Remember your PSA project complete with brochures, press release, t-shirts etc. are due on December 6th. 2013. No exceptions.

We will continue to read Geeks, by Jon Katz.

Study Guide Questions:

NOTE TO TEACHERS Jon Katz's book, Geeks, has a freshness and an immediacy that will appeal to your advanced readers as well as your reluctant readers. In fact, a segment of the book appeared in Rolling Stone magazine before publication. Geeks looks into the lives of two boys who are on the outside of the social world of high school and captures their perspectives about their lives at a unique period in history. At first glance, this appears to be a book about technology. Teachers who did not grow up with websites, e-mail, jpegs, gifs and java (unless it was a cool way of saying coffee) might be nervous about leading a classroom discussion on such topics. But Geeks is less about RAM and hard drives, and more about the willingness of desperate people to take a chance. It's the story of adventurers, pioneers, and gamblers. Jon Katz was a reporter who wanted to write a book about kids on the Internet. When he got an e-mail from teenager and self-proclaimed geek, Jesse Daily, something in it compelled him to drop the idea of a survey and focus the book on one individual. Katz quickly lost his professional detachment and advised Jesse and his friend Eric as they struggled to understand who they were and who they might become. The boys set off on an odyssey of self-discovery with a former teacher, Mr. Brown, and Katz as their guides. Jesse and Eric credit Mr. Brown for saving them in high school by creating a safe haven for the boys to escape the pressures of the social scene. They stayed in touch with Mr. Brown even after they graduated. Geeks is right on time. As we move farther away from the tragedies at Columbine High School and continue to learn of high school shootings from angry, frustrated, isolated young people, we must read Geeks in order to understand what life is like for someone who is outcast for being different. TEACHING IDEAS Preparing to read Katz begins the book with seven definitions for the word geek. The ascendency of Geeks in our society through our reliance on computer technology has put the issues of difference at center stage. Students should be encouraged to examine themselves and their actions on a daily basis. What does it mean to pick on someone who is different? How does it affect them? Students need to pay special attention to their feelings toward Jesse and Eric. At the beginning of the book, Jesse is guarded toward Katz and others. By the end of the story, we feel as if we have a new friend we might just drop an e-mail to. All this because we've taken the time to get to know Jesse through the book. Might this approach work with someone in school who's labeled an outsider? What if more people invested themselves in the lives of lost boys or girls? DISCUSSION AND WRITING Questions for Discussion and Comprehension The questions and discussion topics that follow are designed to guide students and teachers as they approach the issues raised in Geeks. Introduction How does the ascension of Geeks correlate with the rise of the Internet and the world wide web? How does Katz define the notion of other? Why do people need Geeks today? What happens in the radio station which changes Katz's notions about Geeks? Who is Louis Rossetto and why is he a pioneer? What was it about Jesse's e-mail that intrigued Katz so much? Chapter One: First Encounter Where does Jesse work? What comparison does Katz make between computers and cars? Katz has a notion of parenting. How is that notion different from the world in which Jesse and Eric live? Jesse says "The Net is my safety. It's my community. It's not a substitute for life for me. It is life." How does this play into daily decisions that Jesse and Eric make? How do Eric and Jesse make extra money? Why do the boys ride bikes? How does the loss of the car propel the boys into action? Chapter Two: The Cave Describe Eric and Jesse's apartment. How do they work on their machines? How did Eric grow up? How did Jesse grow up and what is the mantra that he has developed because of his upbringing? Chapter Three: The Geek Club How did the Geek Club start? What does it mean tobe idea starved? Describe each boy's approach to his frustrations? What does Jesse doin high school before he joined the Geek Club? What happens when the two popular kids show up during a session of the Geek Club?

Geeks, by Jon Katz

In addition to the theme of reclaimed epithets or stereotypes, please pay attention to the following themes as we begin reading our novel:

Independence, Religion, Employment/Networking,

Authority, Economics, Technology,

Coming-of-age Marriage/Divorce Difference


Please form a large group in the front of the room for PoPcorn reading. 

You will be given time to work on your PSA project and will be asked to check in with Mr. Johnson.

Remember we are working on your group Public Relations Campaign.

Your PR campaign should include:

1.  1:30 PSA video
2.  Press Release
3. A poster, brochure, t-shirt, or print ad
4. Event budget
5. List of Contacts for your event

DUE DATE FOR YOUR PROJECT IS December 6th, 2013. No exceptions!!!

Mr. Johnson will provide resources for tackling the project. You must have your PR campaign approved by Mr. Johnson.

