media0-theagendaproject

The appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos: we’ve talked about them all year. Nowhere do they have a more dramatic effect than in the world of politics and the journalism that covers it.
 * The Agenda Project (TAP) **

Media Awareness is one of the most important skills for an educated person to have in modern America. In the past, VP has examined this topic through a project called The Bias Calculator, but we’ve decided that that is too limiting. Instead, we’re hoping to TAP into a broader examination of topics related to Bias, Agenda, Slant, Subjectivity, and Objectivity.

(A few additional resource suggestions are posted below the list of topics, along with a set of objectives for the project.) More will be said about this in class, of course. We will only scratch the surface here, breaking ground on a museum of Agenda in modern America. You and a partner will select one topic, do a little research, and construct a wiki page that develops a position on one of the following topics:

> > > Two or three resources every group should consider using: > · FactCheck.org (and FactCheckEd.org) > · // On the Media // (NPR Sunday and []) > · Fairness and Accuracy in Media (FAIR) is another prominent source that has been at the center of a few debates itself – consider this carefully, as well > > Objectives include: > · to find some good resources to use when investigating/deconstructing bias and potential bias, and exercise and expand skills at navigating the Internet > · to become more aware of the prevalence of agendas in reporting – those that exist, those that are rumored, those that are exaggerated… > · to learn terminology relevant to a discussion of bias and agenda in media > · to gather data – maybe incriminating, maybe exculpatory – on some of the most prominent foci of charges of bias in America today > · to practice documenting sources according to MLA, in advance of our Big Research Project > · to use a wiki as an appealing, informative, interactive tool through which a complex thesis can be designed and presented
 * 1) Bias calculator ** >>example>> **See Mr. Rosin for a resource to use
 * 2) (Victoria & Caroline) The right on Obama ** >>example>> ** []
 * 3) (Jeremy & Dan) The left on Palin ** >>example>> ** See Jon Stewart or others – even political (but not social) conservative Andrew Sullivan in //The Atlantic// is a good source for this
 * 4) (Greg & Ben) Hagiography: the right on Palin, left on Obama (alternate to 2/3) ** >>example>> ** [] (sort of)
 * 5) (Brody & John) Pick two major blogs/pundits, one from each “side”, and cover daily for a week – watch the memes, themes, and style ** >>example>> ** There are many good examples; you’re going to want to find some major ones. Look around, then check with W/R for confirmation that you’ve got a significant figure on each side
 * 6) (Mara & Liz) The MSM ("mainstream media"), focus on //The New York Times// ** >>example>> ** This won’t be hard to find. Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly, not to mention Sarah Palin, are prominent critics of the MSM
 * 7) (Greg & Luke) The conservative press, focus on Fox News ** >>example>> ** [] -- best clip is Stewart talking about Neil Cavuto and his bias ("Here's what Stewart...")
 * 8) (Andrew & Riggs) National Public Radio ** >>example>> ** Look up the name Kenneth Tomlinson for a start
 * 9) (Julia & Rebecca) Populism vs. “The Elite” ** >>example>> ** Joe the Plumber, “plain folks” on one side; the Ivy League, “the Beltway” on the other ** >>example>> ** Great historical examples abound – this has changed dramatically over the years – back to the 19th century
 * 10) (Anna & Julia) Allusion, imagery, metaphor: what are the key images we associate with candidates? ** >>example>> **lockbox, hockey mom, pit bull, Kerry sailing, McCain's cross in the dirt, morning in America, thousand points of light, etc.), and analysis of those images -- power of image vs. word
 * 11) Moderateness, extremism, radicalism: the center and the margins ** >>example>> ** David Brooks, moderate-conservative columnist of //The New York Times//, is a good commentator on this
 * 12) (Matt & Troy) Polls and their use ** >>example>> ** Mr. Wright has a suggestion about a commentator on polls o Nate Silver at [|http://www.fivethirtyeight.com]
 * 13) (Kumar & David) Foreign relations ** >>example>> ** Israel might be a great topic to start with
 * 14) Speechmaking and rhetoric: pick two speechmakers ** >>example>> ** James Fallows in //The Atlantic// ([]) ** >>example>> ** A fascinating recent example: []
 * 15) Propose your own topic! (need to get it approved by Wright/Rosin)