Media Violence

  1. Define media violence
  1. Find 3 examples of violence in the media

(1 print, 1 website, 1 movie)

  1. Investigate one of the topics listed below.

Violence in Media Entertainment

A snapshot of how violence is used in movies, television, music videos, video games and web sites

The Business of Media Violence

How market forces promote increasingly violent media imagery

Research on the Effects of Media Violence

An overview of the scientific research on the effect of media violence on children

Media Violence Debates

The arguments for and against regulating media violence

Government and Industry Responses to Media Violence

Canadian government and industry initiatives to limit television violence, and an overview of Canadian ratings for films and videos

Media Education and Media Violence

How media education can help kids to put media violence into perspective and diffuse some of its power

  1. Create 3 questions (per group member) to ask the class

about media violence

  1. What are the ETHICAL ISSUES related to media violence?

6. Present your findings to the class (2-5 min. presentation)

Media Stereotyping

  1. Define media stereotyping
  1. Find 3 examples of stereotyping in the media

(1 print, 1 website, 1 movie)

3. Investigate one of the topics listed below.

HOW THE MEDIA PORTRAY:

Ethnic and Visible Minorities

This section examines the representation of minority groups in the media industry—both onscreen, in sitcoms and news reporting, and off-screen, in terms of hiring practices. It also looks at Canadian government policies and broadcasting industry codes that encourage diversity.

Aboriginal People

This section examines media attitudes to First Nations, Inuit and Native American peoples - from early films and television to today's coverage and portrayals. The section looks at the effect on young people's attitudes of seeing Aboriginal people shown primarily in cartoons or as sports mascots; and it also discusses the development of Aboriginal broadcasting in Canada.

Girls and Women

This section explores female stereotypes in entertainment and news media, including onscreen portrayals of women, their effect on cultural ideas of beauty, and how these stereotypes influence the social development of young women. The section also examines the economic interests that drive media attitudes towards women.

Men and Masculinity

This section examines common stereotypes of masculinity on TV, in men's magazines, and in advertising and sports media. It discusses society's definitions of male roles and attributes, and the effect that media portrayals have on men's (and young people's) notions of what masculinity means.

Gays and Lesbians

This section offers a brief overview of how gays and lesbians are portrayed in the media: the evolution of gay portrayals in film, issues related to gays and lesbians in television, and how advertising and news coverage treat gays and lesbians.

Whiteness and White Privilege

This section explores the social norms and expectations associated with being white—including the media's tendency to accord respect and authority to white people, especially from the middle and upper classes. Onscreen and behind the scenes, white privilege (along with male privilege, and "straight" privilege) fosters a climate of systemic discrimination that tends to exclude many diverse views from the media.

  1. Create 3 questions (per group member) to ask the class

about media stereotyping

  1. What are the ETHICAL ISSUES related to Media Stereotyping?

6. Present your findings to the class (2-5 min. presentation)

Online Hate

  1. Define online hate
  1. Investigate one of the topics listed below.

What is Hate?

Ways of defining hate

Online Hate and Free Speech

Hate groups test the limits of freedom of online expression

Online Hate and the Law

Hate as defined by Canada's Criminal Code, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Human Rights Act, the Broadcasting Actand theImmigrationAct

Deconstructing Hate Sites

Characteristics of hate sites and the different strategies used to promote hate

Tactics for Recruiting Young People

Why and how young people are targeted by hate-mongers on the Internet

Protecting Children and Teens from Online Hate

The role that filtering software, supervision and education can play

Responding to Online Hate

How to report hate encountered on the Internet

  1. Create 3 questions (per group member) to ask the class

about online hate

  1. What are the ETHICAL ISSUES related to online hate?

5. Present your findings to the class (2-5 min. presentation)

Information Privacy

  1. Define information privacy
  2. Discuss 3 of the following issues:

A candy company got hold of the names of people in a weight watchers program, and sent them chocolate bars in the mail.

Phone Busters National Call Centre reports that over 7,600 Canadians had their identities stolen in 2002, with total losses of more than $8.5 million.

Part of a woman's medical record, from Toronto, was printed on the back of real estate flyers which were delivered to hundreds of mailboxes.

A Canadian funeral home obtained the names and addresses of people diagnosed with cancer, and contacted a Montreal woman on the list about buying a burial plot and pre-paid funeral services.

  1. Investigate one of the topics listed below.

Why is Information Privacy an Issue?

Outlines concerns about how the government and the corporate sector collect information.

How Information Privacy is Compromised

Explains the most common ways that information is collected from people online.

Information Privacy and Children

How online marketers target children.

Canadian Privacy Legislation

Outlines the legislation that applies to the government and to companies that collect personal information.

Canadian Voluntary Privacy Codes

Explains the various voluntary codes that Canadian businesses follow in collecting personal information.

U.S. Legislation

Discusses U.S. legislation that protects personal privacy and the privacy of children online.

International Guidelines

A discussion of the guidelines in place to protect the international exchange of personal information.

  1. Create 3 questions (per group member) about information privacy
  1. What are the ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS related to information privacy?

6. Present your findings to the class (2-5 min. presentation)

Media & Canadian Cultural Policies

  1. Why does Canada need a media policy? e.g. Cancon rules
  2. Why does Canada need a cultural policy?
  1. Investigate one of the topics listed below.

Cancon Rules- Cancon rules apply to radio, television and specialty broadcasting.
Radio

  • To qualify as "Canadian content," music must generally fulfill at least two of the following conditions (the MAPL system):

M (music) - the music is composed entirely by a Canadian.

A (artist) - the music and/or the lyrics are performed principally by a Canadian.

P (production) - the musical selection consists of a live performance that is (i) recorded wholly in Canada, or (ii) performed wholly in Canada and broadcast live in Canada.

L (lyrics) - the lyrics are written entirely by a Canadian.

  • Under the Commercial Radio Policy, 35 per cent of all music aired each week on all AM and FM stations must be Canadian. In addition, 35 per cent of music broadcast between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday must consist of Canadian content.
  • French-language radio stations are required to ensure that 65 per cent of the vocal music they broadcast each week, and 55 per cent of vocal music broadcast between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, is in the French language.
  • 7% of music aired on ethnic radio stations each week must be Canadian.

Media and Canadian Cultural Policies Chronology

This chronology traces the formative events in the history of Canada's attempt to promote and protect cultural expression from 1920 forward.

Canada's Cultural Policies

An overview of legislation, regulations, program support and taxation measures to promote Canadian culture

Canadian Content Rules

An overview of Canadian content quotas for broadcast programming

International Agreements and Canadian Identity

Outlines the various international trade and copyright agreements that Canada has signed.

  1. Create 3 questions per group member about media & cultural policies.
  1. What are the ETHICAL ISSUES related to Media or culture policies?

6. Present your findings to the class (2-5 min. presentation)

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