Global Media – Global News & Journalism: an introduction.

L.O: To understand the main issues concerning News production & distribution in terms of Global Media.

Starter:

• List as many news channels as you can – the person with the most wins.

• Ready • Steady • Go!

Feedback!!

How we used to get our news…

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obmxDBKSMi8&feature=related

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF2mGIbxX-Y

And this is how we get our news now!•

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIrX6UiXReE

Listmainia!

• Now working in pairs go through the list of news channels you have both made & classify each channel under the 3 headings below:

• US Bias• Other Bias• Unbiased.

Why do we tend to be more sensitive about where our news comes from than we are about what we perceive to be entertainment?

For example – most of the films we watch come from the USA and though we are sometimes concerned about cultural representation, it doesn’t become an issue about our democracy.

Consider how would we react if ALL our news came from America?

The Top 5!

• The five leading players in the global news arena are;

1. Al Jazeera English2. CNN3. France 24 (available in French or Arabic)4. Russia Today5. BBC World (considered the most objective)

Who gets the most viewers globally?

• Who knows!• It is actually very difficult to find accurate

worldwide audience figures for most of the channels – they are a little cagey about releasing them.

• CNN – about 200 million viewers worldwide• BBC world – around 180 million• Al Jazeera English – approx 100 million• France 24 & Russia Today less.

Research 5 (fun) facts about the channel you have been given!

News = a global commodity

• It does not just HAPPEN • It is produced, purchased and sold on like any

other commodity• Therefore there is a buyer (News Channels), a

seller (News Agencies) and a consumer (the Public – us)!

Seller Buyer Consumer

What are the main issues concerning Global Media & News?

1. The question of Bias – whose news? The starting point for news reporting is no longer merely the local, but the global!

2. The idea of news production being a commodity – must it then concern itself more with profit & loss than truth & ‘objectivity’?