Today's Resource:

Press Release Guidelines

To review, we are discussing these journalism guidelines:

ethics, media bias, credibility, stereotypes, AND I thought you should see this website in order to outline these broader concepts in detail instead to remind you of some of the things Ms. Gamzon introduced you to.

Society of Professional Journalists
http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

Mr. Johnson wants three things from you today:

1. Defense of Stereotypes
2. Press Release
3. A PSA of your choice

How to write a press release video: 
How to write a press release
http://youtu.be/9aClNFmebr8



How to write a press release website: 
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Press-Release
In the blog section of this blog post, talk about how stereotypes and media bias are connected.

Hello class,

                  As you all know, I'm Mr. Johnson, I will be taking over for Ms. Gamzon (well sort of!). Ms. Gamzon will be assisting me with acquiring the skills necessary to be an effective teacher. In other words, I am learning how to be a "good" teacher from a great teacher. However, I am your student teacher for the next four weeks and I will assume all of the responsibility and authority given to an instructor.

                 Official business aside-I like to have fun while learning. I have reviewed the NYS Common Core standards thoroughly and I know that hard work and advanced literacy skills are required of every student hoping to score well on the final exam. My aim is to encourage you to hone in on your strengths. You will do your best when you feel good about what you are learning. We will be doing group activities, playing interactive games, surfing the web, using arts and crafts-it will be a blast! But we need you to work hard. I need you to actively listen, and take notes! Yes, take notes. College is right around the corner for many of you and taking notes is a practice I am sure you a familiar with, but good note taking is an academic skill which needs to be cultivated and practiced. So remember two simple hints to do well in this course while I'm teaching: take notes and have fun!

   I encourage you to talk with your family about me. Let them know you have a student teacher. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell the Mayor! If you or your parents have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Marcy Gamzon.

If you have an extra moment, take the time to let me know who you are and what you hope to learn from the course in the comment section below.

Media Bias

Types of Media Bias

Bias by omission – leaving one side out of an article, or a series of articles over a period of time; ignoring facts that tend to disprove liberal or conservative claims, or that support liberal or conservative beliefs; bias by omission can occur either within a story, or over the long term as a particular news outlet reports one set of events, but not another.  To find instances of bias by omission, be aware of the conservative and liberal perspectives on current issues.  See if both the conservative and liberal perspectives are included in stories on a particular event or policy.
Bias by selection of sources – including more sources that support one view over another.  This bias can also be seen when a reporter uses such phrases as “experts believe”, “observers say,” or “most people believe”.  Experts in news stories are like expert witnesses in trials.  If you know whether the defense or the prosecution called a particular expert witness to the stand, you know which way the witness will testify.  And when a news story only presents one side, it is obviously the side the reporter supports.  (Journalists often go looking for quotes to fit their favorite argument into a news story.)  To find bias by use of experts or sources, stay alert to the affiliations and political perspective of those quoted as experts or authorities in news stories.  Not all stories will include experts, but in those that do, make sure about an equal number of conservatives and liberals are quoted.  If a story quotes non-experts, such as those portrayed as average citizens, check to be sure that about an equal number come from both sides of the issue in question.
Bias by story selection – a pattern of highlighting news stories that coincide with the agenda of either the Left or the Right, while ignoring stories that coincide with the opposing view; printing a story or study released by a liberal or conservative group but ignoring studies on the same or similar topics released by the opposing group.  To identify bias by story selection you’ll need to know the conservative and liberal sides of the issue.  See how much coverage conservative issues get compared to issues on the liberal agenda, or liberals compared to conservatives.  For example, if a liberal group puts out a study proving a liberal point, look at how much coverage it got compared to a conservative study issued a few days or weeks earlier, or vice versa.  If charges of impropriety are leveled at two politicians of approximately equal power, one liberal and one conservative, compare the amount of coverage given to each.
Bias by placement – Story placement is a measure of how important the editor considers the story.  Studies have shown that, in the case of the average newspaper reader and the average news story, most people read only the headline.  Bias by placement is where in the paper or in an article a story or event is printed; a pattern of placing news stories so as to downplay information supportive of either conservative views or liberal views.  To locate examples of bias by placement, observe where a newspaper places political stories.  Or whenever you read a story, see how far into the story each viewpoint first appears.  In a fair and balanced story, the reporter would quote or summarize the liberal and conservative view at about the same place in the story.  If not, you’ve found bias by placement.
Bias by labeling – Bias by labeling comes in two forms.  The first is the tagging of conservative politicians and groups with extreme labels while leaving liberal politicians and groups unlabeled or with more mild labels, or vice versa.  The second kind of bias by labeling occurs when a reporter not only fails to identify a liberal as a liberal or a conservative as a conservative, but describes the person or group with positive labels, such as “an expert” or “independent consumer group”.  In so doing, the reporter imparts an air of authority that the source does not deserve.  If the “expert” is properly called a “conservative” or a “liberal” the news consumer can take that ideological slant into account when evaluating the accuracy of an assertion.  When looking for bias by labeling, remember that not all labeling is biased or wrong.  Bias by labeling is present when the story labels the conservative but not the liberal, or the liberal but not the conservative; when the story uses more extreme sounding labels for the conservative than the liberal (“ultra-conservative”, “far right”, but just “liberal” instead of “far left” and “ultra-liberal”) or for the liberal than the conservative (“ultra-liberal”, “far left”, but just “conservative” instead of “far right” and ”ultra-conservative ; and when the story misleadingly identifies a liberal or conservative official or group as an expert or independent watchdog organization.
Bias by spin – Bias by spin occurs when the story has only one interpretation of an event or policy, to the exclusion of the other; spin involves tone – it’s a reporter’s subjective comments about objective facts; makes one side’s ideological perspective look better than another.  To check if it’s spin, observe which interpretation of an event or policy a news story matches – the liberal or conservative.  Many news stories do not reflect a particular spin.  Others summarize the spin put on an event by both sides.  But if a story reflects one to the exclusion of the other, then you’ve found bias by spin.
The above information is excerpted and adapted from How to Identify Liberal Media Bias by Brent H. Baker, Vice President for Research and Publications at MediaResearchCenter.org.

