Chapter 6: The Role of the Media – Practice Test

#1. How should public service companies relate to politics?

They are only allowed to interview the opposition

They must always support the sitting government

They must be independent and not take sides

#2. What is the principle called which means that public documents from authorities are open to the public?

The principle of public access to official records (Offentlighetsprincipen)

The principle of private ownership

The principle of state secrecy

#3. What is the person called who is legally responsible for what is published in a newspaper radio or television?

The prime minister

The anonymous source

The responsible publisher (Ansvarig utgivare)

#4. Can the Swedish state decide or influence what is said in the media?

No the state cannot decide or influence what is said

Yes but only during election years

Yes if the government disagrees with the journalist

#5. Is content on the web and social media scrutinized in the same way as in newspapers and television?

Yes it goes through the exact same legal process

No it is not controlled in the same way

Yes the police check every post before it goes online

#6. What is the main purpose of public service in Sweden?

To entertain people with only sports programs

To sell the most popular commercial products

To make sure everyone has access to factual information regardless of income or location

#7. How should journalists work to ensure that information is correct before it is published?

They should publish first and check later

They must check information with multiple independent sources

They should only trust social media posts

#8. Are public service companies allowed to broadcast commercials to make money?

No they are not allowed to make money from advertising

Yes they play commercials all the time

Yes but only during the night

#9. Does anyone have the right to request and read public documents from authorities?

No only police officers can read them

Only politicians can read them

Yes as long as the documents are not classified as secret

#10. How do commercial radio and television channels usually get their income?

By selling public documents

Only from state taxes

By selling advertising space or through subscriptions

#11. What is it called when you check scrutinize and question whether the information you read or hear is correct?

Censorship

Defamation

Source criticism (Källkritik)

#12. How are the public service companies SR SVT and UR funded?

Only by selling commercial advertising

By private billionaire donors

Through a fee collected via taxes

#13. What is a fundamental characteristic of the media in a democracy like Sweden?

The media are free

The media only broadcast entertainment

The media are controlled by the military

#14. Who can create and spread content on the web and social media?

Only government officials

Anyone

Only professional journalists

#15. Which two constitution laws protect the right to freely say what we think and spread opinions in media?

The Instrument of Government and the Tax Law

The Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression

The Act of Succession and the Police Law

#16. What types of laws must a responsible publisher for a medium follow?

Tax laws for foreign countries

Laws that protect against defamation and insults

Traffic laws and parking rules

#17. Why does the state give financial support to news media and daily newspapers?

Because it is important to have many different media providing news

To force them to write about sports

To buy positive reviews about the government

#18. Besides providing news why are the media important in a democracy?

They serve as a place where people can freely discuss society

They decide which laws the parliament should pass

They collect taxes directly from the citizens

#19. Which three media companies in Sweden are called public service?

Sveriges Radio SVT and Utbildningsradion

Netflix HBO and Viaplay

TV4 Kanal 5 and TV3

#20. Why does the principle of public access to official records exist in Sweden?

To make it harder to start new newspapers

So that journalists and citizens can scrutinize politicians and authorities

To hide government mistakes from the public

#21. Is a person allowed to provide information to newspapers radio and television without being punished for it?

Yes people have the right to provide information freely

Only if the information is about weather

No it is strictly illegal

#22. Do you have to state your name when providing a tip or information to the media?

No you have the right to remain anonymous

Yes you must show your ID card

Yes otherwise the journalist cannot publish it