"language, literacy & semiotics"

What is it like listening to this collage? Could you make any sense of it?

How would you define "literacy" and why is it important?

Is there more than one kind of literacy?

In one interview, we hear: "it used to be Britannica now it's Google" - what does this mean?

What do you make of the final, echoed: "it's time to blast off for dreamland"?

"visual rhetoric"

What do you see as the thesis or central theme in this visual composition?

Is the composer trying to urge a specific action?

What moods does the piece evoke?

What values are suggested by the piece?

What images would you add and why?

"local news?"

What is the most important duty of a free press in a democracy?

How do you get your news? Radio? Paper? TV? Web? Which networks?

Do you avoid the news? Why?

How important and/or useful are the stories on this newscast?

How many are actually local? What are most of the stories about?

What do you notice about the advertising? Is it only between stories?

Notice the number of preview scenes: "...and coming up..." How many?

What do you note about their mid-story conversation and their gesturing?

"editorial audio collage"

What does this collage communicate about the "yearbook" news story?

What specific audio techniques suggest certain interpretations or moods?

Does the collage make any observations beyond the context of the story?

What do you notice about your own local news?

Try this experiment:
on the same night, watch at least one of the big networks (NBC, ABC, CBS) and then FOX News and then PBS or the BBC (on PBS) and take a few notes...

describe the visual differences between each network - do the same for the audio

notice backgrounds, photos, streaming news, sound bites, and the specificity of detail

be sure to compare the networks on the same news story - what are the differences?

which do you think is most reliable and why?

which gave you the most specific information?