Info Zones |
Edutainment/infotainment |
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What are ratings?
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Rating are an estimate of the percentage of the public listening to or viewing a particular radio or television program - basically, how TV shows keep track of how many people are watching.
TV shows are all about GETTING and KEEPING viewers. The more popular a show is, the more advertisers will want to pay to place ads during that show and the the less likely it is the show will be canceled. |
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24-hour news cycle
Since there are cable news channels devoted to providing content to viewers (and getting and keeping viewers!), sometimes the shows become more interested in providing analysis and opinions on news content than providing factual news information. Therefore, when you watch certain cable networks/visit certain websites, you should be aware of their general perspective/bias. (liberal vs. conservative).
For more information about this chart go to this website: https://www.adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/
Also, remember that even within a network/website, there will be parts that are more reliable/fact-oriented and others that less reliable/ more opinion oriented.
FOX News
CNN
MSNBC
Look at the morning shows for all three networks. They're very close to each other when presenting news as news.
America's Newsroom on FOX News
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Early Start on CNN
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First Look on MSNBC
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Your Turn
Welcome to the WMS Ad Agency. As our newest ad exec, your job is to decide which product to advertise during which show. Look at the chart below (from this article) Pick five products and decide during which show you would choose to advertise them. Use the Ratings chart and Media Bias charts above and think about political perspective and age of people who tend to use the products when making your choices. Fill out the grid on your homework sheet and write a brief explanation of one of the choices you made.
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Can't find the homework sheet? Download a new copy here:
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Misinformation & Disinformation
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Checkology
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Confirmation bias
Definition:
The tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories. (Lexico.com)
The tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories. (Lexico.com)
Confirmation Bias Cartoon by FatherofGray
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You have a role in all of this.
On a daily basis, you choose: -Where to get your information (might be trustworthy, might not) -What parts of the information to believe (might be all of it, might be a part). -Whether or not to let new information influence your existing views. |
Now what? |
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You've learned about info zones, about edutainment and infotainment, ratings, the 24-hour news cycle, misinformation, disinformation, and confirmation bias, but what do you do with all that information? As Claire Wardle said in the Checkology module, it’s up to all of us to push back against misinformation. Beyond using tools like Snopes and FactCheck.org, you can spread the word about information you see is incorrect and the tools you've learned about in these lessons. |
FactCheck.org
snopes.com
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YOUR ADULTS
Don't you wonder what the adults in your lives are doing when it comes to information? How many of them are getting info on Facebook or Twitter and sharing it without checking the source or trustworthiness? Thinking about what you've learned, come up with some questions you'd like to ask the some of the adults in your life. When you have three good ones, fill out the Google Form below. |