Influence of Mass Media Answers

Read the scenario.During the 1960 presidential election, Republican candidate Richard Nixon and Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy held the first presidential debates on US television. Since television was a relatively new form of media, the debates were also broadcast on radio. Nixon and Kennedy came across very differently on television. Nixon, who was older than Kennedy and had recently been ill, looked pale, tired, and in need of a shave. Kennedy, on the other hand, looked tanned, rested, and healthy. Kennedy looked into the camera, as if he were talking directly to the public. Nixon directed his gaze to the reporters in the room, which made it look like he was trying to avoid eye contact with the public. Polls held after the first debate showed that most TV viewers believed that Kennedy had won the debate. Radio listeners, on the other hand, believed either that the debate had been a draw or that Nixon had won. Kennedy went on to win the election in a close race.

Read the scenario.A news program decides to raise awareness of how climate change affects tribal fishing in the Pacific Northwest. The program broadcasts three reports on different parts of the problem. It airs stories on ways climate change affects tribal fish farms, efforts to block mining companies that endanger salmon populations, and ways tribes have adapted to climate change.

What do the media do in their role as watchdog?

Which situation is an example of social media users acting as watchdogs?

What is one characteristic of mass media?

Which situation is an example of using social media?

Read this description about social media.Social media can have both positive and negative effects. Sometimes, users post comments that spread hate, promote racism, or encourage violence. As a result, most social media platforms have policies in place to address this problem. The platforms will remove offensive posts. They also will flag and sometimes close accounts they think are inappropriate.

Which scenario is an example of how social media can influence elections?

Read the scenario.On March 7, 1965, hundreds of civil rights activists began a peaceful march from Selma, Alabama, to the capitol in Montgomery. They were protesting in favor of voting rights for African Americans. As the marchers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, they were attacked by state troopers on foot and on horseback. The troopers severely beat and tear-gassed the marchers, even though they did not fight back. The encounter was filmed and shown on national news that night. The public was shocked by the violence of the state troopers. That news coverage was a turning point in the fight for racial justice. Not long after, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law.

How does mass media differ from social media?