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Ms. Holmes/English 10
Spring break assignment—Comparing news media (30 points)
Select one story you see in the news over the course of the week and follow how it is covered in five (5) various news sources. Select from the following: a newspaper, commercial television network, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, commercial radio, National Public Radio (either Morning Edition or All Things Considered), a newsmagazine and an Internet news site. Follow the same five news sources every day. As you track the story you select, fill in the chart below. After you have tracked your story for five days (any five days from Friday April 6—Sunday April 15), answer the analysis questions.
Story:
Summary of the story, including important developments that may have occurred throughout the week:
Analysis questions (answer after you have tracked your story for 5 full days!)
1) Which medium(s) gave the most complete coverage of the issue? How so?
2) Which one(s) left you with questions, wishing you had more information? Why do you think this was?
3) Would getting all your news and information from any one medium make you an informed citizen? Why or why not?
Day 1(2, 3, 4, 5): ___________________________________________________________
Pages, columns or minutes devoted to story | Main points of story, kinds of visual aids used, use of on-camera interviews or quotes from experts or others involved | Enough information to understand story? (If no, what was lacking?) | |
News source 1 | |||
News source 2 | |||
News source 3 | |||
News source 4 | |||
News source 5 |
