Media can be an effective force for change. Group Chat The news media are independent, socially responsible watchdogs that look out for the public interest. The media create and shape public opinion about issues rather than simply report on them. People don’t really want to know the “truth” about what is going on in the world because it may disrupt their lives. Media can be an effective force for change.

Class survey In the last 24 hours, how many of you have… Watched TV? Listened to the radio? Watched the news? Been on Facebook? Twitter? Tumblr? Read a news article? Seen an advertisement? Today, we’re exposed to more than 5,000 ads a day compared to 500 in the 1970s!

Media and the Study of World Issues Media: A Critical View Media and the Study of World Issues

Agenda: Identifying types of media Media bias Steps for critical media analysis Detect and compare

What is Mass Media? Mass media refers to all the various forms of communication used to reach a large population (region or country). Mass media also refers to the organizations, companies and/or individuals that own the media outlets. Mainstream media refer to the media that is distributed by the largest – most popular- media outlets Alternative media refer to media that present an alternative to mainstream media (content or modes of distribution) Print media: newspapers, articles, books, pamphlets Broadcast media: radio, TV, film, music Digital media: internet – social networking sites, ads, websites Outdoor/External media: billboards, posters, blimps

Media and the study of world issues Mass media functions as the main, albeit not the only, source of information about world issues Globalization of media has created a border-less world in terms of sharing information in real time Internet – contributed to the spread of democracy, wealth creation, technological advancements etc. Great benefits, but also great challenges TAKE 2 As individuals studying world issues, what challenges can arise from having such a huge amount of information available at our fingertips?

A Matter of Perspective What do YOU see?

A Matter of Perspective What do YOU see?

A Matter of Perspective What do YOU see?

A Matter of Perspective What do YOU see?

Bias in the Media Every media story we encounter is the product of reporters, editors, camera crews – individuals who hold points of view which may be different from our own; individuals who choose what events to cover, who to interview, along with which words and pictures to use in the feature. In other words, the media story which is presented to you is not necessarily “the truth,” but rather one person’s or a group of people’s idea about the truth.

Bias in the Media September 1, 1983: A Soviet interceptor plane blows up a Korean passenger jet. The New York Times Editorial, “Murder in the Air”: “There is no conceivable excuse for any nation shooting down a harmless airliner… no circumstance whatever justifies attacking an innocent plane.” July 3, 1988: US forces blow up an Iranian passenger get. The New York Times Editorial? “While horrifying, it was nonetheless an accident… the onus for avoiding such accidents in the future rests on civilian aircraft: avoid combat zones, fly high, acknowledge warnings.”

Bias in the Media In each of these examples, what factors could have caused the difference in media coverage? Which government involved is a friend of the United States? Which isn’t? Would you expect to see a similar lack of balance in the Canadian media? Why or why not?

Bias review Prejudice in favor of or against one perspective, group, organization, thing, institution or individual Examples?

Six Main Types of News Media Bias: Gate-keeping Bias Declining to report on stories or keeping stories covered up Coverage Bias Reporting on only certain aspects of a story Coverage only focuses on one stakeholder in the story or one perspective

Types of Bias Mainstream Bias Sensationalism Bias Reporting on stories that other media are reporting on, while ignoring others Sensationalism Bias Reporting on events that are unusual or rare, as if they are more common Often associated with entertainment value

Types of Bias: Advertising Bias Stories are covered- up, selected or modified to appease the advertisers Corporate Bias When the owners of the medium have an agenda they want to push

Detecting Bias…Take 2 When analyzing issues in the media, we want to get as unbiased a perspective as possible. With this goal in mind, take 2 minutes and develop 2 questions at your table that you think we must always ask ourselves when analyzing issues in the media (news broadcast, news article, photograph, map etc.)

10 Steps for effective critical analysis Who is the author or creator? What is the main message of the text? What is its purpose (to inform, educate, persuade, entertain)? What is the author’s socio-political position? With what social, political and/or professional groups does the author identify with? Does the author have anything to gain from delivering the message? Who is paying for the delivery for the message and where does it appear? What bias can you detect in the text? (consider the tone) What data does the author/creator reference (facts, statistics, opinions)? What overall conclusions can you draw from the text?

Facts and Opinions Facts Opinions Be critical of how they are used How was the data collected? Who collected it? Would someone else collecting it produce the same “facts” What facts were not given as evidence (what is omitted)? Opinions Not all opinions are useful People are not impartial All opinions are biased!

The Global Media Exposure to media has become a major factor in shaping the economic, political, social, cultural and environmental composition of the world. Not everyone has equal access to media. An information gap often exists between the affluent and poor, and between the more powerful groups in society and those who are marginalized. The latter cannot address serious issues if they are unaware of the underlying causes and interconnections.

The Global Media In a democratic society, information should be designed to help individuals become informed. There are so many opposing claims and perspectives in all types of information that it is difficult to distinguish rhetoric from reality. Accurate, objective information allows individuals to form well- reasoned opinions.

Doublespeak Doublespeak is language that deliberately disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. Doublespeak may take the form of euphemisms (e.g., "downsizing" for layoffs, "servicing the target" for bombing), in which case it is primarily meant to make the truth sound more palatable. It may also refer to intentional ambiguity in language or to actual inversions of meaning (for example, naming a state of war "peace"). In such cases, doublespeak disguises the nature of the truth. Doublespeak is most closely associated with political language. NCTE awards an annual “doublespeak award” for particularly brutal usage of doublespeak by various officials in the U.S.

Doublespeak In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush says: “As all of us saw on television, there's also some deep, persistent poverty in this region, as well. That poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action. So let us restore all that we have cherished from yesterday, and let us rise above the legacy of inequality.” However, a week before the President’s speech, he signed an executive order suspending the 1931 Davis- Bacon Act, thereby allowing federal contractors rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to pay below the prevailing wage.