Is Fox News biased in its reporting on global warming? July 13, 2009
Posted by itneditor in Blogroll, Internet, New Media, News, Politics, Television.Tags: Media bias, Global Warming, FOX News, Sean Hannity, Media Matters, climate change, New York
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As Democrats fought hard for the last few months to win support for the latest bill designed to fight global warming, many critics of the media faulted the “routine” biased coverage on Fox News as one reason why people are still unfortunately skeptical about climate change. For instance, Media Matters, a liberal media watchdog, recently reported that Sean Hannity from Fox News misused reports about record temperatures in New York City to claim that global warming is phony. This, other critics maintain, is just one of many examples of biased coverage.
For more on this issue, see the following videos:
Discussion Questions:
1. Are the reports from Fox News on global warming – at least those that are referred to above – simply representing fair and balanced perspectives on the issue, or are they obviously biased? Please justify your response.
2. Are other more traditional networks also biased in their coverage on global warming? If so, why do you think this is the case? What examples might you be able to cite?
3. Based on the example above, what are some of the obvious dangers of media bias? What, if anything, can be done to prevent it?
How TMZ scooped the Michael Jackson story June 28, 2009
Posted by itneditor in Internet, New Media, News, Newspaper, Radio, Television, entertainment.Tags: celebrity gossip, Death, Los Angeles Times, media, Michael Jackson, New York Times, TMZ
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The death of Michael Jackson this week highlighted the power of internet and television gossip specialist TMZ, which seemed far ahead of other media sources in its reports on the star. According to the Los Angeles Times, TMZ broke the Jackson story less than an hour after somebody from his home called 911. Representatives from TMZ acknowledge that they have struggled with a stigma since they report mainly on celebrity news, but that reputation, they say, should fade as they prove their ability to report faster and more in depth than other sources. Some critics, according to The New York Times, suggest that TMZ got lucky and probably called Jackson’s death prematurely, but regardless the entertainment news company is proving that more mainstream journalists may need to change their ways to be more competitive.
For a few examples of news reports that relied on TMZ, see the following videos:
Discussion Questions:
1. How might the different editorial styles of TMZ and more mainstream news sources explain how a gossip site was quicker in reporting the death of Michael Jackson?
2. Is TMZ just a tabloid? In other words, what makes TMZ an example of strong journalism?
3. How can mainstream news sources change to compete with sources like TMZ? Is it even necessary for them to change? How might mainstream sources like CBS News win out in the end?
Did Columbia’s “The State” sit too long on Sanford affair story? June 28, 2009
Posted by itneditor in New Media, News, Newspaper, Politics.Tags: Journalism, Mark Sanford, Scandal, sex, South Carolina, The State, TMZ
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When South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford returned from his secret trip to Argentina, he surprised the world with a public confession regarding an extramarital affair. Though his confession was trashed by many respected figures in the media for being too detailed, Sanford may not have had any choice but to spill the beans before others did it for him. It seems that Sanford became aware that Columbia’s The State possessed emails between him and his lover, and that the newspaper intended to print them in the near future. After The State printed the letters, its staff attempted to answer the most logical question: Why did it take so long, since they had the emails for almost a year? According to a recent report, journalists for The State could not confirm the emails, or the story about the Argentinian lover, until Sanford went missing last week. The saga raises some interesting questions about how the media breaks news of scandal.
For more on the sultry emails, see the following video:
Discussion Questions:
1. Should The State have broken the story sooner? What could they have done earlier to confirm the details from the emails? Should they have contacted Sanford when they received the emails?
2. What constraints might newspapers face that new media news sources do not? For instance, why might TMZ have broken the story sooner if they had the emails?
3. What should be the protocol for major media sources when they receive possible evidence of a major story? Did the editorial staff of The State do the right thing by holding onto the emails now made public?
The “Twitter Revolution” in Iran? June 21, 2009
Posted by itneditor in Blogroll, Internet, New Media, News, Politics.Tags: Facebook, Flickr, Iran, Noam Cohen, Protest, The New York Times, The Twitter Revolution, Twitter
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The buzz in the news this week is that social networking websites are aiding Iranian protesters in their demonstrations against their government. Though the Iranian government has forbidden anyone in the country from posting content that “creates tension,” officials have been largely ineffective in their efforts to crack down on updates from activists directed to the international community. Sites like Twitter, Flickr, and Facebook have allowed for pictures, videos, and stories of the Iranian government’s oppression, and have led some people to call this the first genuine Twitter Revolution. Noam Cohen from The New York Times, however, has argued that despite Twitter’s success in connecting Iranian civilians to the rest of the world, the service’s trustworthiness can often be compromised in a number of the ways.
For more on this story, see the following videos:
Discussion Questions:
1. Why is the Iranian government having such a difficult time cracking down on content posted to social networking sites like Twitter?
2. In regards to this recent crisis, why should we be hesitant to trust the content on sites like Twitter and Facebook? Should the news be showing pictures and video posted by unknown users?
