TV, Evening News

Below please find links to two poems. Relate one or both to Postman's theories about TV as a way of knowing. Your response is due by midnight, Sunday, Feb. 16.


http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172168


http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/weekly-poem-tv-evening-news/

Electronic Book Burning

After you have read chaps. 1-4 in Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death, please respond to the following question:

Would Postman agree or disagree with the author of the essay below? Why or why not? Draw directly on the reading to support your interpretation.

In addition, do you agree with the essay? Why or why not?

Your response is due by midnight Sunday, Feb. 9.

http://www.evergreenreview.com/120/electronic-book-burning.html

The 10 Most E-mailed Stories

Examine the list of the 10 Most E-Mailed Stories on the home page of the New York Times Web site for   Friday, Jan 31. When you consider them as a whole, do any consistent themes or preoccupations (on the part of journalists or readers or both) emerge? What does the list suggest is the primary function of the press in America today (informing, entertaining, rumor-mongering, counseling, editorializing, marketing, etc.)? Why do you think this function predominates (ideological reasons, economic reasons, cultural reasons, political reasons)? How does that make you feel (optimistic, dizzy, despairing) about the direction of the press and the society it serves? Your response is due -- remember, no late or inadequate responses are given credit -- by Sunday, midnight.


 For further provocation, click on links below:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2014/01/the-six-things-that-make-stories-go-viral-will-amaze-and-maybe-infuriate-you.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/public-editor/just-the-facts-maam-no-more.html?hpw&rref=opinion

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/25/1039957/-STUNNING-Comparing-U-S-World-Covers-for-TIME-Magazine

Free Marketplace of Ideas? Objectivity? Truth?

Read the article linked below. Respond to the following points:

1) What seems to be function of the "press," given the incidents described in the article?

2) Do you believe a press that would function this way serves the public interest? Why or why not?

Your response is due no later than midnight Sunday, Jan. 26.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2014/01/02/259119343/how-the-media-comes-to-consensus

Pandora's Box

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/technology/pandora-mines-users-data-to-better-target-ads.html?hpw&rref=technology&_r=0

The Age of Ignorance?

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/mar/20/age-of-ignorance/


http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/12/29/257364508/this-is-not-the-most-important-story-of-the-year

Black and White and Dead All Over (PBS video)

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365129255/