Analyzing media requires students to apply knowledge of form, structure and context to media messages. Students interpret messages by using literary concepts such as audience, point of view, genre, character, plot, theme, mood, setting, etc. They also use their knowledge of the historical, social, political and economic contexts of the message. Students use comprehension strategies such as comparing and contrasting, determining fact and opinion, sequencing clarity and identifying cause and effect.

Students research the question "Does the media emphasize bad news?"

Principle: Messages are representations of social reality.

1. Ask students to volunteer their opinion about the news they read in newspapers or see on television. Is it mainly good news or bad news? Let students share their ideas. Tell students they are going to conduct a research study to find the answer.
2. Separate the class into seven groups - one group for each day of the week. Explain that each group will go through the newspaper on its day and count the number of good news stories and the number of bad news stories. (You may want to have older students measure the stories with a ruler and calculate the number of column inches for each type of news). You may add a "neutral" category for those items that do not appear to fit a "good" or "bad" news category.
3. Assign students to watch a local news program and a network news program for their day. Have them count the stories and classify them as good news or bad news. As an alternative, you may want to videotape a nightly local news program and a network news program and have students review the videotape during the school day.
4. What did the students find? Were there some stories that could be classified as good or bad depending upon an individual's point of view? Was there a difference in the number of stories covered each day in newspapers and television? Was there a difference in the kind of news stories covered? Have students discuss their findings as a class.

Students identify the picture of society they perceive from various media sources.

Principle: Messages are representations of social reality.

1. Create a bulletin board display of large circles. Label each circle with one of the following statements or statements of your own choosing.

   People are good
   People care about their community
   People can be dangerous
   People can cause problems for others
   

2. Have students collect examples from the media that illustrate the statements and post them in the appropriate circle. For newspapers or magazines, have students post the story and headline in the circle. Use colored cards for other media sources. Use one color for television; have students write the name of the program that matches the statement. If students want to use an example from a television news program, have them write the topic of the story on the card, not just the name of the news program. Use different colors for radio, movies or other sources.

Students evaluate the content of comic strips and relate it to their perceptions of the world.

Principle: Messages are representations of social reality.

1. Begin a class discussion by asking students to talk about their favorite comic strips. Why do they like those strips?
2. Ask students to work in pairs or small groups to look at the comic strips in their newspaper. Have them classify the strips into two categories: strips that show a "truth" about life as the students perceive it, and strips that do not reflect reality as the students know it.
3. Have students share their responses. Have students discuss how comic strips represent reality in various areas, such as race, gender roles, class or occupation. Allow students to suggest topics for comparison.
4. Have students create a comic strip or write a description of a comic strip that would reflect their daily lives.

Students examine the same topic as it is presented in a variety of newspaper genres with the "Writing Styles in Newspapers" activity sheet.

Principle: Each form of communication has unique characteristics.

1. Ask students to name the different kinds of writing they can identify in the newspaper, such as news stories, feature stories, editorials, columns, editorial cartoons and comic strips. Explain that a very popular or controversial topic often appears in many forms in the newspaper.
2. Have students work in pairs or small groups to complete the activity sheet "Writing Styles in Newspapers." Students may have to collect different newspapers over several days to locate the forms listed on the sheet. Students may want to compare local, regional and national newspapers.
3. Have students discuss their findings in class. Which genres provided the most factual information? Which had a definite point of view? Did they agree with any of the points of view presented? Why or why not?

Students analyze the forces that act upon news events and relate that information to media messages with the "What Influences News Events?" activity sheet.

Principle: Individuals construct meaning from messages.

1. Select a news event from the newspaper. Ask students to volunteer what they already know about the story.
2. Have students consider what they know about the history leading up to the event, the political and social environment in which the event takes place and the economic factors that may have influenced the event. Explain that the students' prior knowledge about these areas has affected their ability to understand the media coverage of the event.
3. Have students complete the "What Influences News Events?" in pairs or small groups.
4. Have students discuss in class the predictions they have made about the news story they studied. Have them identify the various factors that led them to their predictions.

Secondary students research the cost and scope of news resources in their local community with the "Researching Your Local Media Market" activity sheet.

Principle: Each form of communication has unique characteristics.

1. Have students identify the different kinds of media that exist in their community. List them on the board.
2. Separate the four media areas identified on the activity sheet and assign each one to a group of students. Give students a week to research their media. If there are several newspapers or television stations in your area, assign one group of students to each one. Students may use reference materials or speak to individuals at the news organization.
   NOTE: Have only one student contact an individual at each of the media sources. At the newspaper, have students ask for the Newspaper in Education department or the Community Relations department. Have students ask for the Community Relations departments at other sites.
3. Have each group report back to the class. Compile the information on a bulletin board. Have students identify what they see as the strengths and limitations of each of the media sources they have studied.

Students examine news photos and compare the photos with accompanying text.

Principle: Messages are representations of social reality.

1. Clip photographs and their accompanying news stories from the newspaper. Cut the photos and news stories apart.
2. Give pictures to pairs or small groups of students. Ask the students to write about the picture. Have them share their interpretations of the photos with the class.
3. Have students read the news stories that go with the photos.
   • How did the interpretations change?
   • Does the print narrow or expand the interpretation?
   • Does the language of the story and the emotional impact of the photo have an impact on the understanding of the story?

Students decide where news stories should be placed in the newspaper.

Principle: All messages are constructions.

1. Tape a 30-minute newscast. Play it for students. Have them list the stories reported.
2. Have students work in small groups to determine where they would place the same stories in a newspaper. What sections? Where on the page?
3. Have students look at a copy of the day's newspaper. How does their story placement compare with the placement in the actual newspaper?

Students compare the graphics and visual presentation of news and television programing over time.

Principle: All messages are constructions.

1. Collect copies of newspaper pages from 10, 15 and more years ago. (Your local library may have back issues of your local newspaper on microfilm.) Ask students to compare the format, style and content of the newspapers. Examine page designs, headlines, advertisements, typefaces (the style of the letters used), cutlines (the captions under photographs), etc.
   • What has changed? Why do you think the change(s) occurred?
   • What has stayed the same? Why do you think no change(s) occurred?
2. Collect videotapes of television programs from earlier years. Have students compare the programs to current shows. Look at the commercials as well.
   • What has changed? Why do you think the change(s) occurred?
   • What has stayed the same? Why do you think no change(s) occurred?
3. Ask students to interview parents or local television and radio producers, newspaper editors and reporters to find out about changes in each medium and why those changes have occurred.

Students compare story content and length in different news sources.

Principle: All messages are constructions.

1. Tape a 30-minute newscast. Have students examine the coverage of the stories with coverage of the same stories in a newspaper, coverage in a weekly news magazine such as Time or Newsweek, and, if available, the information from a computer on-line service.
2. Have students compare the information found in each medium in terms of context, purpose, believability and pleasure. Ask them to name the elements that affected their opinions.

Students compare the advertising shown during a television news program with newspaper ads.

Principle: Messages have economic, social and aesthetic purposes.

1. Ask students to make a list of the products advertised during a 30-minute newscast. Then have them look at the ads in the newspaper. Have them compare the products advertised.
   • Are some of the products the same?
   • Are there different products advertised in each place?
   • Why would an advertiser choose a newspaper to advertise a product? Why would the advertiser choose a television newscast?
   • What are the advantages and disadvantages of each medium?
2. Have students count and compare the number of different products advertised in the newspaper and television news program.