“ D-Day Invasion: The greatest Military Feat in All History. Before dawn on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), the event for which the world had been waiting occurred. The Allied Nations landed troops on the beaches of Normandy… A Choppy sea and all kinds of underwater obstacles, including mines and barbed wire, slowed the first wave of Americans, Canadians and British to hit the beaches. From concrete fortifications, Nazi artillery and machine guns raked the beaches. But the careful preparation and the bravery of the Allies paid.” Excerpt from Our World Through the Ages The World History text used at Ithaca High School in 1967

“ The Opening of the Second Front: In June, 1944, when it had become obvious that the Soviet Union was capable of defeating Hitler’s Germany with her forces alone, England and the USA opened a second front. On June 6th the Allied forces, commanded by General Eisenhower, landed in Normandy (Northern France). The Anglo-American forces met with practically no opposition from the Hitlerites, and advanced to the heart of France. At the call of the French Community Party, an armed uprising began in Paris on 19 August. The Fascist garrison was defeated. In a few days the allied forces entered Paris which had been freed by the patriots.” Excerpt from Soviet High School History texts from 1967 The Russian Version of the Second World war

Comparison of two 1967 Texts about WWII US Text Soviet Text “ D-Day Invasion: The greatest Military Feat in All History. Before dawn on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), the event for which the world had been waiting occurred. The Allied Nations landed troops on the beaches of Normandy… A Choppy sea and all kinds of underwater obstacles, including mines and barbed wire, slowed the first wave of Americans, Canadians and British to hit the beaches. From concrete fortifications, Nazi artillery and machine guns raked the beaches. But the careful preparation and the bravery of the Allies paid.” “ The Opening of the Second Front: In June, 1944, when it had become obvious that the Soviet Union was capable of defeating Hitler’s Germany with her forces alone, England and the USA opened a second front. On June 6th the Allied forces, commanded by General Eisenhower, landed in Normandy (Northern France). The Anglo-American forces met with practically no opposition from the Hitlerites, and advanced to the heart of France. At the call of the French Community Party, an armed uprising began in Paris on 19 August. The Fascist garrison was defeated. In a few days the allied forces entered Paris which had been freed by the patriots.”

Video clip from: American Photography: A Century of Images PBS

People absorb impressions rather than substance Michael Deaver President Ronald Reagan’s Press Secretary

In March, 2003, 57% of Americans were under the Saddam Hussein “helped the terrorists in the September 11 attacks.” Pew Research Center impression that

Scripts Howard poll August, % of Americans suspect that the government assisted in the 9/11 attacks or took no action “because they wanted the United States to go to war in the Middle East”

News coverage comes from a point of view and has a bias. Students can begin to identify bias by asking: Who produces the news? Where do they get their information? What is included, what is left out, and how is it prioritized? How are images used? How is language used? How are facts used? How do different news sources present the same news?

Niko Price The Associated Press BAGHDAD Dan Higgins and Kelli Grant Journal Staff ITHACA By Lines:

“News Literacy” materials produced by news organizations

Students can begin to identify bias by examining: * who produces the news * where the producers get the information they use

Video clip from: Toxic Sludge is Good For You The PR Industry Unspun

in some markets more than 80% of local television news comes from Video News Releases John Stauber, Toxic Sludge is Good for You: The PR Industry Unspun Media Education Foundation

Video clip from the Lines in the Sand media coverage of the 1991 Gulf War Media Construction of the Middle East Unit 3, Lesson 3

How did the US government influence media coverage during the Gulf War?

What is the perspective or bias of this documentary clip? What is your evidence?

How did the US government influence media coverage during the Gulf War?

rehearsed military briefers selected troops to be interviewed censored reports left critical reporters out of press pools provided officials and footage to media kept cameras away form casualties How did the US government influence media coverage during the Gulf War?

What is the perspective or bias of this documentary clip?

What is your evidence?

What is the perspective or bias of this documentary clip? What is your evidence? * interview with Iraqi father, music and images of dead Iraqi girls juxtaposition of military spokespeople with narration about manipulation no mention of anti-war media coverage

Students can begin to identify bias by examining: * who produces the news * where the producers get information * what is included, what is left out, how is it prioritized

Which will get more coverage?

a) Senate Passes New Bill Overhauling Social Security Which will get more coverage?

a) Senate Passes New Bill Overhauling Social Security b) Local Congressman Caught Sucking Toes of Secretary in Hotel Tryst Which will get more coverage?

c) Bloody Shooting Spree in Paris, 6 killed d) New President Elected in Peru Which will get more coverage?

e) Math Scored Decline Nationally f) Hotel Owners Propose Plan to Help Homeless

e) Math Scored Decline Nationally f) Angelina Jolie announces Plan to Help Homeless Which will get more coverage?

g) Steven Spielberg Arrested for Cocaine Possession h) 32,000 Children Starve to Death Each Day Worldwide Which will get more coverage?

Students can begin to identify bias by examining: * who produces the news * where the producers get information * what is included, what is left out, how is it prioritized how images, words and facts are used

Feb. 22, 2008 online print version

Feb. 22, 2008

Students can begin to identify bias by examining: * who produces the news * where the producers get information * what is included, what is left out, how is it prioritized * how images, words and facts are used * how different sources present the news

Dothan, AlabamaChristchurch, New Zealand Election Day in Iraq - 1/31/05

ACS Middle East Debates

Media Construction of the Middle East Unit 3, lesson 6 “Celebration” or “Protest” comparing TV news

Students can begin to identify bias by examining: * who produces the news * where the producers get information * what is included, what is left out, how is it prioritized * how images, words and facts are used the underlying values and messages communicated by a particular media source

Newsweek’s view of the world A quantitative sociological study done by Claire Stoscheck 10th grade student at the Alternative Community School in Ithaca Claire studied how five regions of the world; Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, were portrayed in Newsweek from

Key Question: How does the news present different regions of the world? Quantitative: based on collecting countable data Reliable: different researchers would get the same results Valid: the data logically shows what the study claims it shows

Which Region do you think was represented the most from ? Africa ____ Asia ____ Europe ____ WHY? Latin America ____ the Middle East ____

592 imagesImages total Images Total 73 images 53 images 234 images 156 images 76 images

Why do you think there were four times more images of Europe than of Africa?

When you think of Europe what images come to mind?

Europe

Where did you get your images of Latin America ?

Latin America

When you think of Africa what images come to mind?

Africa

When you think of the Middle East what images come to mind?

Middle East

Asia

How do these images influence our view of the world?

Producing news teaches news analysis skills. Students can learn critical analysis skills through the production of: * a radio news program * a school or classroom newspaper * a video news program * a news magazine * a mock news article or advertisement

"An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic. Self-government is not possible unless the citizens are educated sufficiently to enable them to exercise oversight.” Thomas Jefferson