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The MediaObjectives Students will:
Standards NCSS Themes:
VIII: Science, Technology and Society Materials Backgrounder: Understanding the Roles of the Media Suggested time Teachers can complete the entire lesson in 7-8 class periods of 45 minutes each, or they may chose to select only one of the forms of media. Each mini-lesson takes 1-2 days. Procedures 1. Explain to students that dramatic changes in the news media over the last decade have created a new kind of campaign coverage. Traditional news sources like daily newspapers and network news programs now compete for ratings with 24-hour cable news channels, and the Internet provides a breeding ground for rumors to turn into news with one click of a button. To succeed in this media environment, politicians rely on image consultants, pollsters and spin-doctors to shape their message and protect them from making a crucial mistake. The public claims they don't like negative advertising campaigns, but statistics show that negative ads are effective in getting votes. As new voters, how can students get what they need from this new campaign coverage? How does this new media shape what voters learn about the candidates? Explain to students that, over the next few weeks, they will examine how the candidates and their staff use different media to their advantage. 2. Set-up: Have students ask themselves, "If I were a political candidate, and assuming I had a good amount of money to run my campaign, how would I get my message out to the voting public?" Brainstorm a list of options (television, radio and print advertising, Internet sites, public appearances, press events, etc.) What goal does each form of media serve? How can a candidate use different forms of media to his or her advantage? How can the public sift through all these forms of media coverage to get at the candidate's message? Mini-Lesson: Political Advertising: Classes One and Two 1.Ask students to name their favorite commercial. What appeals to them: The product? The humor? The visuals? The editorial copy? The music? To whom do they think that commercial appeals? How do they know? Discuss the purpose of advertisements. 2.Introduce several political advertisements to students (see online clips at www.cnn.com/allpolitics or tape off of CNN). Ask students: What is the candidate "selling"? What visual images do they see? What language do the ads use? What music is playing in the background? What kind of lighting is used? Is the tone upbeat or somber? Who is the target audience for those ads? How do you know? What do you think the candidate and his or her staff want to accomplish with each advertisement? After students have answered these questions, make a list of advertising techniques used by candidates to get more votes. 3.Distribute the Student Handout: Identifying Propaganda to students. Discuss each of the terms and their examples. Have students provide their own examples for each term. Divide the class into groups of three or four. Repeat the series of advertisements for students. After each ad, allow student groups to discuss under which category of propaganda the ad falls. Are some techniques used more often than others are? Are some more effective? Do some techniques appeal to specific age groups rather than others? 4.If students were advertising consultants to a political candidate, what questions would they need to address before they created an ad? Brainstorm a class list. Examples include: Who is the target audience? What message do we want to convey? For example "Our candidate is strict on crime" or "Our candidate is trustworthy"? What propaganda technique would work best for this audience and with this message? What visuals, copy and music will we use? What will the tone be: serious, humorous, upbeat, scary? What words should be used: positive and supporting our candidate, or negative against the opponent? 5.Once students have created a list of questions, direct each group to choose a candidate running for office, or make up one of their own. First have them write down answers to the above questions. Then, as advertising consultants to this candidate, they should create a storyboard and copy for a television ad. One student can be in charge of the visuals (what we will see on the screens), one in charge of copy (what we will hear) and one in charge of technical direction (describing the lighting, camera angles, music, etc.). When students present their ad to the other groups, they should introduce their candidate and describe their storyboard. Classmates should try to answer: "Who is the target audience?" "What message does they group want to convey?" "What propaganda technique did they choose?" Students should rate ads on a scale from one to ten whether or not they feel the group accomplished its goal with the ad. Optional: Present copies of a daily rundown of television programming (TV Guide or the daily newspaper) to students. Explain to students that, although television advertising is very expensive, candidates only have a finite amount of money to spend on advertising. Which television programs do they think demand the highest price for commercials? Based on their goals and target audience, students should identify how and where they would position their political advertisement. Would they put all of their money into a few spots on "Must See TV" night, on morning news shows, during soap operas or sports events? Would they