UGC NET/JRF EXAM, Mass Communication & Journalism, June-2020

Total Questions: 100

91. Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow:

Prominent politicians, pundits and commentators regularly emphasise how new ICT and 'infostructures' are leading to an entirely new kind of 'information society' or 'digital economy'.

Even that hero of the long political struggle for change in South Africa, Nelson Mandela, has been occasionally mobilised to extol the promises of 'a world-wide information society'.

A core feature of the many national and global information society initiatives in the 1990s has been universal stress on the pervasive benefits of new ICT. Irrespective of national origin, the pervasive prophesy is that we are entering an entirely new kind of 'information society'.

Both new ICT and information are defined as increasingly central to all aspects of economic, political and cultural activity and the key drivers of radical social change.

Thus as we enter the new millennium, to admire and enthuse over technology and its presumed social or economic benefits has become highly fashionable compared to the 1970s.

We are on the way to a new economic and social system based on new ICT and information structures, one which is fundamentally different to the kind of social and economic order which has prevailed since the industrial revolution.

These discourses adopt a very particular and flawed view of the historical significance of new ICT and changing information structures and define these as midwives for a transition to a radically new socio-economic order.

More importantly, they tend to define these technology-based innovations as intricately linked to (determining) the adoption of a singular path of socio-economic development.

Frequently, the perceived characteristics of new ICT are deemed to match or require a specific political economy and cluster of social values. These analyses tend to privilege a rather optimistic and one-sided view of prevailing socio-economic trends.

For example, they stress a rapid growth in the number and range of 'high-level, grey-matter' occupations within the audiovisual, multimedia and other information or ‘content-rich' industries.

The global information society emphasizes on:

Correct Answer: A. Expanding IT benefits to society
Solution:Clearly, distinguished people across the world have always stressed upon the precise IT management, to disseminate news and info. As per the passage,

even Nelson Mandela had been persuaded many times, to propagate the idea of well-informed society. Besides,

critical emphasis upon ICT (information and communication technology) has been the most dominant aspect in numerous efforts that centre around the idea of thoroughly informed and smart society with sophistication edged deeply in it.

92. What will be the effect of ICT on economy as defined in the passage?

Correct Answer: C. Lishering in radical social change
Solution:No doubt, riding high on the benefits of ICT across the nations, as smart and well-informed society erupts and dwellers of such a globalized world, we pursue the path of new information society.

As a result, the new form of ICT and the dawn of new info age casts a great influence and hope upon the economy, society and culture and even the political system of nations is not to be left untouched by such new information wave, organized in form of ICT.

93. What is the trend in new millennium?

Correct Answer: C. Admiring the benefits of ICT
Solution:Not surprisingly, this new millennium and new info age is the time of sheer digital technology with a deep impact on communication too, which undergoes regular refinement on the heels of constant innovation and advancement.

As such, it becomes crucial to the advanced society dwellers of such smart society globally to appreciate, support, patronize and promote the digital revolution for the most glorious goals and objectives of economic progress mingled with social sophistication and cultural enrichment.

94. What will be the perceived feature of ICT?

Correct Answer: A. A support to a specific political order
Solution:Undoubtedly, in line with the above argument and the passage maintains a unique approach is needed to pull the political economy, smeared with new types of social values,

which would in accordance with the ICT aspects of globalized society, innately, interconnected and digitized and where social and economic frameworks will be deeply digitized,

as we now experience dear readers, in form of tech boom and how it has unrolled new scopes such as digital learning, work from home aspect among today's corporate, digital banking and payment system, online classes and so forth.

95. How do people consider skilled occupations?

Correct Answer: A. Increase in employability in media industries
Solution:No doubt, with refinement in digital technology, massive proliferation of social and electronic media has been taking place across the world, opening new avenues for talented people with a promise of content rich and content driven media which also calls for talented minds to compete with their utmost ability.

As we can see around, social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn etc compete with regular TV channels and even prove them wrong at times and thereby play a major in shaping public opinion.

More so, that even the business corporations look towards social media for advertising and branding purpose and a great strength of audience remains glued to internet thanks to cheap and free availability of data.

96. Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow:

In addition to the contingencies presented by social or historical contexts, the regulation of American media must also respond to a particular set of regular or ever-present contingencies unique to the American context.

It may seem strange to you that a factor can be both regular and contingent. Pragmatism itself hinges on a rejection of constants. However, it is important to understand that these factors are regular in their presence but contingent upon one another at any given time.

In other words, government regulation must always respond to these particular factors, and the best regulations balancе them, but the degree to which one is valued over the other varies from moment to historical moment.

The first set of regular contingencies is the tensión between free speech and public interest. The freedoms of speech and press granted by the First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantee the open expression of ideas and the existence of media outlets beyond federal ownership and control.

A media industry that is able to report freely and comment upon events functions as an informal check in the American political system. Taken together, the twin freedoms often give good reason to hold back government regulation that might impede or censor the free circulation of ideas.

At the same time, a completely independent media would quickly fall apart. Prior to the government regulation of the radio industry, different private companies would often use the same airwaves and inadvertently jam one another's signal.

Before the advent of government-regulated telephone service, it was often necessary for families to possess multiple telephones, one for each privately maintained phone network to which they subscribed.

Thus, at times it is necessary for the government to intervene in the interest of the public in order to make a media industry more efficient.

The resulting tension between the regular contingencies of free speech and public interest represents a uniquely American dichotomy that debates about government regulation must always consider.

Typically, the dominant social norms or political climate of the age will direct which concept trumps the other in relation to regulation. Quality regulation, however, should always consider both.

Even though pragmatism rejects constants, why does it play a different role in the American context?

Correct Answer: B. Because American media should respond to unique contingencies which are contextual
Solution:Clearly, in context of American society, a handful of contingencies occur on regular basis, which can be defined as one according to context.

A factor can be both regular and contingent and while pragmatism calls for elimination of constants, there are some factors which are permanent features in case of America, and are contingent too.

It becomes crucial for American media to address to such factors and social and economic aspects which remain etched with such events as per the context.

97. When it comes to media regulation, what is the status of pragmatism?

Correct Answer: A. Certain factors are contingent on each other.
Solution:This is to say that factors are very much contextual and regular in their occurrence but then, are contingent too, one upon the other at a given time.

Going by the passage, government regulations must consider such factors and the superior regulations are likely to balance them, but as for the amount one's value is accounted on the other, differs from one present moment to the historical one.

98. The First-Amendment to the American constitution guaranteed:

Correct Answer: B. Freedom from government control
Solution:Clearly, a media field which reports freely and posts comments without any restrictions, is able to act like a check and control over the American political system.

Media has a huge responsibility of publishing, reporting, and showing news stories and events and to focus upon the reasons behind them and causes of their occurrence and when news media prints and publishes stories in impartial way,

winds of change are likely to emerge as the positive impact of media is then felt and its efficiency is being underlined and it is rightly felt over.

99. Media industry will become more efficient if there is:

Correct Answer: C. Government intervention to regulate media in public interest
Solution:Undoubtedly, actual essence of media lies in its efforts towards social development and public service types of functions, when accidents and other nasty events are highlighted and actual reasons and government's lethargy is exposed and efforts are put towards social and economic development.

Now, it also becomes critical for the government that in its media policies, media role should be harped upon from public interest perspective and that

this field should be regulated and patronized from social building and cultural strengthening point of view as well as bolstering the very core of the nation.

100. Quality regulation of media means:

Correct Answer: D. Consideration of both political climate and social norms
Solution:Truly readers, media should play an impartial role in nation building and for this, it becomes crucial that political climate should be reported in the most versatile way so as to help the deserving candidates win elections and to represent people in public offices.

The media should be critical to political climate and should focus upon the achievements and roles and responsibilities of public representatives in the most managed way.

Besides, social norms should also be highlighted through regular media coverage in the most positive and nation-building way and any negativity or divisive attitude or conflicts prevailing in

society ought to be presented in the most appropriate way so as to bring it under criticism and to weaken the forces behind those. Truly, positive and nation building role of media should be encouraged and such is rightly declared to be the fourth pillar of healthy democracy.