mass media review

Mass MediaPractice Reading Review

Mass MediaClearly the mass media strongly influence our thinking and conduct. This is evident in

obvious, simple ways; a teenage boy wears his cap backward in a TV situation comedy, and soon boys nationwide imitate the style. News stories describe a new toy, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and the Fox television network builds a series around it. At Christmas parents jam stores, trying to find the Power Rangers for their children. Actors playing the characters perform for Congress in the House Office Building on the day in 1995 when the Republicans took command of the House and Senate.

The cultural, social, and political impact of the media, of course, runs far deeper than these surface manifestations. The media create public opinion to bring about significant changes. The national campaign to forbid smoking in public places, so strong in the mid-1990s, developed from a spate of news stories about the health dangers created by second-hand smoke. This led to ban against smoking on airlines, creation of smoke-free areas in restaurants, and in some cities a total ban against smoking in restaurants and public buildings. Sensing public support, President Clinton took the issue into the national political arena in 1995 by authorizing a federal regulatory campaign to decrease smoking by teenagers. Similarly, national awareness of the outbreak of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the promotion of safe sex practices to avoid exposure to the fatal disease came about primarily through the mass media.

These are instances in which the media have crystallized public opinion for action. Sometimes, however, the media merely reflect an existing attitude. Motion picture and television producers who make pictures filled with violence claim, for example, that they are merely giving the public what it desires. Some researchers within the media believe, however, that decision makers in their industries have failed to learn what the public really desires. (adapted from Agee, Warren K., Phillip H. Ault and Edwin Emery. Introduction to Mass Communications. 12th ed. 24-26)

So…what do we do??

One sentence summariesOne paragraph at a time

Paragraph 1

Clearly the mass media strongly influence our thinking and conduct. This is evident in obvious, simple ways; a teenage boy wears his cap backward in a TV situation comedy, and soon boys nationwide imitate the style. News stories describe a new toy, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and the Fox television network builds a series around it. At Christmas parents jam stores, trying to find the Power Rangers for their children. Actors playing the characters perform for Congress in the House Office Building on the day in 1995 when the Republicans took command of the House and Senate.

Paragraph 2The cultural, social, and political impact of the media,

of course, runs far deeper than these surface manifestations. The media create public opinion to bring about significant changes. The national campaign to forbid smoking in public places, so strong in the mid-1990s, developed from a spate of news stories about the health dangers created by second-hand smoke. This led to ban against smoking on airlines, creation of smoke-free areas in restaurants, and in some cities a total ban against smoking in restaurants and public buildings. Sensing public support, President Clinton took the issue into the national political arena in 1995 by authorizing a federal regulatory campaign to decrease smoking by teenagers. Similarly, national awareness of the outbreak of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the promotion of safe sex practices to avoid exposure to the fatal disease came about primarily through the mass media.

Paragraph 3


Summaries for each paragraph

1. Mass media strongly influences our thinking and conduct.

2. It creates public opinion to bring about significant changes.

3. Sometimes it reflects an existing attitude.

Which sentence best states the main idea of this passage?

A. Politicians sometime use mass media to gain support for issues concerning the nation.

B. Mass media affects our thinking and conduct through cultural, social, and political influences.

C. Mass media is the root cause of many of the problems in society today.

D. The content of mass media sometimes reflects the opinions, attitudes, and wishes of the American public

The primary purpose of this passage is to

A. give the history of mass media.

B. detail the significance of mass media.

C. analyze the importance of the mass media in bringing about change.

D. describe theories held by researchers about mass media.

MI: Mass media affects our thinking and conduct through cultural, social, and political influences.

The tone of this passage is

A. sarcastic

B. informative

C. humorous

D. clinical

Motion picture and television producers believe that

A. they are the catalysts for changing public opinion about violence.

B. they have failed to understand what the public wants to see in movies.

C. they are fulfilling the public's wishes by producing movies that contain violence.

D. they are responsible for informing the public about dangerous issues such as secondhand smoke and AIDS.

Paragraph 3


Motion picture and television producers believe that

A. they are the catalysts for changing public opinion about violence.

B. they have failed to understand what the public wants to see in movies.

C. they are fulfilling the public's wishes by producing movies that contain violence.

D. they are responsible for informing the public about dangerous issues such as secondhand smoke and AIDS.

Identify the relationship between these sentences from paragraph one.

"Clearly the mass media strongly influence our thinking and conduct. This is evident in obvious, simple ways; a teenage boy wears his cap backward in a TV situation comedy, and soon boys nationwide imitate the style.”

A. addition

B. comparison/contrast

C. time order

D. example

As used in line 10, the word manifestations most nearly means

A. displays or shows

B. motives

C. lists or invoices

D. occurrences of an occult phenomenon

The cultural, social, and political impact of the media, of course, runs far deeper than these surface manifestations.


B. motives



Paragraph 1 (“these surface manifestations”)

Clearly the mass media strongly influence our thinking and conduct. This is evident in obvious, simple ways; (1) a teenage boy wears his cap backward in a TV situation comedy, and soon boys nationwide imitate the style. (2) News stories describe a new toy, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and the Fox television network builds a series around it. At Christmas parents jam stores, trying to find the Power Rangers for their children. Actors playing the characters perform for Congress in the House Office Building on the day in 1995 when the Republicans took command of the House and Senate.

As used in line 10, the word manifestations most nearly means


B. motives



One conclusion that can be drawn from the first paragraph is

A. News reporters often support advertisers in promoting merchandise.

B. Mass media often initiate styles and fads.

C. Parents will do anything to find toys for their children at Christmas.

D. Actors perform as zany cartoon characters at presidential inaugurations.

One conclusion that can be drawn from the first paragraph is





Identify the relationship between these sentences from paragraph two.

"The national campaign to forbid smoking in public places, so strong in the mid-1990s, developed from a spate of news stories about the health dangers created by second-hand smoke. This led to a ban against smoking on airlines, creation of smoke-free areas in restaurants, and in some cities a total ban against smoking in restaurants and public buildings.”

A. cause and effect

B. addition

C. contrast

D. statement and clarification

For the most part, the author of this passage shows bias in favor of

A. restricting the influence of mass media

B. using mass media for political influence

C. the positive impact of mass media

D. regulating the content of mass media

For the most part, the author of this passage shows bias in favor of = feels good about…





Paragraph 2The cultural, social, and political impact of the media, of

course, runs far deeper than these surface manifestations. The media create public opinion to bring about significant changes. The national campaign to forbid smoking in public places, so strong in the mid-1990s, developed from a spate of news stories about the health dangers created by second-hand smoke. This led to ban against smoking on airlines, creation of smoke-free areas in restaurants, and in some cities a total ban against smoking in restaurants and public buildings. Sensing public support, President Clinton took the issue into the national political arena in 1995 by authorizing a federal regulatory campaign to decrease smoking by teenagers. Similarly, national awareness of the outbreak of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the promotion of safe sex practices to avoid exposure to the fatal disease came about primarily through the mass media.

For the most part, the author of this passage shows bias in favor of = feels good about…





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