3. What impact might these images and stories have on the situation in Iran? Will the government’s efforts to censor content prevail, or will protesters re-energize the movement against the election results?
Up and away with 3-d technology in movie theaters? June 21, 2009
Posted by itneditor in Film, News, Television, entertainment.Tags: 3D Technology, Cinema, Movies, NPR, Pixar, Toy Story 3, Up
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The word is out that Pixar was so pleased with its recent hit Up that the studio has committed to making all future films in 3-D. Though some critics have claimed that Jeffrey Katzenberg’s move is unnecessary since Pixar’s movies are always wildly entertaining, others are pointing out that 3-D’s costs make it impossible to spread to most theaters. Not only are the cost of glasses irritating all those behind showing the films, but as NPR recently reported most businesses cannot afford to equip their theaters with the digital projectors and the extra 3-D technology, which all total can add up to $100,000 per screen.
As for now, the success of Up and recent teasers for Toy Story 3 indicate that 3-D is in the future. For more on this news, see the following videos:
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think the benefits for movie theaters will outweigh the costs of updating to 3-D? In other words, do you think that 3-D films will create a surge of business for cinemas?
2. Is the rise of 3-D technology a huge revolution? What might you compare this to in respect to innovations in film?
3. Could 3-D move to home entertainment? If so, what would be required for this transition?
The Tragic Success of Raul Ibanez: Rumors and the blogosphere June 16, 2009
Posted by itneditor in Blogroll, Internet, New Media, News, Newspaper.Tags: Jerod Morris, Midwest Sports Fans, Philadelphia Phillies, Raul Ibanez, Scandal, Steroids
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Earlier this month, a sports blog called Midwest Sports Fans contained a controversial post regarding the surprising success of 37 year old Raul Ibanez of the Philadelphia Phillies. Well on his way to surpass his performance in any of his previous seasons, Ibanez stumped blogger Jerod Morris, who somewhat meticulously searched for answers in a variety of statistics but concluded that Ibanez may be using steroids. Though Morris received criticism for failing to analyze other important data concerning Ibanez, other critics chastised Midwest Sports Fans for resorting to conspiratorial fantasy – while potentially destroying the career of an innocent person – without any serious evidence.
The debate about Ibanez raises some serious questions about the ethics of blogging. For more on this story, see the following interview with blogger Jerod Morris:
Discussion Questions:
1. How is the editorial process of newspapers different from that of blogs? In other words, are bloggers free to claim whatever they want about public figures? Is there any accountability for bloggers?
2. How might the freedom afforded to bloggers be better for the production of important news?
3. What might you advise somebody like Ibanez about how to deal with the rumors of the blogosphere?
Is the internet destroying families? June 16, 2009
Posted by itneditor in Blogroll, Internet, Media Research, New Media, News, Radio, Television, entertainment.Tags: Addiction, Annenberg Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California, Facebook, Family, Michael Gilbert, MySpace, Twitter
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A recent report from the dic indicated that the amount of time families spend together is decreasing as internet use spreads. Twenty-eight percent of the participants in the center’s longitudinal study reported this year that they have been sending less time with family members; that’s almost triple the 11 percent who answered the same way in 2006. While Michael Gilbert, one fellow at the center, points to Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace, the argument is not a new one. Claims that the internet is addictive have been around for years, and have ignited a fierce debate. As Eleanor Barlow from the UK’s Telegraph summarized, the term “addiction” has been misused. Regardless, fears about the dangers of internet use continue to run rampant. The following videos exemplify some of those fears:
Discussion Questions:
1. What has supposedly changed about the internet in the past five years that has made it more addictive?
2. Is internet use fundamentally different from listening to the radio or watching television? Why is the internet, in contrast to those other technologies, supposedly so damaging to the family?
3. How does one define addiction? Is the term being misapplied to heavy users of the internet?
4. Are social networking sites really that dangerous? How might they be good for one’s social life?
Nadya Suleman and the Octo-Bunch land TV deal in Britain June 7, 2009
Posted by itneditor in News, Politics, Television, entertainment.Tags: Jon Gosselin, Kate Gosselin, Nadya Suleman, Octomom, Reality television
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“Jon and Kate Plus Eight” has been heavily criticized recently for possibly violating child labor laws. Family members of the parents have indicated that the kids hate cameras, and that they are being used selfishly to make money. Thus, news this week that Octomom Nadya Suleman has signed her family to do a reality TV show airing in England has some feeling uneasy. Suleman is obviously considering the possible criticism of the deal however, and has made it clear that the children stand to benefit. Moreover, the format of the program will be little like that of “Jon and Kate Plus Eight,” as the cameras will only follow the children during key points in their lives. The issue undoubtedly raises questions about the ethics of reality TV.
For more on this particular issue, see the following video:
Discussion Questions:
1. Why is the use of children in reality TV so controversial?
2. What negative impacts might reality television have on the children appearing in these programs?
3. Given some of these consequences, how do you think reality television might be better regulated to protect children?
