The Television News Industry in the US Networks, Programs and Content Delivery Julie Soltow

Target Level: Advanced ESL Foreign graduate students in the US Objectives SWBAT describe and understand the different genres of American television news SWBAT know what to expect from different news programs, their structures and target audience SWBAT- learn the meaning of slang, phrasal verbs or idiomatic expressions from context SWBAT- learn how to keep a language journal to help in learning phrasal verbs, slang and idiomatic expressions

Audio Visual Materials PowerPointPresentation with schema building and supplementary materials to support the audio and video clips, and the handouts Authentic audio from NPR with transcript about founder of 60 Minutes NPR On the Media – “Don Hewitt” August 21, 2009 (NPR.orgOTM.mp3) CNN video about the debate between Jon Stewart of the Daily Show and Jim Cramer of the show Mad Money, presented March 11, 2009 “It’s okay to be wrong…” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw5JN2pUZlg&feature=related Daily Show- presented by CNN March 12, 2009 Jon and Jim F2F “peace” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwUXx4DR0wo PBS NewsHour video or Mp3 PBS NewsHour “Another Chapter Begins for NewsHour” (20091204_pbsnewshour.mp3)

Types of Television News programs in the US Broadcast and Cable systems: Network News   Early morning newscasts ABC America This Morning CBS CBS Morning News NBC Early Today National morning newscasts: Top stories first then shifts to more lifestyle oriented topics ABC Good Morning America CBS The Early Show NBC Today Weekend political interview program ABC This Week CBS Face the Nation NBC Meet the Press FOX Fox News Sunday News magazine ABC 20/20 & Primetime CBS 60 Minutes & 48 Hours NBC Dateline Nightly news ABC World News with Charles Gibson CBS CBS Evening News with Katie Couric NBC NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams Late night news ABC Nightline news magazine CBS Up to the Minute repeats other CBS news content NBC World News Now “eclectic” news program Cable News: Programming styles driven by their hosts’ personalities   CNN Cable News Network Headline News 24/7 started in 1980 Wolf Blitzer Situation Room –Washington political scene Anderson Cooper 360 - cultural, emotional appeal, on the scenes Lou Dobbs Tonight – US foreign policy, immigration, politics, government and the military FOX Shepard Smith - crime, disasters, accidents, celebrity entertainment Brit Hume – Washington politics, government Bill O’Reilly – The O’Reilly Factor Crime, culture immigration Hannity & Colmes –politics Glenn Beck – Brash, political rants MSNBC Keith Olbermann – government, and conduct of politicians Tucker Carlson “libertarian critique” Chris Matthews –democratic- politics, capitol hill CNBC Consumer News and Business Channel operated by NBC Squawk Box – Joe Kernen Power Lunch Fast Money Mad Money – Jim Cramer “a fast-paced show offering stock advice to callers, interviews with guest CEOs, and discussions on the technical details of the stock market” The Suze Orman Show Comedy Central The Daily Show Jon Stewart presents a humorous look at the news as reported by other networks and news personalities The Colbert Report Steven Colbert presents another side to the news using humor to emphasize his view

Pre-listening activity: Vocabulary from NPR.org   Malfeasance – misconduct or wrongdoing, especially by a public official. Unethical – pertaining to right or wrong in conduct, morals Crook – a thief Expunged – to be removed Sit-com – situation comedy Sweeps week- a scheduled period of time when programs are trying to attract high numbers of viewers. See related topic: Ratings Concession – acknowledgment or admission Demographics – statistical data of a population

Definitions of the expressions in italics and colored blue from the NPR.org Vocabulary Activity2:   made it – v. Reach a certain point or goal, to succeed or gain acceptance lay out – v. to display or arrange, to reveal or expose got into– v. to have or be involved in hot water– n. trouble or difficulty  stripes – n. personal views or position on a topic an open book – n. someone or something easily understood or interpreted; something very clear the father of… - n. a title given to a person who has originated or established something dreamed up – v. to invent or concoct, create make money like it's going out of style – v. obtaining as much as possible before it is all gone. This expression comes from the idea that if something is no longer popular, there is much more of it available to be gathered up cheaply and/or easily. Therefore, you are earning or “making” a lot of money very easily. become somebody – v. to change, or grow to be a person who is quite remarkable or notable, successful make us proud – v. to be a source of honor, distinction or pride trick – n. the art or knack of doing something skillfully It remains to be seen – The situation or solution is unclear at this time happen to be right – v. to be correct in one’s assumptions by chance or by good fortune

Key to Listening Activity 4: Jon Stewart vs Key to Listening Activity 4: Jon Stewart vs. Jim Cramer Face 2 Face from CNN Remember that Jon Stewart is narrating this convoluted sequence of events with the aid of video clips, and it is up to you to put them in the right order! (Jan 28, 2008) Jim Cramer is on a program called the Street.com, another financial news video program “asking people to buy Bear Stearns stock, that his intuition had been good for 29 years of investing, and that there was a very big upside, and a very limited downside, and that there were many buyers out there.” (March 6, 2008) Jim Cramer says on his program Mad Money that he “believes in the Bear franchise, and you know what? at $69 bucks, he was not giving up” on it. (March 9, 2008) Jim Cramer wrote an article for MainStreet.com complaining that Jon Stewart took a video tape of Jim Cramer’s program out of context which implied that he had said to buy Bear Stearns stock only a week before it collapsed. (March 11, 2008) Jon Stewart apologizes to Jim Cramer for suggesting that he had indeed said to buy Bear Stearns stock a week before it collapsed. Jon admits that was wrong. Jon Stewart goes on to say that actually, that is true that “Jim Cramer wasn’t suggesting to buy Bear Stearns stock then, but that if Bear Stearns were your broker, your money would not disappear. He was not addressing the actual value of Bear Stearns stock. To hear him actually say that you should buy that stock, you would have to go back 5 days earlier to hear him say that in his Buy or Sell segment.” Jon Stewart then says that “of course, while Cramer wasn’t giving up on Bear at $69, but that 11 days later, the stock market was more comfortable with it at $2.” Jon Stewart says that to literally hear Jim say that you should buy Bear Stearns stock, you would have to go back a full 7 weeks before the stock completely collapsed (March 12, 2008) Jim Cramer goes on the Today Show and views a video tape from the Daily Show which begins with Jon Stewart apologizing to Jim Cramer.