Helping Our Students Understand Helping Our Students Understand Bias & PropagandaBias & Propaganda       

Frank Baker, media educatorFrank Baker, media educatorfbaker1346@aol.comfbaker1346@aol.com

Media Literacy ClearinghouseMedia Literacy Clearinghousewww.frankwbaker.comwww.frankwbaker.com

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Social Studies

““Best Practices” Best Practices” WorkshopsWorkshops

December 6 (elementary)December 6 (elementary)

December 7 (secondary)December 7 (secondary)

ColumbiaColumbia

Brooklyn Baptist Church Conference Brooklyn Baptist Church Conference Ctr.Ctr.

Registration: SDE WebsiteRegistration: SDE Website

The need for media The need for media literacyliteracy

"The Jeffersonian ideal of an informed "The Jeffersonian ideal of an informed electorate necessitates media literacy electorate necessitates media literacy education. ... With the incredible rise education. ... With the incredible rise of the internet and the unedited of the internet and the unedited nature of many web sites, students nature of many web sites, students need more than ever to learn how to need more than ever to learn how to assess the validity and credibility of assess the validity and credibility of the information to which they are the information to which they are exposed." exposed."  Robert Kubey, Rutgers University Robert Kubey, Rutgers University

Media in the SS StandardsMedia in the SS Standards Grade 5Grade 5 the popularity of new technology such as the popularity of new technology such as

automobiles, airplanes, automobiles, airplanes, radioradio, and movies, and movies

Summarize the impact of cultural developments in Summarize the impact of cultural developments in the US following WWII, including the significance of the US following WWII, including the significance of pop culture and pop culture and mass mediamass media and the population and the population shifts to the suburbsshifts to the suburbs

Grade 8Grade 8Explain the causes and effects of changes in SC Explain the causes and effects of changes in SC culture during the 1920s, including .....culture during the 1920s, including .....the rise of the rise of mass mediamass media..........

Propaganda: ELA (draft) Propaganda: ELA (draft) standardsstandards

6-2.9 6-2.9 Recognize Recognize propagandapropaganda techniques such as bandwagon and techniques such as bandwagon and testimonials. testimonials.

E1-2.4 E1-2.4 Evaluate persuasive and Evaluate persuasive and propagandapropaganda techniques. techniques.

What is media literacy?What is media literacy?

Please spend a few moments thinkingPlease spend a few moments thinking

about what this means to you—andabout what this means to you—and

then write your own definition….then write your own definition….

Media literacy is concerned with helping Media literacy is concerned with helping students develop an informed and critical students develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of mass media, understanding of the nature of mass media, the techniques used by them, and the impact the techniques used by them, and the impact of these techniquesof these techniques. More specifically, it is . More specifically, it is education that aims to increase the students' education that aims to increase the students' understanding and enjoyment of how the understanding and enjoyment of how the media work, media work, how they produce meaning, how how they produce meaning, how they are organized, and how they construct they are organized, and how they construct realityreality. Media literacy also aims to provide . Media literacy also aims to provide students with the ability to create media students with the ability to create media products. products. Media Literacy Resource Guide, Ministry of Education Ontario, Media Literacy Resource Guide, Ministry of Education Ontario,

19971997

Key ideas in media literacyKey ideas in media literacy

• All media are constructed (representations)All media are constructed (representations)• Media use unique languagesMedia use unique languages• Media convey values and points-of-viewMedia convey values and points-of-view• Audiences negotiate meaningsAudiences negotiate meanings• Media interested in power and profitMedia interested in power and profit

Source: Center for Media LiteracySource: Center for Media Literacy

All media are constructedAll media are constructed (representations)(representations)

No, this is a PHOTOGRAPH of a horse.No, this is a PHOTOGRAPH of a horse.

Audiences Audiences negotiate negotiate meaningmeaning

Critical thinking questionsCritical thinking questions

• Who created/paid for the message?Who created/paid for the message?

