Media and American Democracy

The curriculum, Media and American Democracy, was made possible by a generous grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Media & American Democracy

5 units/15 lessons with activities and extensions challenges learners to apply, analyze and evaluate the First Amendment. Equal Time Landmark Supreme Court Cases

Media & American Democracy

Lesson Overview Back of the Book Resources Objectives Answer Key (155-164) Critical Engagement Question Glossary (166-171) Landmark Cases (172-174) Lesson Media Milestones (175-176) Homework Historical Journalistic Code of Ethics (177) Context Lesson Plan Website Eval. Template (179-180) Handouts

Post-Lesson Options Homework Options Extension Activities

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies 8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses). 9. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenthcentury foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincolns Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.

Media: Accountable to the People

Reflectionwith information, is all which our countrymen need, to bring themselves and their affairs to rights. ~Thomas Jefferson, 1798

Thomas Jefferson Charles Willson Peale, 1790s

Media and American Democracy Equal Time Interview Questions, p. 3

1. What is the most important way the First Amendment protects a free press? 2. Historically, what has been the role of a free press in a free society? Has that role changed? If so, how? 3. How have the media been successful in empowering citizens to participate in democracy? 4. In what ways have the media failed in empowering citizens to participate in democracy? 5. Have the media been good watchdogs of government? Discuss examples to prove your response.

Please discuss and report.

EQUAL TIMEPages 1-15

Each lesson in Media and American Democracy cites perspectives of these 4 participants regarding critical issues of the media. Questions: p. 3
Barbara Cochran, President Radio-Television News Directors Association Rodney A. Smolla, Dean and George Allen Professor of Law University of Richmond

Hodding Carter, President and CEO John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Linda R. Monk, Constitutional Scholar

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The Views of Experts

Question #5 (Pg. 10)
Have the media been good watchdogs of government?

EQUAL TIME YOUR views!

Question #5 (Pg. 10)

Have the media been good watchdogs of government?
With which expert do you most agree? Disagree?

What would like to see the media do that you feel they are not?

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The Views of Experts

Question #6 (Pg. 11)
What can the media do to increase citizens confidence in their reporting?

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YOUR views!
Question #6 (Pg. 11)
What can the media do to increase citizens confidence in their reporting?
With which expert do you most agree? Disagree?

Have we reached a point of no return in regard to citizens trust in our media?

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The Views of Experts

Question #7 (Pg. 12)

Are journalists who withhold information from officials preserving the freedom of the press, or are they obstructing justice?

EQUAL TIME

YOUR views!
Question #7 (Pg. 12)
Are journalists who withhold information from officials preserving the freedom of the press, or are they obstructing justice?
With which expert do you most agree? Disagree?

Where is the line between freedom of the press and obstruction of justice?

Nearly 40% of Americans had a high degree of trust in television news and newspapers in 2000.
. . .were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter." -Thomas Jefferson, 1792

In 2008, only 30% still felt this way.

"Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle. . . . Perhaps an editor might begin a reformation in some such way as this. Divide his paper into four chapters, heading the 1st, Truths. 2d, Probabilities. 3d, Possibilities. 4th, Lies. The first chapter would be very short." - Thomas Jefferson, 1807

Attitudes Toward the Press

Commentary--Importance of teaching young people about the freedoms of the individual: That they (school boards) are educating the young for citizenship is reason for scrupulous protection of Constitutional freedoms of the individual, if we are not to strangle the free mind at its source and teach youth to discount important principles of our government as mere platitudes.West Virginia v. Barnette (1943)

Justice Robert Jackson

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