MCQ: Setting Agendas


  1. What does the phrase “setting the agenda” mean in media studies?
    A) The media controlling political policies
    B) The media deciding what issues to focus on
    C) The media avoiding controversial topics
    D) The government influencing media decisions
  2. Which of the following best describes how media influences public opinion?
    A) By presenting all perspectives equally
    B) By only focusing on political events
    C) By choosing which news stories to highlight
    D) By allowing people to express their views freely
  3. How does media’s need for advertisements impact its independence?
    A) It ensures unbiased reporting
    B) It influences the selection of news stories
    C) It decreases the focus on business topics
    D) It allows media to function without business influence
  4. Which of the following is an example of media setting an agenda?
    A) Covering only one side of a political debate
    B) Reporting all issues with equal attention
    C) Ignoring celebrity news in favor of environmental issues
    D) Allowing public debates on news channels
  5. What impact does business ownership of media houses have?
    A) It ensures balanced reporting
    B) It leads to unbiased news coverage
    C) It can influence media to favor business interests
    D) It reduces government interference
  6. What role did media play in the cola controversy regarding pesticide levels?
    A) It ignored the issue to protect businesses
    B) It pressured the government to act
    C) It censored negative reports about the companies
    D) It refused to report on the findings
  7. Which of the following is a major challenge of media independence?
    A) Lack of public interest in news
    B) Dependence on business funding and advertisements
    C) Censorship by international organizations
    D) Excessive government funding
  8. How can the public ensure media accountability?
    A) By relying only on government-run media
    B) By blindly trusting all news sources
    C) By questioning and analyzing the news they consume
    D) By avoiding controversial topics
  9. What happens when the media prioritizes entertainment over critical issues?
    A) Public awareness on important issues increases
    B) Issues like poverty and health may be neglected
    C) Media becomes more trustworthy
    D) Media loses its role in shaping public opinion
  10. Why is it important to have diverse sources of news?
    A) To get multiple perspectives on an issue
    B) To ensure support for government policies
    C) To increase viewership ratings
    D) To focus only on local news

Answers and Explanations

  1. B) The media deciding what issues to focus on
    Setting the agenda means that media determines which stories get public attention.
  2. C) By choosing which news stories to highlight
    Media influences public perception by emphasizing certain topics over others.
  3. B) It influences the selection of news stories
    Media depends on advertising revenue, which can affect the type of content they promote.
  4. A) Covering only one side of a political debate
    When media presents only a selective perspective, it influences public opinion.
  5. C) It can influence media to favor business interests
    Media controlled by business houses may avoid reporting negatively about advertisers.
  6. B) It pressured the government to act
    Media reports on pesticide levels in colas raised public awareness and forced regulatory actions.
  7. B) Dependence on business funding and advertisements
    Media often avoids reporting negatively on advertisers to protect revenue sources.
  8. C) By questioning and analyzing the news they consume
    Public scrutiny is essential to holding media accountable and ensuring fair reporting.
  9. B) Issues like poverty and health may be neglected
    When media prioritizes entertainment, it reduces coverage of critical societal issues.
  10. A) To get multiple perspectives on an issue
    Relying on diverse news sources helps prevent biased or one-sided information.

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