General

Intro to Media Literacy Class

Wednesday, 13 June 2007
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Organizer: Bill Huston 607-724-1755

Organizer Email:

Continuing Education Class: Introduction to Media Literacy ($29/3 hrs)

Media has been called the central nervous system of our democracy, but is it well-functioning? Advertising invades our public schools, and television is the babysitter of choice for many parents. But what exactly are the messages we are receiving? Today, there are more channels then ever before for news, but are there common biases in all? Are some urgent discussions utterly absent? Do the public have a right of access to the airwaves we own? What's happened to local productions? Why are political ads so bad? Will blogging save us?

This class will help transform you from being a passive media consumer into a critical viewer and listener.
This class is suitable for teachers, parents, and ordinary citizens wanting to become media savvy.

Topics will be selected based on class need and current events, but may include hyper-commercialism, public service broadcasting, ownership, marketing to children, professional journalism, selling sex and violence, the image of women and minorites, free speech vs. the public interest, censorship and propaganda, how industrial PR manipulates the news, and the death of localism. Useful ideas will be presented about what citizens to change things.

Bill Huston is an independent producer of television and radio, and an activist for democratic, public-access media.

(Full Bio: http://home.stny.rr.com/bhuston )

Location:
Broome Community College

Cost: $29

Directions: Directions are here:
www.sunybroome.edu/aboutbcc/directions.html