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8.6: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    153899
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    agenda setting
    the media’s ability to choose which issues or topics get attention
    beat
    the coverage area assigned to journalists for news or stories
    citizen journalism
    video and print news posted to the Internet or social media by citizens rather than the news media
    cultivation theory
    the idea that media affect a citizen’s worldview through the information presented
    digital paywall
    the need for a paid subscription to access published online material
    equal-time rule
    an FCC policy that all candidates running for office must be given the same radio and television airtime opportunities
    fairness doctrine
    a 1949 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy, now defunct, that required holders of broadcast licenses to cover controversial issues in a balanced manner
    framing
    the process of giving a news story a specific context or background
    Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
    a federal statute that requires public agencies to provide certain types of information requested by citizens
    hypodermic theory
    the idea that information is placed in a citizen’s brain and accepted
    indecency regulations
    laws that limit indecent and obscene material on public airwaves
    libel
    printed information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization
    mass media
    the collection of all media forms that communicate information to the general public
    minimal effects theory
    the idea that the media have little effect on citizens
    muckraking
    news coverage focusing on exposing corrupt business and government practices
    party press era
    period during the 1780s in which newspaper content was biased by political partisanship
    priming
    the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think a particular way
    prior restraint
    a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it (e.g., forbidding someone to publish a book they plan to release)
    public relations
    biased communication intended to improve the image of people, companies, or organizations
    reporter’s privilege
    the right of a journalist to keep a source confidential
    slander
    spoken information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization
    soft news
    news presented in an entertaining style
    sunshine laws
    laws that require government documents and proceedings to be made public
    yellow journalism
    sensationalized coverage of scandals and human interest stories

    8.6: Key Terms is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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