How does the media connect Canadians to their government?

1. How does the media connect Canadians to their government?

2. Where do you get your news? • News comes in countless forms: • Radio • Newspaper • TV • Internet Websites • Word of Mouth • Magazines

3. The Role of Reporters • Media includes newspapers, magazines, film, radio, television, internet, books, billboards • Media is designed to deliver information and messages quickly to very large audiences • The term “mass media” refers the ability that media has to effect the opinions and judgments of a large number of people

4. Mass Media

5. Mass Media

6. The Role of Reporters • All media messages are created by people who interpret facts and make choices about how to tell a story • This interpretation of facts can lead to bias • Certain aspects of different stories are skewed, forgotten, changed, or altered depending on the opinion of a reporter

7. Slogans • Politicians often develop key messages for the media to control how certain information is presented to the public • Through slogans, politicians are able to communicate the message they want citizens to know • Usually slogans are memorable quotes or phrases that are repeated

8. The Slogans of President Bush • Weapons of Mass Destruction

9. Don Martin on Reporters • Don Martin is the national affairs columnist for the Calgary Herald and the National Post • He believes the role of reporters is as follows: • Inform people of the impact of gov’t decisions • To discover the truth • Utilized credible sources • Present accurate information

10. The Parliamentary Press Gallery • The PPG is an association of reporters who cover decision and actions of the gov’t • The press gallery includes 350 reporters from media outlets across Canada • The PPG includes media groups that represent all people from across Canada and attempts to ensure that information is presented to them in a form they can relate to

11. Parliamentary Press Gallery

12. Parliamentary Press Gallery

13. Diverse Media • Aboriginal Peoples Television Network • Provides First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people “the opportunity to share their stories with all of Canada” • Association De La Presse Francophone • Serves the Francophone community outside of Quebec • CBC / Radio – Canada • Canada’s public broadcasting • Omni Television • Aims to “reflect Canada’s diversity through multicultural and multilingual programming

14. How To Detect Bias • We need to develop a way to detect whether your news is truthful, accurate, and reflects a balanced views and perspectives • Bias is a type of thinking rooted in a person’s point of view • Bias often leads to unbalanced information in the news • The key to detecting bias is to be open-minded when analyzing issues in the news

15. The Power of Media • Campaign For Real Beauty • Influence of Mass Media • The American Marines • U.S. Army • Canadian Armed Forces