alternative views to reach millions globally.