CSS Journalism and Mass Communication chapter 4: Media and society MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
56 exam-style questions on Media and society, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
International communication and new media18 questions
Ten Media and society questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. Which of Grunig and Hunt's models is a one-way flow of accurate information, as in a government press office?
A
Public information
B
Press agentry
C
Two-way symmetric
D
Two-way asymmetric
Show answer
Answer: A. In the public information model the PR person acts as a journalist-in-residence, spreading accurate information in one direction. Press agentry seeks attention and publicity, and truth is not its main concern.
2. An organisation uses opinion surveys to find out how best to persuade the public to accept its policy, but does not expect to change the policy itself. This is the model of
A
two-way symmetric
B
public information
C
two-way asymmetric
D
press agentry
Show answer
Answer: C. Research is used to persuade, while the organisation stays unchanged. That is the mark of the asymmetric model.
3. False information spread deliberately to deceive is called
A
misinformation
B
disinformation
C
verification
D
accreditation
Show answer
Answer: B. Disinformation is deliberate. Misinformation is false information shared without the intention to deceive.
4. A key difference between PR and advertising is that advertising
A
is paid for and controlled by the sponsor
B
is always cheaper than public relations
C
is never meant to persuade anyone
D
is written only by working journalists
Show answer
Answer: A. The advertiser buys the space or time and controls the message. PR coverage is normally earned through the media and is not controlled in the same way.
5. A scientific opinion poll tries to measure public opinion by
A
counting letters to the editor
B
asking only viewers who telephone a channel
C
questioning a representative sample
D
counting likes on a web page
Show answer
Answer: C. A scientific poll uses a sample that represents the population. Self-selected responses give a biased picture.
6. The NWICO debate arose mainly from the complaint of developing countries that
A
they owned far too many news agencies
B
their own newspapers were too free
C
radio had been banned in poor countries
D
a few Western agencies dominated the news flow
Show answer
Answer: D. They argued that world news was gathered and distributed by a handful of Western agencies, and flowed mainly from North to South.
7. The Associated Press began in the United States as a
A
department of the national government
B
company owned by a single proprietor
C
branch of the French agency Havas
D
cooperative of member newspapers
Show answer
Answer: D. AP was formed in 1846 by New York newspapers and remains a cooperative owned by its member papers.
8. In 'Public Opinion' (1922), Walter Lippmann described people as responding to 'pictures in their heads', which were largely supplied by
A
their families
B
the courts
C
their own direct experience
D
the press
Show answer
Answer: D. Lippmann's point was that most people know the wider world only through the pictures the press provides, which he called a pseudo-environment.
9. A criticism sometimes made of development journalism is that it can
A
become mere government publicity
B
give too much space to crime
C
neglect rural areas altogether
D
depend entirely on foreign agencies
Show answer
Answer: A. If it only repeats official claims about progress, development journalism becomes publicity and loses its critical role.
10. A short notice in the small-ads section of a newspaper, such as 'house for rent', is a
A
display advertisement
B
public service advertisement
C
classified advertisement
D
institutional advertisement
Show answer
Answer: C. Classified advertisements are short, usually text-only notices grouped by subject.
56, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 3 topics: Public relations and advertising, Media and society, International communication and new media. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the CSS Journalism and Mass Communication chapter 4 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
