List the 5 things / people in your life that have influenced who you are?

Do you think this list would change if you grew up in Somalia?

Iran?

United States?

Our Perception Of The Our Perception Of The WorldWorld

The MediaThe Media

The world view of The world view of Canadian students is Canadian students is created from a variety created from a variety of sources, one of the of sources, one of the primary sources being primary sources being the media. the media.

By the time most By the time most young North young North Americans graduate Americans graduate from high school, they from high school, they will have watched will have watched three years of T.V.three years of T.V.

But what kind of a But what kind of a world picture do world picture do Canadians receive Canadians receive from the main from the main stream media?stream media?

A Matter of PerspectiveA Matter of Perspective

What do YOU see?What do YOU see?

A Matter of PerspectiveA Matter of Perspective

What do YOU see?What do YOU see?

A Matter of PerspectiveA Matter of Perspective

What do YOU see?What do YOU see?

A Matter of PerspectiveA Matter of Perspective

What do YOU see?What do YOU see?

A Matter of PerspectiveA Matter of Perspective

What do YOU see?What do YOU see?

Educators such as Educators such as Neil Postman Neil Postman express alarm express alarm about the ability of about the ability of television – an television – an entertainment entertainment medium - to medium - to adequately adequately describe the describe the complexity of world complexity of world events. events.

How do you think their view of the world differs?

How do you think their view of the world has been shaped?

How do their values differ?

Which personal characteristics do you value more

How might they grow up different?

Who has the influence?

Our world is shaped by the values of our society.

The role of media in our development and the increasing influence of technology socializes us at younger ages.

The message and who delivers it is a major socialization factor.

Corporate consumerism vs. Traditional values

Societies are made up of people that share common values. They are established through historical norms and passed down through generations. Many are religious teachings that have been interpreted by local societies.

Today values are shaped more and more by corporate capitalist agendas to sell products and services.

To participate in modern society in the west we must be prepared to ‘buy in’.

Consumerism and culture and now joined.

Media analysts Media analysts such as Noam such as Noam Chomsky point to Chomsky point to the dangers of the dangers of corporate control corporate control of the western of the western media. media.

People living in the People living in the developing world developing world claim that their claim that their portrayal in the portrayal in the media is distorted media is distorted and simplistic. and simplistic.

Views on Viewpoint:Views on Viewpoint: "Our reporters do not "Our reporters do not

cover stories from their cover stories from their point of view. They are point of view. They are presenting them from presenting them from nobody's point of view."nobody's point of view."

Richard S. SaIani, former President. CBS Richard S. SaIani, former President. CBS NewsNews

What term do we use for a watered What term do we use for a watered down viewpoint meant not to offend down viewpoint meant not to offend anyone?anyone?

Political Correctness

Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social offense in areas of: occupation, gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, religion, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts

…and doing so to an excessive extent.

Bias

Bias is an inclination to present or hold a partial perspective at the expense of (possibly equally valid) alternatives.

Can you think of some media examples of personalities who are biased?

Bias and the Media Media bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers

within the mass media, in the selection of which events and stories are reported and how they are covered.

The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the perspective of an individual journalist or article.

The direction and degree of media bias in various countries is widely disputed.

FOX news vs. Al Jazeera

"Think of it as a dark room, "Think of it as a dark room, and you're there with the and you're there with the flashlight. The room's full of flashlight. The room's full of dark corners: which dark dark corners: which dark corner are you going to corner are you going to shine your flashlight at? shine your flashlight at? That's the agenda setting That's the agenda setting aspect of the news, and that aspect of the news, and that is absolutely crucial.“is absolutely crucial.“

Randolph Ryan.Randolph Ryan.

Editorial Writer and Columnist Editorial Writer and Columnist for the Boston for the Boston

GlobeGlobe

““Look, I saw it on TV, Look, I saw it on TV, so it must be right, so it must be right, right?right?

““Here it is in the Here it is in the newspaper! Who’s newspaper! Who’s going to argue against going to argue against that?”that?”

What is Good Information? Freedom of the Press – Rules that protect the media

from interference by the government which might try and control the message

Multiple Ownership – Rules that prevent all the media in a country from being owned by on person or group of persons

Internet Freedom – Rules that protect a citizens’ right to information on the net, especially from outside the country

Freedom of Information – Rules that require the government to release information to the public, as far as possible

Good Information con’t

Fair Advertizing – Rules that stop companies from giving out false or misleading information

Impartiality – Rules that encourage journalists to be fair to all sides of a political argument when they report

Protection of Sources – Rules that keep sources secret and allow Journalists to not disclose that info.

