The Best Article You'll Ever Read

By Ria Mastromatteo, Educational Technology Consultant ()

Is this really "the best article you'll ever read?" I doubt it, but maybe the title caught your attention and made you read at least part of it. Ah the effects of marketing.

"A democratic civilization will save itself only if it makes the language of the image into a stimulus for critical reflection, not an invitation to hypnosis," said Umberto Eco. Are we making our students aware of the ever-present bombardment of media and what it markets? Media is all around them.

Television is a medium with powerful influence on kids' choices (and those of adults as well). Let's look at some television truths:

All television, whether it is fiction or reality, is made up of deliberately constructed stories.
Commercial interests come into play in almost all television programs.
Social and political influences are prevalent in programs.

Our job is to make kids aware of these truths. Of course the question is, "How do we do that?"

Let me offer some suggestions. PBS 45 & 49 have a program that helps students understand television news called Media Moments (check your ITV Handbook for broadcast times). Along with the programs we have a Web site (http://wneo.org/media/default.htm) with a section devoted to Media Literacy. Information, statistics, viewing activities and more are available at this stop. The other section deals with Media Moments. Lesson plans are available on the "Power of the Image," "Accuracy, Fairness and Ethics," "Fact or Opinion?," "Content," "Violence in the News," "Deceptive Marketing" and "Interpreting Advertising." They are written for two grade levels — elementary and secondary.

Another program we offer is Life Skills 101: Media Wise. This Slim Goodbody production takes standard ploys used in advertising and illustrates them in both cartoon form and real-life situations.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has developed a series of "tween" sites. One is titled Don't Buy It! (http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit) and illustrates advertising tricks and how we are influenced by them. It's very cute and full of information.

If you're interested in helping parents make their children savvy about how the media can influence their role as consumers, give these television programs and Web sites a try.