The Media

Front 1

1st Amendment

Back 1

This opening passage of the Bill ofRights prohibits Congress from establishing a religion and ensures freedom of expression, religion, press, assembly, and petition.

Front 2

attack ad

Back 2

Political advertising that denounces a candidate's opponent by name.

Front 3

Communications Decenct Act (1996)

Back 3

An act that makes the spread of "indecent" materials on the internet to anyone under the age of 18 a crime.

Front 4

electronic media

Back 4

Radio and television broadcaasting media. The term derives from their method of transmission, in contrast to print media.

Front 5

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Back 5

An independent regulatory commision that controls interstate and foreign electronic communication.

Front 6

feeding frenzy

Back 6

A process through which members of the media attack politicians or candidates whose performance or character has been called into question.

Hint 6

Through such activity, journalists have become news makers as much as news reporters, propelling some politicians into power, while helping to eliminate others.

Front 7

fractionation

Back 7

The division of audiences into small, specialized and narrow groups, based on specialized interests.

Hint 7

Also called narrowcasting.

Front 8

freedom of the press

Back 8

The right to publish and disseminate information without prior restraint, subject to penalties for abuse of the right through such actions as obscenity, libel, incitement to crime, contempt of court, and sedition.

Hint 8

Guaranteed by the 1st and 14th Amendment

Front 9

front runner

Back 9

The presidential candidate considered to have the lead at any given time in an election.

Front 10

gatekeeper function

Back 10

The power of the national media to control the public agenda by deciding what the public will learn about, It gains this power by choosing which topics to report on.

Front 11

horse race coverage

Back 11

Media coverage of presidential primaries with an emphasis on who is leading, who is behind, and who has dropped out.

Front 12

investigative journalism

Back 12

Journalism in which writers actively seek to uncover detailed descriptins of wrongdoings.

Hint 12

also deemed a muckraker.

Front 13

issue ad

Back 13

Political advertisement focusing on a specific issue rather than on a particular candidate.

Front 14

Kennedy-Nixon debates

Back 14

The 1960 presidential election debates between JFK and Nixon. The debates were televised and broadcast on radio. Those wathcing on TV felt JFK won, those listening on the radio felt Nixon won. These debates were a turning point in the identification of the power of television as a political medium.

Front 15

libel

Back 15

written definition of a person's character, which may expose the person to hatred or ridicule, damage his reputation through criminal accusations, or harm him within his profession. The truth of a statement is generally considered a suitable defense against charges of libel.

Hint 15

The 1st Amendment gives the press a limited amount of freedom from libel actions.

Front 16

managed news

Back 16

News the government produces that's designed more to make the government and its interests, policies, and action look good (or less bad) than to deliver complete, truthful, and accurate information to the public.

Front 17

marketplace of ideas

Back 17

The concept that government has no role in managing or controlling the flow of ideas, arguments, or opinions, that occur naturally in a society, and that this flow, if left unhindered, will eventually result in the best ideas rising to the top.

Hint 17

This is one of the main justifications for the freedom of the press. The concept was mostly developed by John Stuart Mills.

Front 18

media consultant

Back 18

A professional pais by a party, candidate, or government official to help present news stories in ways that reflect positively on a candidate or government official.

Hint 18

Also known as a spin doctor.

Front 19

media event

Back 19

A time when government officials or politicians arrange for television and newspapre reporters to see some dramatic evidence of government achievements or decision making.

Front 20

muckraker

Back 20

A journalist or writer who investigates and exposes wrongdoings and excesses of corporations and the government.

Hint 20

Bob Woodward -Watergate.

Front 21

narrowcasting

Back 21

Broadcasting whose content and presentation is directed to a small sector of the population.

Front 22

national newspaper chain

Back 22

A collection of newspapers owned by one individual or company that are distributed to many cities nationally. In theory, a chain allows wider distribution of political news and ideas. They have also given increased power to those publishers aiming to influence politics.

Front 23

political advertising

Back 23

Advertising a political candidate via mass media. Political advertising is a very influential, controversial, sophisticated, and lucrative industry.

Front 24

press secretary

Back 24

The person who represents the White House to the media. The press secretary writes news releases, sets up press conferences, and acts as an intermediary between the White House and the nation (through the press) in the dissemination of information from the White House.

Front 25

prior restraint

Back 25

Preventing an action before it even happens. Prior restraint relies on censorship instead of subsequent punishment.

Front 26

public agenda

Back 26

Issues members of a political community consider worthy of public attention and governmental action.

Hint 26

The media has a great deal of influence on the public agenda.

Front 27

sound bite

Back 27

A short, catchy, memorable statement that news broadcasters can easily fit into their coverage of political events.

Front 28

spin

Back 28

Public-relations campaing interpretation of events or election results that are intended to help a public figure.

Front 29

spin doctor

Back 29

An advisor to a political campaign who tries to persuade journalists of a particular interpretation of events. The intent here is to put a candidate or party in favorable light, and the opposing candidate or party in a negative light.

Front 30

spot ad

Back 30

A type of political advertising that generally promotes a candidate, in a positive fashion, by name.

Front 31

watchdog function

Back 31

The duty to oversee the administration of the law.

Front 32

White House press corps

Back 32

Reporters from various news organizations with the full-time assignment of covering and reporting on the presidency.

Front 33

yellow journalism

Back 33

Sensatoinalistic and irresponsible journalism, often associated with William Randolph Hearst, but seen widely throughout the press.