Chapter Review

COMMON THREADS

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One of the Common Threads discussed in Chapter 1 is about the role that media play in a democracy. Is a free media system necessary for democracy to exist, or must democracy first be established to enable a media system to operate freely? What do the mass media do to enhance or secure democracy?

In 1787, as the Constitution was being formed, Thomas Jefferson famously said, “were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” Jefferson supported the notion of a free press and free speech. He stood against the Sedition Act, which penalized free speech, and did not support its renewal when he became president in 1801.

Nevertheless, as president, Jefferson had to withstand the vitriol and allegations of a partisan press. In 1807, near the end of his second term, Jefferson’s idealism about the press had cooled, as he remarked, “The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.”

Today, we contend with mass media that extend far beyond newspapers—a media system that is among the biggest and most powerful institutions in the country. Unfortunately, it is also a media system that too often envisions us as consumers of capitalism, not citizens of a democracy. Media sociologist Herbert Gans argues that the media alone can’t guarantee a democracy.23 “Despite much disingenuous talk about citizen empowerment by politicians and merchandisers, citizens have never had much clout. Countries as big as America operate largely through organizations,” Gans explains.

But in a country as big as America, the media constitute one of those critical organizations that can help or hurt us in creating a more economically and politically democratic society. At their worst, the media can distract or misinform us with falsehoods and errors. But at their Jeffersonian best, the media can shed light on the issues, tell meaningful stories, and foster the discussions that can help a citizens’ democracy flourish.

KEY TERMS

The definitions for the terms listed below can be found in the glossary at the end of the book. The page numbers listed with the terms indicate where the term is highlighted in the chapter.

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For review quizzes, chapter summaries, links to media-related Web sites, and more, go to bedfordstmartins.com/mediaculture.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

The Origins of Free Expression and a Free Press

  1. Explain the various models of the news media that exist under different political systems.
  2. What is the basic philosophical concept that underlies America’s notion of free expression?
  3. What happened with the passage of the Sedition Act of 1798, and what was its relevance to the United States’ new First Amendment?
  4. How has censorship been defined historically?
  5. What is the public domain, and why is it an important element in American culture?
  6. Why is the case of New York Times v. Sullivan so significant in First Amendment history?
  7. What does a public figure have to do to win a libel case? What are the main defenses that a newspaper can use to thwart a charge of libel?
  8. What is the legal significance of the Falwell v. Flynt case?
  9. How has the Internet changed battles over what constitutes obscenity?
  10. What issues are at stake when First Amendment and Sixth Amendment concerns clash?

Film and the First Amendment

  1. Why were films not constitutionally protected as a form of speech until 1952?
  2. Why did film review boards develop, and why did they eventually disband?
  3. How did both the Motion Picture Production Code and the current movie rating system come into being?

Expression in the Media: Print, Broadcast, and Online

  1. The government and the courts view print and broadcasting as different forms of expression. What are the major differences?
  2. What’s the difference between obscenity and indecency?
  3. What is the significance of Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934?
  4. Why didn’t broadcasters like the Fairness Doctrine?

The First Amendment and Democracy

  1. What are the similarities and differences between the debates over broadcast ownership in the 1920s and Internet ownership today?
  2. Why is the future of watchdog journalism in jeopardy?

QUESTIONING THE MEDIA

  1. Have you ever had an experience in which you thought personal or public expression went too far and should be curbed? Explain. How might you remedy this situation?
  2. If you owned a community newspaper and had to formulate a policy for your editors about which letters from readers could appear in a limited space on your editorial page, what kinds of letters would you eliminate and why? Would you be acting as a censor in this situation? Why or why not?
  3. The writer A. J. Liebling once said that freedom of the press belonged only to those who owned one. Explain why you agree or disagree.
  4. Should the United States have a federal shield law to protect reporters?
  5. What do you think of the current movie rating system? Should it be changed? Why or why not?
  6. Should the Fairness Doctrine be revived? Why or why not?
  7. Should corporations, unions, and rich individuals be able to contribute any amount of money they want to support particular candidates and pay for TV ads? Why or why not?

ADDITIONAL VIDEOS

Visit the image VideoCentral: Mass Communication section at bedfordstmartins.com/mediaculture for additional exclusive videos related to Chapter 16, including:

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