• For what purpose was it made?For what purpose was it made?

• Who is the ‘target audience’?Who is the ‘target audience’?

• What What techniquestechniques are used to attract my are used to attract my attention & increase believability ?attention & increase believability ?

• Who or what might be omitted and why?Who or what might be omitted and why?

• What do they want me to think or do?What do they want me to think or do?

• How do I know what it means?How do I know what it means?

• Where might I go to get more information?Where might I go to get more information?

Questions of images & Questions of images & texts:texts:

• What characters, motifs, symbols, products, What characters, motifs, symbols, products, effects, and persuasive devices are used in effects, and persuasive devices are used in this picture?this picture?

• What values do these elements represent?What values do these elements represent? • What is your interpretation of messages they What is your interpretation of messages they

are sending?are sending? • Who is pictured as a role model? Who is Who is pictured as a role model? Who is

excluded?excluded? • Who is being targeted as an audience?Who is being targeted as an audience? • What are the creators really selling?What are the creators really selling?

What is propaganda?What is propaganda?

What is propaganda?What is propaganda?

Propaganda is a specific type of Propaganda is a specific type of message presentation directly aimed message presentation directly aimed at influencing the opinions of people, at influencing the opinions of people, rather than impartially providing rather than impartially providing information.information.

What is propaganda?What is propaganda?

"Propaganda is the deliberate, "Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions perceptions, manipulate cognitions [thoughts], and direct behavior to [thoughts], and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist."desired intent of the propagandist."

Source: Propaganda and Persuasion, Garth Jowett/Victoria O'Donnell

What is bias?What is bias?

What is bias?What is bias? "Bias is manifest in texts when authors present "Bias is manifest in texts when authors present

particular values as if they were universal.  For particular values as if they were universal.  For example, bias can be conveyed in the media example, bias can be conveyed in the media through the selection of stories, sequence, and through the selection of stories, sequence, and slant in newscasts; the placement or omission of slant in newscasts; the placement or omission of stories in newspapers; who is interviewed and left stories in newspapers; who is interviewed and left out in radio or television talk shows and news out in radio or television talk shows and news programs; the advertisements on webpages, programs; the advertisements on webpages, television, magazines, radio shows targeted at television, magazines, radio shows targeted at specific audiences; the lyrics of commercial specific audiences; the lyrics of commercial jingles and popular music, and the images jingles and popular music, and the images displayed with them in broadcast commercials displayed with them in broadcast commercials and music videos; the goals, procedures, and the and music videos; the goals, procedures, and the rules of video games.“rules of video games.“

Source: Source: December 2002, readingonline.orgDecember 2002, readingonline.org

Bias: referenced in ELA Bias: referenced in ELA standardsstandards

5-1.105-1.10 Recognize indicators of Recognize indicators of author’s biasauthor’s bias..

6-7.76-7.7 Analyze sources for accuracy, Analyze sources for accuracy, biasbias and purpose and purpose..

8-7.68-7.6 Evaluate sources for accuracy, Evaluate sources for accuracy, biasbias and purpose. and purpose.

Identify the bias:Identify the bias:

• Hiliary spoke to the Democratic National Hiliary spoke to the Democratic National Committee on Friday. Her chat was Committee on Friday. Her chat was followed by an address by Senator followed by an address by Senator Joseph Lieberman.Joseph Lieberman.

• The Navy’s mission team included four The Navy’s mission team included four aviators from Miramar and one female aviators from Miramar and one female aviator from Patuxent Naval Air Station.aviator from Patuxent Naval Air Station.

Source: Media & American Democracy/ Bill of Rights InstituteSource: Media & American Democracy/ Bill of Rights Institute

Identify the bias:Identify the bias:

In Bernard Goldberg’s book BIAS, heIn Bernard Goldberg’s book BIAS, heaccuses CBS News of bias in reporting.accuses CBS News of bias in reporting.