Level(s): Grades 10 - 12

Author: This unit was created by Roger Bird as part of a Media Education course taught by John Pungente at the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba, 1992.

Overview

This lesson introduces students to the concept of bias or slant, in newspapers and in television newscasts. Students begin by comparing three newspaper articles about the same news event - each reported from a different perspective. They then explore the role the gatekeeper, or editor, in determining the slant of a story and analyze the titles of newspaper stories for slant or bias. Once students have looked at newspapers, they will use viewing logs to analyse television newscasts from two different television stations. These newscasts will be analysed based on language usage, story selection and story order.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• recognize how a single event could generate more than one news story
• identify a point of view or bias, based on the language used
• experience and understand the role of subjectivity and perception in the media
• understand the role of the "gatekeeper"
• critically analyse or deconstruct two newscasts for potential bias through comparison, focusing on language, story selection and story order

This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) is available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.