PrepTest 121

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Argument Completion

Stimulus Summary:
Broadcast media need to serve all of the many public interests, which wouldn't be achieved by showing only action shows, despite their popularity. Thus _________.

Answer Anticipation:
This argument sets up a requirement for broadcast media—serve the public interest. It then raises one way that someone might believe that interest is served—by showing a constant stream of action shows, since most members of the public prefer them to opera. Finally, the argument pivots to state that doing so wouldn't serve the public interest, before giving us the prompt to "fill in" the conclusion.

In this case, the argument has ruled out one set of programming as not serving the public interest. Some might have argued that it did serve the public interest because it was preferred by the public—it was popular. However, since the argument establishes that it doesn't serve the public interest, it must be the case that popularity isn't the determining factor for what programs serve that interest.

Let's look for an answer drawing a line between popularity and the public interest.

Answer Explanation:
This answer generalizes from the specific situation cited in the stimulus, which is a common type of conclusion. If featuring a constant stream of popular action shows doesn't serve the public interest, then it can't be the case that using popularity to pick shows that serve that interest—which is established as an obligation ("must serve")—is the right method.

Key Takeaway:
For Argument Completion questions, be careful of going too far with the correct answer. Be sure to select something that doesn't introduce new concepts and isn't stronger than the stimulus.

Incorrect. The argument doesn't establish what the current state of programming is, so there's no way to know if there should be more artistic shows and fewer action shows. Additionally, there's no indication that showing artistic/cultural shows is in the public interest, or that the author thinks that broadcast media should serve those interests (even if they're obligated to).

Incorrect. The argument doesn't talk about the development of new shows, and this answer is too strong in stating that the public interest should be considered "whenever" a new show is developed. It's possible that there are available programming blocks that don't need to serve any interest because the station has already found a balance—not all shows have to be Masterpiece Theatre!

Incorrect. The popularity of a program may not be indicative of whether it serves the public interest, but that's not the same as saying that it doesn't indicate something about artistic quality. Those are distinct concepts, but this answer conflates them.

Incorrect. While channels showing a constant stream of action shows isn't in the public interest, that's a step up from "mostly" showing them. Also, this answer uses action shows as the only possible shows that wouldn't serve the public interest, when the stimulus uses them as only one example.