Let's All Write a Story! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pravda

Meaning "Truth" in Russian, "Pravda" was the official newspaper of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1912 to 1991. Begun as a non-political cultural periodical in 1903, the paper became affiliated with the Russian Revolution in 1905 and on the direction of Lenin in 1912, the official party organ. Upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the paper was shut down by Russian president Boris Yeltsin.

It was then sold to, of all things, Greek private commercial interests. But in 1997 the Communist Party of the Russian Federation reacquired "Pravda," and it has been the official publication of that organization ever since.

Answer: Woodward and Bernstein

Bob Woodward was a reporter on the metro desk of "The Washington Post" when he was assigned to cover the burglary of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex on June 17, 1972. He and his colleague at the "Post," reporter Carl Bernstein, doggedly uncovered the story behind the initial crime, which led to stories of political dirty tricks, uncontrolled campaign cash, and illegal efforts to uncover leaks and undermine sources, all of it directed at the highest levels of the government. Eventually this resulted in congressional hearings, a special prosecutor, and the first resignation of a President in US history.

Answer: True

As anyone who has been visited by a delegation of Jehovah's Witnesses can attest, "The Watchtower" is that denomination's magazine, which plays an important part in its door-to-door preaching. First published in 1879, "The Watchtower" is now printed in 210 different languages in locations around the world. Close to 45,000,000 copies of its public edition are produced each month along with 14,000,000 copies of a study edition for use in congregational meetings.

Answer: Stern

"Stern" paid 9 million marks for sixty books which were said to be diaries written by Adolf Hitler and which were purportedly recovered from an airplane crash in 1945. Apparently in an effort to maintain secrecy, the magazine did not do thorough forensic tests of the volumes prior to publication, although handwriting analysis was said to confirm that the writing had been Hitler's. Doubt about the genuineness of the diaries began almost from their initial publication in April, 1983; and after further analysis, they were revealed to have been written by a Stuttgart forger. Two of "Stern's" editors resigned because of the scandal, as did editors from "The Sunday Times" and "Newsweek," two publications which had also been taken in by the hoax.

Answer: False

As "Wikipedia," the online encyclopedia, takes pains to point out, it and its associated foundation are in no way affiliated with "WikiLeaks," which styles itself as an online organization for the purpose of bringing "important news and information" to the public and, as such, is arguably a journalistic enterprise. "WikiLeaks" has become known for receiving and publishing news leaks and secret and classified information from unnamed sources.

In so doing "WikiLeaks" broke stories concerning the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and the conduct of international diplomacy and simultaneously made its founder Julian Assange a famous man and a criminal fugitive.

Answer: Honshu Shimbun

"Yomiuri Shimbun" has a conservative slant and an estimated circulation of over 10 million copies, the largest in the world for a newspaper. "Asahi Shimbun" has a liberal slant and a circulation of over 8 million. "Mainichi Shimbun," also a liberal paper, has a circulation of nearly 4 million. "Asahi" began publication in Osaka in 1879; "Yomiuri" began in Tokyo in 1874; and "Mainichi" in Tokyo in 1872.

Answer: False

This dubious distinction belongs to "The Sun," which began publishing such photos in November 1970. The feature was started as part of a revamp of the paper by Rupert Murdoch when he bought the daily in 1969. At first the glamour shots featured clothed models, but by November 1970, the models were topless.

The feature was always controversial but popular, and certainly contributed the the paper's success. The practice was quietly dropped in 2015, as social attitudes among the paper's target readership began to turn against it. "The News of the Weird" is a column by Chuck Shepherd, syndicated to US and Canadian newspapers, that compiles bizarre news stories.

Answer: The Chicago Tribune

Well, it was a close election; and early polling, quite crude by our modern standards, had predicted an easy Dewey victory. But by late in the evening of that election day, November 2, 1948, the outcome was very much in doubt. The "Tribune," relying on its Washington analyst, stuck with the preset headline trumpeting New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey's victory over incumbent president Harry Truman.

In the end Truman defeated Dewey, and his Democratic party swept both houses of congress. But 150,000 copies of the erroneous headline had been printed, and the photo of a triumphant Truman, beaming as he held up the issue, has become iconic.

Answer: True

Regarded as analogous to the Pulitzer Prizes in the US, The Walkley Awards are awarded to recognize excellence in all fields of Australian journalism. Established in 1956, the awards are administered by the Walkley Foundation for Journalism and are selected by a panel of eminent journalists and photographers. Criteria include newsworthiness, research, writing, production, impact, public benefit, ethics, and innovation. Categories awarded are news and feature writing; cartoons and photography; radio and TV reporting and interviewing; business, international, and sport; indigenous affairs; social commentary; and investigative journalism.

Answer: Pauline Kael

Pauline Kael (1919-2001) is regarded as one of the most influential of modern film critics, both due to her writing style and for her influence on later generations of film critics which included Roger Ebert. Often at odds with popular opinions, even those of other critics, her reviews nevertheless set a standard for the genre, leading to her being called a "pioneer" and "the Elvis or the Beatles of film criticism."