Medium
Journalism & Media
How News Gets Made
The craft, structure and rules behind a published story.
Sample question
Start quiz
The "five Ws" of reporting are who, what, when, where and what else?
The Rules Reporters Work By
Most of journalism is governed by conventions nobody voted on and laws that vary wildly by country.
About this topic
Journalism runs on a set of agreements that have no legal force at all. On the record, on background and off the record mean whatever a particular newsroom and a particular source take them to mean, and disputes over which one applied have ended careers. Embargoes work the same way: nobody can be sued for breaking one, but a newsroom that does will find the next set of advance copies goes elsewhere. Around those conventions sits real law, and it differs sharply between countries. American courts treat stopping publication in advance as almost always unconstitutional; English courts grant injunctions far more readily. In a libel case the burden of proof falls on opposite sides of the Atlantic. This quiz covers both layers — the customs and the law — and where the two pull against each other.
Questions & answers
The Rules Reporters Work By: all 10 questions and answers
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
Play it insteadShow all answers and explanationsHide answers
-
1If a source speaks "on background", what has usually been agreed?
- A The story must be shown to the source before it runs
- B The information can be used but the source is not named Correct
- C Nothing said may be published in any form
- D The quotes may be published word for word with full attribution
Answer: B. The information can be used but the source is not named
Why: On the record means named and quotable; off the record means not for publication at all. None of the three has any legal force, and newsrooms define them slightly differently.
-
2What is a press embargo?
- A An agreement not to publish information before a stated time Correct
- B A ban on a reporter entering a country
- C A refusal by an official to answer questions
- D A newspaper's decision to drop a story
Answer: A. An agreement not to publish information before a stated time
Why: Advance copies of reports, speeches and scientific papers are released under one so that journalists can prepare properly. Breaking an embargo costs a newsroom access rather than money.
-
3The legal doctrine of prior restraint concerns what?
- A Punishing a publication after it has appeared
- B Requiring corrections to be printed
- C Limiting how long a source may be quoted
- D Preventing material from being published in the first place Correct
Answer: D. Preventing material from being published in the first place
Why: American courts treat it as almost always unconstitutional, following the Pentagon Papers ruling. Courts in England and elsewhere grant pre-publication injunctions considerably more readily.
-
4What is a shield law?
- A A law protecting public figures from criticism
- B A law requiring broadcasters to give equal airtime
- C A law protecting journalists from being compelled to name their sources Correct
- D A law limiting what may be reported about a trial
Answer: C. A law protecting journalists from being compelled to name their sources
Why: Most American states have one, and the protection they offer varies a great deal. There is no single federal statute covering every case, which is why contempt fights still reach the courts.
-
5What does a newspaper's ombudsman or readers' editor do?
- A Represents the paper in court
- B Handles complaints about the paper's own journalism Correct
- C Sells advertising space
- D Manages the printing schedule
Answer: B. Handles complaints about the paper's own journalism
Why: The role deliberately sits outside the newsroom's chain of command so that it can criticise it. Many papers have cut the position since the 2000s on cost grounds.
-
6Which convention requires a reporter to seek comment from the subject of a critical story before publishing?
- A The right of reply Correct
- B Qualified privilege
- C Fair comment
- D The public interest test
Answer: A. The right of reply
Why: It reduces the risk of error as much as the risk of a claim. Several European countries write a version of it into law rather than leaving it to custom.
-
7In a news story, what does attribution mean?
- A Crediting the photographer
- B Naming the reporter in the byline
- C Listing sources at the foot of the article
- D Stating where a piece of information came from Correct
Answer: D. Stating where a piece of information came from
Why: It lets a reader weigh the source rather than take the reporter's word. Style guides reserve their sharpest warnings for claims that carry none.
-
8A correction differs from a clarification in that a correction does what?
- A Withdraws an entire article
- B Answers a question raised by a reader
- C Puts right a factual error the publication made Correct
- D Restates the publication's editorial position
Answer: C. Puts right a factual error the publication made
Why: A clarification addresses something that was accurate but open to being misread. Running both in a fixed place each day is standard practice at papers that take them seriously.
-
9What counts as a conflict of interest for a journalist?
- A Two outlets chasing the same story
- B A personal or financial stake that could compromise the reporting Correct
- C A disagreement between two editors
- D A clash between two deadlines
Answer: B. A personal or financial stake that could compromise the reporting
Why: Codes of practice usually require disclosure, or withdrawal from the story altogether. Owning shares in a company on your beat is the textbook case.
-
10In libel law, what does the defence of truth require?
- A That the statement complained of is substantially true Correct
- B That the publisher honestly believed it was true
- C That the subject was offered a chance to respond
- D That no financial loss resulted
Answer: A. That the statement complained of is substantially true
Why: Substantial truth is enough, so minor inaccuracies do not defeat it. Who has to prove what differs sharply between English and American courts.
Read alongside this quiz
Why some notes sound right together
Harmony is not a matter of taste alone. Simple ratios, overtones, and the compromise hiding inside every piano.
7 min readFrequently Asked Questions
How is scoring calculated for this quiz?
Each correct answer awards 10 XP. There is zero point penalty for incorrect guesses, encouraging learning through exploration.
Can I retake this quiz?
Yes! You can retake any quiz as many times as you like, or use the Practice Mistakes mode at the end to review questions you missed.
Are explanations provided for every question?
Absolutely. As soon as you select an option, QuizKite displays a detailed explanation card explaining why the answer is correct.
QuizKite Quality Guarantee
Every quiz on QuizKite is researched, written and fact-checked by hand against reliable references, with an explanation for each answer. Read our full Editorial Policy to learn more about our content standards.
Keep going
More Journalism & Media
Hard
Journalism & Media
Scoops That Changed Things
Ten investigations that ended careers, rewrote laws or forced institutions to open their files.
Sample question
Start quiz
Which newspaper's reporting on the Watergate break-in led to President Nixon's resignation?
Easy
Sports
Records, Rings & Legends
The rules, records and moments the world actually watched.
Sample question
Start quiz
How often are the modern Summer Olympic Games normally held?