Journalism 1—History of News, Elements & Functions of the Press, and Ethics
Multiple Choice
Read the following questions carefully. Choose the best answer and write the letter on
your answer sheet.
1. What was the name of the first newspaper published in the American
Colonies?
2. In Colonial America, with what offense were newspapers charged when they
criticized the government, ever if their criticisms were true?
3. A newspaper that prints false, malicious, and seditious information is guilty of
what offense?
4. Which of the following guarantees freedom of the press in the U.S.?
5. What is the name for unethical, irresponsible journalism that emphasizes
hoaxes, screaming headlines, frauds, and self-promotion?
6. This name was given to socially conscious journalism that battled corruption in
all its forms.
7. The first professional radio station was
8. The first television broadcast happened in the year _____________
Journalism 1—History of News, Elements & Functions of the Press, and Ethics
True/False
Read the following statements carefully. Write down “True” or “False” on your answer
sheet. **IF THE STATEMENT IS FALSE, MAKE IT TRUE**
9. Radio waves are not owned by private companies
10. The FCC has censorship power.
11. The first radio newscast was in 1944.
12. The first amendment allows for Freedom of the Press.
13. TMZ is an example of improving standards of the community.
14. News broadcasts are able to get breaking news quicker than newspapers.
15. Libel is the written defamation of character and does not include news
broadcasts.
Functions of a newspaper—Mark “A” if the following is a function of a newspaper,
and mark “B” if it is not.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Associated press
Obituaries
Sentry
Record-keeping
Editorials
Entertainment
Political
Better Business
Economic
Agenda-setting
Marketing
Matching—choose the best answer from the following
27. Ethics
28. Credibility
29. Objectivity
30. Slander
31. Fair comment
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
fair, neutral observation of event
spoken defamation of character
reviews of events based upon fact
set of rules for a standard of decency
degree of professionalism and respect
32. What is the best defense against Libel and slander?
33. What is the primary political function of the media?
34. How does the agenda-setting function of the newspaper work?
Journalism 1—History of News, Elements & Functions of the Press, and Ethics
35. Why is accuracy important to an ethical journalist?
True/False—Write true or false on your answer sheet **IF THE STATEMENT IS
FALSE, MAKE IT TRUE**
36. Slander is spoken defamation of character.
37. You do not always need to attribute your sources.
38. Truth and good reporting are the best defenses against libel and slander.
39. A journalist must always admit his/her errors in a news story.
40. Obituaries (death notices) are part of the economic function of the newspaper.
Law or ethics?
For each of the following scenarios, write whether it deals with the Law or Ethics.
41. An interstate driver decreases his speed to 55 miles an hour when he sees a
new speed limit sign posted.
42. An interstate driver decreases her speed to 40 miles an hour because of icy road
conditions.
43. A shopper informs a sales clerk that the she has given the customer too much
change.
44. A shopper is arrested for shoplifting a roll of toilet paper.
45. A high school newspaper writer deletes a quote from his story because it
includes profanity.
Pulitzer—Biography
46. In what year was Joseph Pulitzer born? Where?
47. What was the name of Pulitzer’s New York paper?
48. Pulitzer’s paper competed with Hearst’s paper, _______________________.
49. What national monument did Pulitzer help to bring to New York?
50. What physical sense did Joseph Pulitzer lose?
Journalism 1—History of News, Elements & Functions of the Press, and Ethics
Define the following terms:
Human interest
Proximity
Prominence
Timeliness
Conflict
Apply the same elements to the following situations and label them accordingly:
1)
2)
3)
4)
A former president of the United States dies.
A girl, 7, is enrolled in a high school math class.
Tomorrow is the first day of spring.
The local school board has three positions open for the coming school
term.
5) A story about a woman who wins a pie-eating contest.
6) The Queen of England is newsworthy. A coal miner is not. What
accounts for the Queen’s newsworthiness?
7) This weekend was the Presidential inauguration.
8) Candidates for governor hold a debate.
9) 9 Miners are trapped underground in Pennsylvania.
10) Academy Award winning actress sues her husband for divorce.
11) 200 people are held hostage by terrorists.
12) A fist fight breaks out between NBA players and fans.