History Of Journalism
The history of modern journalism is broad and varied, but a few key events serve to outline its path from word-of-mouth to the click-of-a-button entity it is today.
- 1.
What device, invented around the year 1450, enabled the masses to be able to read the Bible in local languages, rather than have it read to them in Latin only?
- A.
Whitney Cotton Gin
- B.
Guggenheim Press
- C.
Gregorian Tablet
- D.
Gutenberg Press
Correct Answer
D. Gutenberg Press -
- 2.
America's first newspaper was printed in 1690. What was the name of this publication?
- A.
Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick
- B.
New York Telegraph
- C.
New England Courant
- D.
Boston News-Letter
Correct Answer
A. Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick -
- 3.
This one-time publication was the most widely circulated of its day and paved the way for the American Revolution. What was it?
- A.
Emancipation Proclamation
- B.
Common Sense
- C.
Poor Richard's Almanac
- D.
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Correct Answer
B. Common Sense -
- 4.
By the early 1800s, the steam-powered cylinder press could spit out 4,000 copies in an hour. What was the new name given to this new way of printing newspapers?
- A.
Mass Media
- B.
Market News
- C.
Penny Press
- D.
Nickelbacks
Correct Answer
C. Penny Press -
- 5.
In 1848, this organization brought together newspapers across the country in order so that each could share and disseminate news stories to each other, rather than be in competition.
- A.
United Press Syndicate
- B.
Daily Press Corps
- C.
Associated Press
- D.
Reuters
Correct Answer
C. Associated Press -
- 6.
What was a primary reason newspapers grew so rapidly in the mid-1800s, prior to the Civil War?
- A.
War in the Atlantic hastened the need for more news coverage.
- B.
Influx of population of immigrants and the quest for equal rights by minorities and women.
- C.
The decline in population of the western United States was notably newsworthy.
- D.
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was of national importance
Correct Answer
B. Influx of population of immigrants and the quest for equal rights by minorities and women. -
- 7.
How did the Civil War change the newspaper?
- A.
It provided a new way of writing: the Inverted Pyramid
- B.
Writers now wrote more objectively, as opposed to embellishing or adding their opinions to the story
- C.
The invention of the camera enabled photographers to take pictures to go along with news stories
- D.
News reporters now had press credentials -- press passes -- that enabled them to get closer to the action
- E.
All the above
Correct Answer
E. All the above -
- 8.
What was invented in 1844 that, though costly, helped news reach long distances?
- A.
Telegraph
- B.
Telephone
- C.
Pony Express
- D.
World Wide Web
Correct Answer
A. Telegraph -
- 9.
The "Inverted Pyramid," which came about during the Civil War, is a writing style that became popular with news writers because it:
- A.
Outlines the story in a narrative format; that it is goes from the beginning to the end of a new story.
- B.
Focuses on people, as opposed to events, of a news story.
- C.
Is a wartime news writing method, catered to times of conflict, as opposed to peace.
- D.
Begins a news story with the most important details first, followed by lesser details.
Correct Answer
D. Begins a news story with the most important details first, followed by lesser details. -
- 10.
These two newspaper publishers became direct competitors in the late 1800s when both took over large publications in New York City.
- A.
Abbot and Costello
- B.
Hearst and Pulitzer
- C.
Beavis and Butthead
- D.
Lippman and Murrow
Correct Answer
B. Hearst and Pulitzer -
- 11.
What event may have been caused by the "Yellow Journalism" of publishers like William Randolph Hearst?
- A.
Spanish-American War
- B.
Teapot-Dome Affair
- C.
Cuban Missile Crisis
- D.
USS Maine sinking
Correct Answer
A. Spanish-American War -
- 12.
A Muckrakers is a news reporter who:
- A.
Practiced "Yellow Journalism."
- B.
Ran for political office after retiring from news.
- C.
Opposed the current political regime.
- D.
Was an investigative reporter and often tackled social issues.
Correct Answer
D. Was an investigative reporter and often tackled social issues. -
- 13.
I was a well-known columnist in the early 1900s who became a model of the professional, well-educated, expert journalist.
- A.
Walter Lippman
- B.
Frederick Douglass
- C.
Tom Brokaw
- D.
William Randolph Hearst
Correct Answer
A. Walter Lippman -
- 14.
In this type of newspaper, the contents are usually exaggerated or sometimes completely false:
- A.
Regional
- B.
Periodical
- C.
Tabloid
- D.
Hot-off-the-press
Correct Answer
C. Tabloid -
- 15.
The first radio station in America was:
- A.
KTMO in Worcester, MA
- B.
WFAN in New York City, NY
- C.
WZLE in Boston, MA
- D.
KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA
Correct Answer
D. KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA -
- 16.
Though it did not yet reach every home, the first television broadcast was nevertheless made in what year?
- A.
1914
- B.
1944
- C.
1939
- D.
1923
Correct Answer
C. 1939 -
- 17.
This newspaper reporter was a "star" reporter in his day, and challenged Senator Joe McCarthy's allegations that America was filled with Communists.
- A.
Edward R. Murrow
- B.
Nelly Bly
- C.
Joseph Pulitzer
- D.
Upton Sinclair
Correct Answer
A. Edward R. Murrow -
- 18.
In 1972, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward were news reporters who broke wide open a scandal that eventually led to the resignation of then President Richard Nixon. What was this event called?
- A.
The Iran-Contra Affair
- B.
The Inflation Conspiracy
- C.
Black Friday
- D.
The Watergate Scandal
Correct Answer
D. The Watergate Scandal -
- 19.
What event propelled CNN, and likewise other 24-hour network news outlets, to the forefront of mass media?
- A.
Clinton-Lewinski Scandal
- B.
The September 11th Attacks
- C.
The First Gulf War
- D.
The Vietnam War
Correct Answer
C. The First Gulf War -
- 20.
What is a growing consequence of the fact that Internet news and 24-hour news networks now rule the news waves?
- A.
Less serious news stories now dominate the airwaves
- B.
Less money is being made by news outlets
- C.
Newspapers are once again growing in popularity
- D.
Local news is being ignored
Correct Answer
A. Less serious news stories now dominate the airwaves -
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Current Version
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Jan 17, 2013Quiz Edited by
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Aug 24, 2010Quiz Created by
Lloydbuckley
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