CITIZEN ADVOCACY CENTER

 

YOUNG CITIZENS AND TELEVISION BROADCASTERS

LESSON PLAN AND ACTIVITIES

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Grade Level:  5-12
 

Subjects: 

 

Duration: 1-2 session(s)

 

Description: Does the public know more about the characters in “Everybody Loves Raymond” than what is happening in their own community?  This lesson asks students to survey local broadcast television coverage and analyze programming broadcasted to the public.

 

Goals:

ISBE Standards:

1.      Social Science

·        14A:  Understand and explain basic principles of the United States government.

·        14B:  Understand the structures and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

·        14C:  Understand election processes and responsibilities of citizens.

·        14D:  Understand the roles and influences of individuals and interest groups in the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

·        16A:  Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.

·        16B:  Understand the development of significant political events.

 

2. Language Arts

·        1A:  Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.

·        1B:  Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency

·        3A: Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure

·        3B:  Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.

·        3C:  Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes

·        4A:  Listen effectively in formal and informal situation

·        4B:  Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.

 

Objectives:    

1.                  Survey broadcast media coverage of local events;

2.                  Evaluate local news broadcasts for coverage of local issues;

3.                  Compare coverage of local events with different types of media; and

4.                  Understand how different types of media influence different people.

 

Materials:      Television guides or daily newspaper television guides and Citizen Advocacy Center “Media Take Action Packet”

 

 
 
Instruction and Activity:  Day One

 

I.                    Start activity by asking students the following questions:

 

A.     How does a television program get from the studio to a television at home? 

1.      Cable

2.      Satellite

3.      Airwaves

 

Broadcast television, the television everyone sees for free, uses the airwaves to bring their programs to the public. Airwaves can be thought of as a national park: a limited and valuable public resource that is owned by the public.  The government requires television broadcasters to obtain a license to broadcast on a particular frequency or airwaves. 

 

B.   Who owns the airwaves?

 

The general public owns the airwaves.  Television broadcasters receive a free license from the federal government to broadcast programs.  The government has made broadcasters “public trustees of the airwaves.”  This means that the federal government has told broadcasters that they are guardians of the airwaves for the general public, and in return for this valuable position, they have to air programs that are in the “public interest.” 

 

1.      Ask students for examples of programming that would be “in the public interest.”

a.       News

b.      Children education programming

c.       Local shows

2.      What are shows that are not “public interest” programming?

a.       “Friends”

b.      “ER”

3.      What is the difference?

 

There is no exact answer to what “public interest” programming is.  The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) is the government body in charge of giving licenses to broadcasters and monitoring broadcaster use licenses.  Since the five members of the FCC constantly change the definition of “public interest” is constantly changing.   No federal legislation exists to define what “public interest” programming is.

 

II.                   The definition of “public interest” programming.

 

A.   1940’s – 1970’s Regulation. For thirty years the FCC highly regulated the type of programming put on the television by broadcasters. In order to keep their licenses in good standing, broadcasters had to show the FCC that they were providing the public with a reasonable mix of the following types of programming.

 

 

 

·         Opportunity for local self-expression 

·         Development of use of local talent

·         Licensees editoralization

·         Political broadcast

·         Weather and market reports

·         Service to minority groups

·         Entertainment

·         Children

·         Religious

·         Educational

·         Public affairs

·         Sports

·         Agricultural

·         News


 

B.    Since the 1980’s, the meaning of “public interest” has changed.  Deregulation in the beginning of the 1980’s lead the FCC to adopt a policy favoring less government oversight of broadcasters.  This change from strict oversight of broadcaster programming to less oversight leads to a change in the “public interest” definition.  The FCC promotion of the Free Market style of governance, meaning that by broadcasters competing for viewers they would regulate themselves, would lead broadcasters to define what kind of programming serves the “public interest.”

 

Ask students how they think the change in policy, from broadcasters being highly regulated in what program to air to deregulated, impacts programming?  What do they think is better? Highly regulated or deregulated?


 

III.               Activity One:  What stories does the local news cover? Divide the class into five groups: ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN and FOX and ask students to keep a journal of the evening or late news for three nights.  Document:  

A.     What stories were covered by the news and how long were the segments?

B.     How many stories were about local, statewide and countrywide issues?

C.     Have students write a synopsis of news coverage. Did they feel like they were informed about their community? What kind of information did they receive and not receive?

D.     How many news stories fit the type of coverage mandated during the highly regulated era?

E.      Use the Media Take Action guide to write a letter to the editor or a letter to broadcasters telling them about your project, results and your opinion.

F.      Have students read the newspaper for the same days. Were the same stories covered?

 

IV.              Day Two:  Divide the class into the five broadcast groups.  Have students survey the kind of programs on each station for 24 hours for three days. Have students use the newspaper TV guides or the weekly TV guide.

 

A.     How many of the programs would fit into the program areas required during the 1940’s to the 1970’s?

B.     How would students classify or group the program aired by broadcasters today?

C.     If they were television broadcasters, what kind of programs do they think would be “public interest” programs?

D.     Use the Media Take Action guide to write a letter to the editor or a letter to broadcasters telling them about your project, your results and your opinion.

 

©Copyright 2005 Citizen Advocacy Center.  All rights reserved.  No part of this lesson plan may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior, written permission of the Citizen Advocacy Center. The Citizen Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-pofit, non-partisan community based legal organization. For information about the Center, or to make a tax deductible contribution, visit www.citizenadvocacycenter.org, call 630.833.4080. The Center is located at 238 N. York Rd., Elmhurst IL 60126