Lesson 8.04 Mass Media and Campaigns

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Mass Media Review Game

After completing the Learn section of the lesson, assess your understanding of the concepts by playing this game.

1. President __________ monitored ABC, CBS and NBC in the Oval Office which illustrates the fact that By the mid-1960’s television had assumed an important role in American politics.

   1. Franklin D. Roosevelt
   2. John F. Kennedy
   3. Lyndon B. Johnson
   4. Bill Clinton

   Answer: c. Lyndon B. Johnson

2. President __________ was the last to be able to keep his affairs with women private while in the White House.
   1. Franklin D. Roosevelt
   2. John F. Kennedy
   3. Lyndon B. Johnson
   4. Bill Clinton

   Answer: b. John F. Kennedy

3. As a result of the nature of television’s “real time” coverage, Americans have grown frustrated over the last fifty years with the government’s:
   1. corruption and propensity for scandal.
   2. slowness in carrying out its duties.
   3. public nature.  Nothing seems to be held in secret.
   4. inability to stop press leaks on major policy matters.

   Answer: b. slowness in carrying out its duties.

4. How was passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 affected by television coverage of the events in Selma, Alabama?

   1. The violence and bloodshed weakened support in Congress for passage of the legislation.
   2. The violence and bloodshed forced President Johnson to withdraw support for the bill.
   3. Because the violence was publicized by television coverage, it helped with the passage of the bill.
   4. Television coverage had little impact since the nation’s focus was on the Vietnam War.

   Answer: c. Because the violence was publicized by television coverage, it helped with the passage of the bill.

5. After the events of the Vietnam War and Watergate,
   1. the personal lives of presidents became off limits to the press.
   2. the press and the President teamed up to hide scandals from the public.
   3. the relationship between the President and the press soured.
   4. the relationship between the President and the press improved.

   Answer: c. the relationship between the President and the press soured.

6. Which of the following presidents was a victim of the change in press coverage of presidents’ personal lives when his affair with Monica Lewinsky was reported by the Drudge Report?

   1. Franklin D. Roosevelt
   2. John F. Kennedy
   3. Lyndon B. Johnson
   4. Bill Clinton

   Answer: d. Bill Clinton

7. Stories in the press tend to focus on “horse race” politics.  This means that:
   1. journalists report the muck and mire of politics.
   2. journalists tend to focus on who is winning in an election more than on the issues.
   3. issues take priority over the election coverage found on television.
   4. gambling tends to be a top story reported by journalists in all forms of media.

   Answer: b. journalists tend to focus on who is winning in an election more than on the issues.

8. Television began to replace radio and dominate political coverage in which decade?
   1. 1940s
   2.  1950s
   3. 1960s
   4. 1970s

   Answer: b.  1950s

9. Eisenhower used political campaign commercials for the first time in the ________.
   1. election of 1952
   2. election of 1960
   3. election of 1944
   4. election of 1972

   Answer: a. election of 1952

10. What is currently the major source of political communication between candidates and voters?

    1. speeches
    2. commercials

    Answer: b. commercials

11. “Soundbites” used by television news are:
    1. snippets of statements made by candidates.
    2. in-depth analysis of candidate positions on issues.

    Answer: a. snippets of statements made by candidates.

12. All of the following are true concerning the Kennedy-Nixon debate EXCEPT
    1. It was the first example of radio coverage of a political event.
    2. It was the first televised presidential debate.
    3. After the debates, the role of television in political campaigns increased.
    4. Those who watched the 1960 presidential debate felt that Kennedy won.

    Answer: a. It was the first example of radio coverage of a political event.

13. ___________ is the most popular source of news for younger Americans today.
    1. radio
    2. electronic media
    3. television
    4. newspapers

    Answer: b. electronic media

14. Which of the following statements is true regarding presidential campaign advertising?
    1. In the beginning, most of the ads supported one candidate, highlighting the character and good deeds of the candidate.
    2. In the beginning, most of the ads were negative. Campaign regulations passed in 1972 changed that trend.
    3. In the beginning the federal government outlawed negative advertising.  It is still prohibited today.
    4. Negative campaign ads have only been used in the last two presidential elections.

    Answer: a. In the beginning, most of the ads supported one candidate, highlighting the character and good deeds of the candidate.

15. A negative political ad will often use all the following, EXCEPT
    1. fear
    2. misinformation
    3. images that make the candidate look “goofy” or unappealing to voters
    4. unbiased information about the opponent’s record or character

    Answer: d. unbiased information about the opponent’s record or character