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Abdul Ali Shaikh

Vocab. Chap. 12 Media

AP Government/Mrs. Geraghty

Adversarial press

The tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering storiesabout them

Sound bite

A radio or video clip of someone speaking

Associated Press

An organization founded for the telegraphic dissemination of news in 1848.

Telecommunications Act of 1996

Allows one company to own as many as eight radio stations in large markets (five in smaller ones) and as

many as it wishes nationally.

Attack journalism

Journalism that seizes on information that might question the character or qualifications of a public

official.

Trial balloon

Information leaked to the media to test reaction to a possible public policy.

Blog

Alog of events on the internet

White House Press Corps

Reporters regularly assigned to cover the president.

Canned news

Press releases or other news items prepared for reporters.

Yellow journalism

Sensationalized news reporting.

Community needs

An official criterion for the renewal of broadcast licenses.

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Equal time rule

An FCC rule that if a broadcaster sells time to one candidate, it must sell equal time to other candidates.

Fairness doctrine

A former rule of the FCC that required broadcasters to give time to opposing views if they broadcast aprogram giving one side of a controversial issue.

FCC

Regulate TV and Radio

Feature stories

Media stories about events that, though public, are not regularly covered by reporters

Freedom of Information Act

U.S. legislation guaranteeing citizens access to certain government documents.

Gatekeeper

Role of the media which involves influencing what subjects become national political issues and for how

long.

Insider stories

Information not usually made public that becomes public because someone with inside knowledge tells a

reporter.

Loaded language

Words that reflect a value judgment, used to persuade the listener without making an argument.

Market (television)

Area where TV is available

Official Secrets Act

Protects government secrets

Off the record

Information from an official that cannot be printed.

On background

Information from an official that can be printed but not attributed to the official by name.

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On the record

Information about someone that can be used and cited

Reckless disregard

Doing something without care of what happens to others

Routine stories

Media stories about events regularly covered by reporters

Scorekeeper

One who tracks polls

Selective attention

Paying attention only to those news stories with which one already agrees