Imagine a political candidate, Maria Gutierrez. Gutierrez has appeared on television several times as part of multi-candidate debates. However, she is also invited often to discuss and debate views by herself on a popular news channel.
Use the passage to answer the question.
How will the news channels preference most likely affect the political process?
A. It will make viewers more likely to want to know more about Gutierrez’s rivals.
B. It will make viewers more likely to believe that Gutierrez is an important contender in the election.
C. It will make viewers more likely to disagree with Gutierrez’s views.
D. It will make viewers more likely to think that Gutierrez is competent.
B. It will make viewers more likely to believe that Gutierrez is an important contender in the election.
B. It will make viewers more likely to believe that Gutierrez is an important contender in the election.
The news channel's preference for inviting Maria Gutierrez to discuss and debate views by herself is most likely to affect the political process by making viewers more likely to believe that Gutierrez is an important contender in the election (answer choice B).
By frequently featuring Gutierrez on their channel and giving her solo attention, the news channel is sending a signal to viewers that she is a notable candidate worth paying attention to. This can shape viewers' perceptions and attitudes towards Gutierrez and potentially increase her credibility and standing in the eyes of the public.
To arrive at this answer, we can analyze the passage provided. It states that Gutierrez is invited often to discuss and debate views by herself on a popular news channel. This indicates that the news channel sees Gutierrez as a significant figure and values her opinions enough to feature her alone. As a result, viewers may perceive Gutierrez as more important and relevant compared to other candidates who are not given this level of exposure.
Therefore, the news channel's preference is likely to influence viewers' beliefs about Gutierrez's significance, making them more likely to perceive her as an important contender in the election.