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AP Government: The Media Flashcards

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5683367967MuckrakerJournalist who exposed corruption and other problems of the late 1800s and early 1900s/one who spreads real or alleged scandal about another (usually for political advantage)0
5683367968Associated PressThe telegraph system allowed the exchange of national and international news to be shared by different newspapers, and in 1846, newspaper publishers from around the nation gathered to create an organization that would promote cooperative news gathering by wire.1
5683367969Yellow JournalismJournalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers.2
5683367970Equal Time Rulean FCC rule that if a broadcaster sells time to one candidate, it must sell equal time to other candidates.3
5683367971Right-of-Reply RuleA regulation by the FCC permitting a person the right to respond if attacked on a broadcast other than in a regular news program.4
5683367972Political Editorializing RuleA rule of the FCC that if a broadcaster endorses a candidate, the opposing candidate has a right to reply5
5683367973Adversarial Pressthe tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them6
5683367974Off/On The Recordinformation provided to a journalist that will not be released to the public/ information provided to a journalist that can be released and attributed by name to the source.7
5683367975On (deep) Backgroundwhat the official says can be used but not attributed to anybody, even an anonymous source...Information from an official that can be printed but not attributed at all.8
5683367976"Big Three" NetworksThe original television broadcasting networks: ABC, CBS, NBC9
5683367977Sound Bitesshort snippets of information aimed at dramatizing a story rather than explaining its substantive meaning10
5683367978LibelWritten untruths that are harmful to someone's reputation.11
5683367979Slanderwords falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another.12
5683367980Defamationact of harming or ruining another's reputation.13
5683367981Prior RestraintA government preventing material from being published. This is a common method of limiting the press in some nations, but it is usually unconstitutional in the United States, according to the First Amendment and as confirmed in the 1931 Supreme Court case of Near v. Minnesota.14
5683367982The Pentagon PapersCommon case dealing with prior restraints and national security involved the publications of stolen pentagon papers about military involvement in Vietnam were leaked15
5683367983Trial BalloonTests the public reaction to policy or appointments by releasing information to the media and gaugin public reaction16
5683367984Loaded Languagewords that imply a value judgement, used to persuade a reader without having made a serious argument17
5683367985Fairness Doctrinean FCC requirement that broadcasters who air programs on controversial issues provide time for opposing views.18
5683367986Selective Attentionpaying attention only to those news stories with which one already agrees19
5683367987Editorial Endorsementa media source declaring support for a candidate or policy20
5683367988C-SPANThe cable network that provides gavel-to-gavel coverage of congressional floor proceedings, committee hearings, and special events.21
5683367989Routine Storiesmedia stories about events that are regularly covered by reporters22
5683367990Feature Storiesmedia stories about events that, though public, are not regularly covered by reporters23
5683367991Insider StoriesA type of news story that involves information not usually made public which requires investigative work on the part of a reporter or a leak by some public official.24
5683367992News Leaksthe tactic used widely by White House officials of releasing information to the press on an anonymous basis when it serves the officials interests to have the information publicized. some of these are unauthorized and unwanted by the White House.25
5683367993Feeding FrenzyJust as sharks engage in a feeding frenzy when they sense blood in the water, the media "attack" when they sense wrongdoing or scandal in government, and devote great amounts of coverage to such stories.26
5683367994Pack Journalismthe tendency of journalists to cover stories because other journalists are covering them and to ignore stories that other journalists arent covering27
5683367995New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)Case in which the Supreme Court concluded that "actual malice" must be proven to support a finding of libel against a public figure28
5683367996Federal Communications Commissionan independent governmeent agency that regulates interstate and international communications by radio and television and wire and cable and satellite29
5683367997Telecommunications Acteffort to do away with most regulations: loosened restrictions on media ownership, allowed telephone companies, cable tv providers, and broadcasters to compete with each other for telecommunication services30
5683367998Shield LawLaw guaranteeing news reporters the right to protect the annonymity of their sources. States have passed this--not the federal government.31
5683367999"Above" or "Below The Fold" Storiesstories that are important news stories, this is where the photographs are located.32
5683368000Freedom of Information Act (1974)Allows public access to nonclassified federal documents.33

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