“Dumbing down” of the news refers to the news media’s action ofA. using simple language so that the public can understand reporters.B. making...

Unfortunately, there is no option "F," for "All of the above." The reason I write that is because the concept of "dumbing down" information encompasses each of the options considered. "Dumbing down" can be defined as the simplification of information, or news, so that the audience or reader can more easily understand the content. It is usually employed by editors and writers who themselves are extraordinarily arrogant and who often actually know less than they think. I'll use as an example my own experiences as a national security analyst back in the 1980s who was assigned to draft briefing documents for members of Congress, their staffs, and for interested reporters. My orders were consistently to avoid "jargon" that the editors involved believed would not be understood by the reader. The assumption on the part of my superiors was that the intended audience would not understand the most basic concepts and vocabulary associated with specific topics. The result was briefing papers that were sophomoric and that lacked any complexity despite the gravity of the issues addressed.

The above suggests that the correct answer to the question is "A," "using simple language so that the audience can understand." Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not distinct from the other options provided. Options "B" through "E" are just as much a part of the "dumbing down" process as is "A." Simplifying information so that it can be more easily understood, presenting the news in a more "folksy" or comforting manner, avoiding more difficult topics in favor of light-weight stories like human interest features, and interpreting the statements of politicians and others under the assumption that such interpretations are necessary for the public welfare are all part of the "dumbing down" phenomenon. Many in the media are simply too arrogant to "trust" the public with objective information presented in an intelligent manner. Sadly, it is often the reporters and on-air personalities who are lacking in the knowledge and analytical ability department, but they are insistent on projecting their misconceptions about the public's intelligence onto their audience.

"Dumbing down" of the media is an old problem. Reporters, producers, editors, and other members of the media bring their own biases to stories and work, sometimes subconsciously, sometimes not, to shape the way the public receives the news according to their own preconceptions. 

If the student posting this question is forced to choose only one of the five options provided, then it will be missing the totality of the subject. All of the options constitute "dumbing down" of the news. That said, options "A" and "B" are probably the closest to representing a single answer to the student's question. Personally, I would probably go with "B." Oversimplification of complex issues is a huge problem, and not just in the media, as most teachers and professors are even more guilty, with the information they provide their students often lacking any context whatsoever and usually distorted to fit ideological biases.