COMM 436/636, Issues, History of the Mass Media

Diagnostic Quiz

How much do you know about mass media history? Find out with this handy quiz!

1. Television begin in the late 1930s, but it wasn't until the early 1950s that people really believed it would be absolutely necessary to have a TV. One important reason was

a. the new rock-and-roll music presented on MTV.

b. broadcast of the Senate anti-Communist "McCarthy Hearings."

c. Vietnam war in the news.

d. closure of movie theaters.

2. During World War II, most people got their news from

a. e-mail and the Internet.

b. television and radio.

c. radio and newspapers.

d. newspapers and telegraph.

3. Mass media history might be worth knowing because

a. you can win trivia games.

b. you can gain perspective on "why we do things that way" today.

c. you can speak more intelligently with your peers.

d. you can predict the future.

4. Speaking of perspective, why do we consider "objectivity" a worthy value in news reporting?

a. Opinion was biased and so had little informative value.

b. Consolidation of the media left Americans with few competing voices in news reporting.

c. Rise of libel lawsuits made objectivity necessary.

d. The government began requiring news organizations to be objective.

5. What was important about the "yellow press?"

a. Emphasized sensationalism over objectivity.

b. Emphasized objectivity over sensationalism.

c. First opportunity for professional journalists to work on large dailies.

d. Helped to start the U.S. Civil War.

6. Probably the best known historic publisher is Joseph Pulitzer. He is remembered for his

a. promotion of the concept of newspapers for a mass audience.

b. promotion of coverage in the Spanish-American War.

c. establishing the Columbia University School of Journalism.

d. All of the above.

7. One of the reasons we know so much about U.S. Civil War battles today is

a. radio reports made the battles "come alive."

b. Frederick Remington was there to paint the battlefields.

c. Stanton's war reporters relied on newly-developed air mail to quickly file their reports.

d. Brady's war photographers extensively photographed the battlefields.

8. Journalism was critical to the Patriot side in the American Revolution because

a. coded reports could coordinate battle plans and dates.

b. influential opinions could persuade colonials to join the effort.

c. George Washington could publish advertisements to help raise enlistments.

d. generals could assess enemy strength by watching television reports.

9. Generally, what do you feel you already know about mass media history?

a. I'm a completely blank slate--why do you think I signed up for this class?

b. A little bit based on other history classes I've taken in high school and university.

c. A little bit, based on my own reading.

d. Quite a lot, but this class can help me learn more.

e. Nada, but it looks like another Collins class "easy A."