BSJ Bachelor of Journalism: Media Impact on Society 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which phenomenon occurs when news coverage of crime consistently overrepresents certain racial groups as perpetrators, shaping audience perceptions?
- Yellow journalism
- Racial priming
- Representation bias (Correct answer)
- Selective exposure
Correct answer: Representation bias
Representation bias in crime reporting can distort public perception of race and crime, reinforcing stereotypes that diverge from actual crime statistics.
Question 2: What is the primary concern with 'native advertising' from a media ethics standpoint?
- It is too expensive for small advertisers
- It blurs the line between editorial content and paid promotion (Correct answer)
- It cannot be targeted to specific audiences
- It violates copyright law
Correct answer: It blurs the line between editorial content and paid promotion
Native advertising mimics the look and feel of editorial content, raising ethical concerns about transparency and the potential to mislead audiences.
Question 3: The 'digital divide' in the context of media impact primarily refers to:
- The difference in reporting standards between print and digital outlets
- Unequal access to digital technology and internet connectivity across populations (Correct answer)
- The divide between social media and traditional news consumers
- Disagreements between journalists and tech companies
Correct answer: Unequal access to digital technology and internet connectivity across populations
The digital divide describes disparities in access to and use of digital technologies based on socioeconomic status, geography, age, or education.
Question 4: Which concept explains why people seek out media that confirms their existing beliefs and avoid challenging information?
- Priming
- Selective exposure (Correct answer)
- Third-person effect
- Gatekeeping
Correct answer: Selective exposure
Selective exposure theory holds that individuals prefer information consistent with their pre-existing attitudes, contributing to polarization and echo chambers.
Question 5: A journalist uncovers government corruption by publishing leaked classified documents. The government seeks an injunction to stop publication. This conflict involves which core principle?
- Right to privacy vs. public interest
- Prior restraint vs. freedom of the press (Correct answer)
- Shield laws vs. national security
- Defamation vs. fair comment
Correct answer: Prior restraint vs. freedom of the press
This scenario directly invokes the prior restraint doctrine, pitting government attempts to suppress publication against First Amendment press freedoms, as in the Pentagon Papers case.
Question 6: What does research on the 'third-person effect' in media studies suggest?
- Three sources are needed to verify a story
- People believe media has more influence on others than on themselves (Correct answer)
- A story needs three perspectives to be balanced
- Third-party fact-checkers are most trusted
Correct answer: People believe media has more influence on others than on themselves
The third-person effect describes the tendency to believe that persuasive media messages influence other people more than oneself.
Question 7: Which term describes the shift in journalism where audience engagement metrics like clicks and shares increasingly drive editorial decisions?
- Clickbait journalism
- Metrics-driven journalism (Correct answer)
- Participatory journalism
- Gonzo journalism
Correct answer: Metrics-driven journalism
Metrics-driven journalism refers to editorial practices shaped by data analytics measuring clicks, shares, and time-on-page, often at the expense of public interest journalism.
BSJ Bachelor of Journalism: Media Impact on Society 4
Which phenomenon occurs when news coverage of crime consistently overrepresents certain racial groups as perpetrators, shaping audience perceptions?