scatter them or concentrate on one time slot? Students should hand in a media plan that lists, in order of priority, the timeslots and channels where they would buy advertising space. Mini-Lesson: The News Media: Class Three 1.As stated in the introduction to this lesson, the media is often blamed for everything, from shaping the public agenda to filtering out only select information to showing bias in election coverage. Hold a class discussion on the role of the news media during an election year. What do you see as the most important role that the media plays in an election? To what guidelines should news media adhere? By what criteria should the public judge the media? Do you think the media has a great influence on the outcome of elections? Why? What is the biggest challenge you think the media faces when covering an election? How do you think the public should "use" the media to learn about the candidates and their positions? 2.Distribute copies of Student Handout: "And Now a Word from CNN Reporters". Compare the reporters' answers with students'. How do the CNN reporters see the role of the media? What are some of their challenges? How do the changes in the immediacy of information alter the way election news is covered and received? Bernard Shaw puts a lot of faith in voters doing their homework on the issues. Do you agree with his statement: "I'm convinced of the voter's savvy and independence; I'm less convinced of the news media's swaying powers." Can you think of any follow up questions that you would want to ask Bernard Shaw or the other reporters? Follow Up/Homework: Discuss the various types of coverage the media provides to the public (i.e. host a candidate in a talk show, host a debate, conduct an interview with a candidate, report the latest figures, inform about issues and policies, cover latest rumors or "dirt" on the candidates, who's ahead and who's behind or "horse-race" tracking, etc.). Have students collect one week's worth of newspapers, news-magazines and reports on news video (CNN NEWSROOM, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, Fox News). Have them analyze the coverage to discover the percentage of reports devoted to issues analysis, explanations of candidate professional records, mudslinging, rumor mongering and "horse race" tracking. They should make a pie graph to illustrate their findings. On the basis of their analysis, have them write an open letter to the press in which they "grade" their ability to "inform" the public without "bias." Send it to the local paper. Mini-Lesson: The Internet: Class Four Introduction: Traditionally, candidates have used campaign advertising and press conferences to get their messages out to the voters. This campaign, they have a powerful new media tool -- the Internet. 1.Ask students: If you were a candidate, what would you put on your web site? Make a list of elements, such as background, issues, major speeches, fundraising, volunteer support, statistics, track record, campaign ads, etc. 2.Discuss: "How is Internet different from other forms of media as a tool for getting the word out?" Show the Video Clip: The Internet Election and follow up with the discussion questions and activity from the November 9, 1999 CNN NEWSROOM classroom guide. Then discuss: If you were a candidate, how would you design a web site to get your message out to, and get the support of, the greatest number of voters? Has the Internet changed the democratic process, or might it in the near future? 3.Brainstorm a list of criteria that could be used to judge a candidate's web site. Direct groups of students to one of the candidates' web sites (see Internet Resources). Using the judging criteria, each group should critique the site. What does this site offer to the voter? What images do you see? Photographs? Quotations? How does it impact the relationship between the candidate and the voter? If there is time, have students visit several other sites. 4.For further discussion: Is the Internet a form of "grassroots democracy" at work? What role do students think the Internet will play in future elections? Do they think this trend will impact the election process? Explain. Homework: Have students survey family and community members on where they get their information on a candidate. How many get their information from television news media, print news media, online voter and candidate sites, word of mouth, etc.? Have students compile their results into one class pie chart. What method seems to be most utilized? How might these results impact where a candidate spends his money? How might this impact the results of an election? ASSESSMENT As media detectives, what clues did you find to help you decipher between the candidate's message and the use of various forms of media to portray an image? Make a list of at least ten things a new voter should look for to detect manipulation by the media. Write a step by step guide for new voters to use the media to find a candidate they like. INTERNET RESOURCES Democratic Presidential Candidates Republican (GOP) Presidential Candidates Independent Presidential Candidates Public Agenda is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public opinion research and citizen education organization based in New York City. It was founded in 1975 by social scientist and author Daniel Yankelovich and former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance. |
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