Canadian Media Focus Question: How do the media connect Canadians to their government?

1. Canadian Media Focus Question: How do the media connect Canadians to their government?

2. Think Critically: News • Where do you get your news for current events? • How does the source affect the information? • Do some formats communicate more effectively? • How do you know if you have access to reliable, balanced information?

3. What is the Media? • Media includes newspapers, magazines, film, radio, television, the internet, books and billboards • The media reports the news, but can also influence our personal understanding of the world and how it works • All messages from the media are created by people who interpret the facts • They make choices about how to tell the story • Journalists make decisions about what news stories to cover and whose perspectives will be included • Why is this important to know?

4. Politicians and the Media • Politicians and their staff develop key messages for the media • This controls how the media represents them • They usually provide memorable quotes or phrases, like slogans • “Here for Canada” • “It's time.” • “Rise up, Canada.”/ “Change we need, from a proven team.” • “Working for families.” • Advertising campaigns and attack ads during elections • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uFbREDNfvE&feature=related • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP1qHX7qOeg

5. Role of Government? Role of Journalists? • “Our role is the inform people about the impact government is having on their lives. Because that's the essence of government: to try to change our society for the better. If they're not doing that, you vote them out and try someone else.” • “The big challenge for us [journalists] it to get to the truth. The truth is sometimes not very easy to find. You learn very quickly that the truth is not always what's on the government website. It's not in the first press release you pick up. You have to dig around. You have to find credible sources with credible information. You have to sort through the “spin” and the noise of Question Period to find those rare kernels of truth that people want to read about.” - Don Martin, National Affairs Columnist Calgary Herald and National Post

6. Parliamentary Press Gallery • The Parliamentary Press Gallery (PPG) is an association of reporters who cover the decisions and actions of Canada's government • It includes approximately 350 reporters from media outlets across Canada • Aboriginal Peoples Television Network • Association de la Presse Francophone • CBC/Radio-Canada • Le Devoir • Ming Pao News • Omni Televsion

8. Bias • Bias is defined as an opinion based on unchallenged assumptions • It is a type of thinking rooted in a person's point of view and their personal background • It can create unbalanced information in the news • When interacting with media, an informed recipient is on the alert for bias • You need to tell whether the news is accurate and whether it reflects a balance of views and perspectives

9. Resources • Parliamentary Press Gallery: • http://press-presse.parl.gc.ca/Html%20Section/English%20Main%20Pages/history.htm