Separation of Editorial and Advertizing Content – Rules to help consumers trust the information is not influenced by advertizers.

January 8, 1990January 8, 1990

A beautiful young woman sits in a plush hotel suite, sipping champagne, surrounded by microphones and television cameras. She has just announced that she is the winner of the $35 million New York State lottery. She is the toast of the city, splashed across the pages and screens of New York Media. Only after the TV coverage, after the printed headlines reading “$35 million And She’s Single” does the truth surface. State lottery officials reveal that the $35 million prize is still unclaimed.

The woman was a young actress named Charlie The woman was a young actress named Charlie Taylor.Taylor.

For her it meant valuable publicity possibly For her it meant valuable publicity possibly leading to future movie roles.leading to future movie roles.

For the news media, the stunt was a black mark For the news media, the stunt was a black mark against media credibility.against media credibility.

Why didn’t anybody check out the story with Why didn’t anybody check out the story with lottery officials?lottery officials?

Every media story we see, hear, or read is Every media story we see, hear, or read is the product of reporters, editors, camera the product of reporters, editors, camera crews, TV anchormen and women crews, TV anchormen and women

– people who hold points of view – people who hold points of view which may be different from our own; which may be different from our own; people who choose what events to cover, people who choose what events to cover, who to interview, and what words and who to interview, and what words and pictures to use.pictures to use.

the story which is the story which is presented to you is presented to you is not necessarily “the not necessarily “the truth,” but rather one truth,” but rather one person’s or a group of person’s or a group of people’s idea about people’s idea about the truth.the truth.

Our news is brought to Our news is brought to us by a surprisingly us by a surprisingly small number of small number of organizations.organizations.

3 major TV news 3 major TV news services; Viznews services; Viznews (British), UPIIN (British), UPIIN (British-US), and CBS (British-US), and CBS Newsfilm (owned by Newsfilm (owned by VIACOM)VIACOM)

Think you’ve never heard of Think you’ve never heard of VIACOM?VIACOM?

VIACOM owns:VIACOM owns:

CBS Television Network

MTV

BET

Showtim

e Netw

orks Inc. (SNI)

United Paramount Network (UPN)

Viacom Television Stations Group

Paramount Television

CBS Enterprises

King World Productions Inc.

Broadcast International

King World International Productions

CBS Entertainment

CBS Pro

ductions

Infinity Broadcasting

Viacom Outdoor

Paramount Pictures

Par

amou

nt H

ome

Ente

rtai

nm

ent

Famous Players United International Pictures (UIP)

Blockbuster

Simon & Schuster

The wire services that supply newspapers The wire services that supply newspapers and radio/television networks with news and radio/television networks with news consist of 4 “biggies.”consist of 4 “biggies.”

Associated Press (US)Associated Press (US) UPI (US)UPI (US) AFP (France)AFP (France) Reuters (British)Reuters (British)

CP (Canadian Press) gathers up news from CP (Canadian Press) gathers up news from across Canada to be used in Canadian across Canada to be used in Canadian newspapers.newspapers.

For its international coverage, CP relies on its For its international coverage, CP relies on its agreements with the 4 “biggies” which allow agreements with the 4 “biggies” which allow it to “Canadianize” wire stories – changing it to “Canadianize” wire stories – changing the American spelling and adjusting other the American spelling and adjusting other minor points – and print them as CP stories.minor points – and print them as CP stories.

This means most of our This means most of our international news is international news is reported from an American reported from an American or European viewpoint.or European viewpoint.

Here is the emphasis on Here is the emphasis on “international” news:“international” news:

US ------------- 34%US ------------- 34% Europe --------- 28%Europe --------- 28% Asia/Australia –- 17%Asia/Australia –- 17% Latin America --- 11%Latin America --- 11% Middle East ------ 6%Middle East ------ 6% Africa ----------- 4%Africa ----------- 4%

What media do you think portray international events most accurately? Least accurately? Why?

Two views of the same event. The Toronto Star showed the October, 1989 Stock market crash in the context of one day’s trading and it looks like a disaster. The Globe and Mail showed the decline in the context of a year’s trading – and it’s barely noticeable.

Some people are trying to undo the Some people are trying to undo the effect that media has on us, such as effect that media has on us, such as ““AdbustersAdbusters” Magazine.” Magazine.

Here’s a couple examples of their Here’s a couple examples of their advertisements.advertisements.

Terms to Look Up!

Advocate Apathy Censorship Consolidation Guise Ideology Objectivity Fascist