Media & Democracy, Queens Edition

Citizen Journalism

With newspapers going out of business and print journalism perhaps becoming a thing of the past, on-line "citizen journalists" will do an adequate job of replacing professional print reporters.  What do you think?

Newspapers are Failing

If you are from a small town (name, location), do you have a daily/weekly local newspaper?  If so, what kind of news does it cover?  If not, where do you get local news about your town (city council, elections, local events, sports news, etc.)?

If you are from a larger city (name, location) with a daily metropolitan newspaper, what local news coverage would you miss the most if that paper were to shut down?  Why would this coverage be missed?

Service Learning Project

If you have any ideas about what we can do for a "media" service learning project, post them here.  As ideas are posted, come back and comment on them, refine them, indicate which ones you would work on, etc.

The one idea we have to date is that we find some way to communicate to the Queens community information about service opportunities in the Charlotte area, especially those that are not well known.  Comment on this if you can think of ways we can do this (poster, e-mail, videos on the Trexler TVs, a web site, a wiki that lets students share information about service opportunities, etc.)  If you know of service opportunities that should be included, list them here as well.

I've created a Wiki for our discussion of service projects.  It will be easier than using this blog.  Here is the URL: http://core122servicelearning.wikispaces.com/

Media Consolidation

Read these facts about media consolidation. Which one is the most disturbing to you?  Which one do you think affects you the most?

Orwell's 1984 Today

Do you believe any aspects of Orwell's 1984 are present in today's America, particularly with regard to the media?  What examples can you think of?

The Media and the Iraq War

What do you believe was the greatest error the mainstream media made in its coverage of the build up to the war in Iraq? Support your opinion with evidence from our class readings and videos.

Is MSNBC biased to the left?

Watch one of the pundit/opinion shows on MSNBC (cable channel 50), either Countdown with Keith Olbermann (nightly at 8:00 and 10:00) or The Rachel Maddow Show (nightly at 9:00 and repeated again later).  Find evidence of a "liberal" slant to the show, not only in what the host and guests say, but who the guests are, the use of graphics to persuade the viewer, the regular segmants (like the "Worst Person in the World" segment on Countdoown), the kinds of questions asked, the presence or absence of opposing views, etc.  Are any of the FOX News strategies employed?

Ban on Coffin Viewing

Read this article by Leonard Pitts.  Do you think the ban on media coverage of flag draped Iraq War coffins should be lifted or continued? State your reasons.

Media Bias

Do you believe there is bias in the news media?  Describe something you have read, heard, or viewed in the media that supports your opinion.

Frost/Nixon

How did you "perceive" each of the men in the play Frost/Nixon, that is, how did the play characterize David Frost and Richard Nixon for the audience?  Did you perceive either differently from when you watched the interviews in class?  If so, what were some of the differences?