Modern Media

Last week our class discussed the role of the media in activism.  I found this topic particulary relevant to my role as a high school teacher as I see the influence of media messages on people every day.  Media seek to evoke a desired response from their audience.  On the surface, we think that we may merely be lured by the appeal of a shiny new product that would enhance our lives, but what the media is really trying to sell us is a lifetyle and a set of values.  Activism is no different.  Just as the mainstream media, including sitcoms and advertising executives, is trying to sell a way of life, activists are promoting a set of values that they deem to be a meaningful alternative.  As a teacher, it is important for me to help my students navigate the media, identifying bias and competing ideals, to help them make informed and well-reasoned opinions. 

In a conversation with some colleagues last week, one shared a YouTube video clip that a student had recommended about immigration.  Upon viewing, the clip was a biased representation of immigration from the perspective of a right-winged American.  One could argue that showing such a clip in class would contradict the message that we are trying to convey to our students about immigration. On the other hand, the clip could serve as an interesting talking point on diverse views on immigration and the motivators behind the publishing of certain media messages. 

In an era of diverse and readily accessible media, one must know how to filter important information from the chaff.  Much of the information produced through the Internet is biased personal opinion from people without authority in the field in which they are writing.  As a consumer of news media, it is important to view diverse perspectives on current events, from different credible sources, to gain a thorough understanding of the issues.  Skills to achieve this goal must be taught in the school system.  Teachers must provide students with the skills and tools to analyze news media, access media from a variety of sources, and identify bias.  Hopefully, if youth learn how to do this in school, they will continue to do the same once they graduate.  A well-infomed citizenry is imperative to the operation of a healthy democracy.