BSJ Bachelor of Journalism: Journalistic Arts Skills 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the role of a 'gatekeeper' in traditional mass media theory?
- A legal advisor who reviews content before publication
- An editor or producer who decides which stories reach the public (Correct answer)
- A government regulator overseeing broadcast licenses
- A fact-checker who verifies sources before stories run
Correct answer: An editor or producer who decides which stories reach the public
In media theory, gatekeepers are editors, producers, or executives who control the flow of news by selecting which stories are published or broadcast.
Question 2: When a journalist uses the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), they are seeking to:
- Protect their sources from government subpoenas
- Obtain access to federal agency records (Correct answer)
- Register as a credentialed press member
- Request an interview with a federal official
Correct answer: Obtain access to federal agency records
FOIA allows journalists and the public to request disclosure of previously unreleased information held by US federal government agencies.
Question 3: A broadcast reporter recording a 'stand-up' is doing which of the following?
- Interviewing a source on camera
- Appearing on camera to deliver part of the story (Correct answer)
- Recording ambient sound at a news scene
- Reading copy from a teleprompter in the studio
Correct answer: Appearing on camera to deliver part of the story
A stand-up is when a TV reporter appears on camera, typically at the scene, delivering narrative content that bridges parts of the story.
Question 4: The ethical principle of 'minimizing harm' in the SPJ Code of Ethics would most directly apply when a journalist:
- Decides whether to name a sexual assault victim in a story (Correct answer)
- Chooses between two competing story angles
- Calculates the length of a news package for broadcast
- Negotiates deadlines with an editor
Correct answer: Decides whether to name a sexual assault victim in a story
Minimizing harm guides journalists to consider the potential damage to individuals — such as sexual assault victims — before publishing identifying information.
Question 5: What distinguishes 'solutions journalism' from traditional reporting?
- It avoids covering political topics entirely
- It focuses on responses to problems, not just the problems themselves (Correct answer)
- It requires reporters to offer personal opinions on outcomes
- It relies exclusively on anonymous sources
Correct answer: It focuses on responses to problems, not just the problems themselves
Solutions journalism rigorously covers how people and organizations are responding to social problems, complementing traditional problem-focused reporting with evidence of what works.
Question 6: In podcast journalism, which production element most directly ensures the listener can follow a complex narrative across multiple episodes?
- High-quality microphone recording
- Previously on / recap segment (Correct answer)
- Interview length limitations
- Stereo sound mixing
Correct answer: Previously on / recap segment
Recap or 'previously on' segments orient returning and new listeners by summarizing key narrative threads developed in earlier episodes.
Question 7: A reporter who writes a story based solely on a single industry-funded study without noting its funding source or seeking independent expert comment has failed which journalistic standard?
- Transparency and source diversity (Correct answer)
- Speed and timeliness
- Multimedia storytelling
- Audience engagement
Correct answer: Transparency and source diversity
Transparency requires disclosing potential conflicts of interest in sources, and source diversity requires seeking independent verification, both of which were absent here.
BSJ Bachelor of Journalism: Journalistic Arts Skills 5
Which of the following best describes the role of a 'gatekeeper' in traditional mass media theory?