Study Questions

  • Marshall McLuhan argues that the media is the message. Applying that concept, have social media and smart phones become part of the message?

  • The textbook cites examples like Nazi Germany in the World War II era as an example of the "spiral of silence." Can you think of a recent minority view where people, even in the United States, were afraid to voice that view, or suffered repercussions if they did so?

  • Cable news channels are often accused of having a sensational focus on a handful of stories, like the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines plane. Is this an example of the agenda-setting theory? What are other recent examples?

  • Identify the difference between the resonance and competitive models of political campaigns.

  • Are Gans' values more traditionally liberal or conservative values?