http://www.cteonline.org/portal/default/Curriculum/Viewer/Curriculum?action=2&cmobjid=293645

Media Ethics

Media Ethics

Summary: These resources provide an overview of journalistic writing with explanations of the most important and most often used elements of journalism and the Associated Press style. This resource, revised according to The Assocatied Press Stylebook 2011, offers examples for the general format of AP style. For more information, please consult The Associated Press Stylebook 2011, 46th edition.
Contributors:Christopher Arnold, Tony Cook, Elizabeth Angeli
Last Edited: 2010-04-25 08:48:03

Introduction

The same First Amendment freedoms that allow U.S. media outlets to publish without fear of government interference also make it nearly impossible to impose a standard of ethics or professional protocol for journalists. No organization exists to certify journalists, and likewise, no uniform system exists for penalizing unethical behavior.
Nonetheless, professionals in the field generally take great pride and responsibility in their roles, and organizations such as the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists offer thorough and useful guidelines for ethical conduct.
Generally, ethical concerns in the media can be grouped into a few broad categories. The following points synthesize and summarize some important ethical concerns proposed by the Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists.

Accuracy

• Check the accuracy of information from all sources to avoid error.
• Subjects of news stories should always have the opportunity to respond to any allegations of wrongdoing.
• When mistakes are made, they must be corrected – fully and quickly.
• Headlines, news teases and promotional material, including photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations, should never misrepresent, oversimplify, or highlight incidents out of context.

Treatment of Sources

• Identify sources whenever possible so that the public has as much information possible to determine the sources’ reliability.
• Always keep any promises made in return for the source’s cooperation.
• Only guarantee a source’s anonymity when the source insists upon it, when he or she provides vital information, when there is no other way to obtain that information, and when the source is knowledgeable and reliable.
• Strive to quote sources accurately and in the proper context.

Avoiding Bias

• Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled, and not misrepresent fact or context.
• Distinguish news from advertising and avoid hybrids that blur the two.
• Examine your own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
• Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
• Support the open exchange of views, even views you might find repugnant.

Avoiding Distortions

• Never knowingly introduce false information into material intended for publication or broadcast.
• Never alter photo, video, or image content.

Gathering Information

• Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information, except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public.
• Use of any non-traditional methods of gathering information should be explained as part of the story.
• Rely on the most up-to-date and accurate research when gathering facts for a story.
• Never plagiarize.

Minimizing Harm

• Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage, especially children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
• Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.
• Understand that private people have a greater expectation of privacy than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention.
• Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes.
• Be cautious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges.

Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
• Always refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment.
• Avoid secondary employment, political involvement, public office, or service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
• Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
• Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests.
• Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money.

Conclusion

There is no standard for ethical journalistic practice, but two widely regarded organizations, The Associated Press and the Society of Professional Journalists, offer useful and time-tested guidelines. When in doubt, always confer with a trusted colleague or supervisor.

Sources

“The Associated Press Statement of News Values and Principles.” www.ap.org 16 Feb 2006. http://www.ap.org/newsvalues/index.html.
“Society of Professional Journalists: Code of Ethics.” www.spj.org 18 Dec 2008. http://spj.org/ethicscode.asp.

http://mediasmarts.ca/