1. In your opinion, what are the major technological breakthroughs in American media history? Search for media history sources on the Web or go directly to the Media History Project at www.mediahistory.umn.edu. Access their timeline and image gallery, and choose five scientific breakthroughs that seem to you to be most important.
There is no single "right" answer to this question, but explain why you selected the events you did.
PowerWeb Articles
2. Go to the Student portion of the Online Learning Center and choose Chapter 1. In the left navigation bar under News, Articles & Links, click PowerWeb Articles. On the next screen, under the topic of International News, read the article, "The View From Abroad." In your opinion, were early reports from U.S. news organizations about the war on terrorism more or less accurate than those from abroad? Explain why you feel the way you do.
In addition, scan the list for other articles of interest pertaining to this chapter.
Industry
Web Excursion
3. Search for sites devoted to media ownership or go directly to "Who Owns What," The Columbia Journalism Review’s guide to media companies at www.cjr.org/tools/owners/. Who owns the media that you use most? Find the owners of your favorite newspaper, magazine, radio station, TV station, cable service and Web site. Any surprises? Any possible conflicts of interest? What could be the possible effect of that ownership?
Media World CD-ROM Excursion
4. Media Talk—On the CD that accompanies this book, view Media Talk track 7, Media Professionals Discuss the State of the Media (from NBC’s Today Show). In this clip, Steven Brill, editor of Brill’s Content, Larry Sabato, a professor at the University of Virginia and Cynthia Tucker, Editorial Page Editor of the Atlanta Journal Constitution discuss media standards and ethics. What does Steven Brill mean by his statement, "We’ve gone from meat-and-potatoes journalism to hot-fudge-Sunday journalism"?
PowerWeb Articles
5. Go to the Student portion of the Online Learning Center and choose Chapter 1. In the left navigation bar under News, Articles & Links, click PowerWeb Articles. On the next screen, under the topic of Federal Communications Commission (FCC), read the article, "Media Mergers: The Danger Remains." Do you believe that media consolidation is a danger to democracy? Back up your ideas with information from this article.
In addition, scan the list for other articles of interest pertaining to this chapter.
Controversies
Web Excursion
6. Search the Web for sites devoted to media criticism or go directly to Cursor at www.cursor.org, to Alternet at www.alternet.org, to AIM at www.aim.org, or to FAIR at www.fair.org. Select a current media issue that you find noteworthy, and describe how it could be seen from all three perspectives (as an impact, legal, and ethical issue) discussed in the "Controversies" section of this chapter.
Media World CD-ROM Excursion
7. Media Talk—On the CD-ROM that accompanies this book, view Media Talk track 15, Michael Moore Discusses Columbine and Mass Media. On a visit to NBC’s Phil Donahue Show, filmmaker Michael Moore discusses his views on the American media. One of Moore’s arguments is that increased violence in the media leads to increased violence in our society. What are your thoughts on this argument?
PowerWeb Articles
8. Go to the Student portion of the Online Learning Center and choose Chapter 1. In the left navigation bar under News, Articles & Links, click PowerWeb Articles. On the next screen, under the topic of Government Influence, read the article, "The Information Squeeze." Answer one of the following questions based on this article: Do you believe there is too little (or too much) government secrecy? Do you believe there is too little (or too much) personal privacy today?
In addition, scan the list for other articles of interest pertaining to this chapter.
