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A. Curriculum outline
Issue
Suggestions for probing into
the issue
How do the
local media
report this
conference?
What
aspects
of
the
conference do the media
focus on?
What sort of
overall impression does the
press give to the readers?
What are the opinions of
Skills
Attitude
Critical thinking, reading Critical
and
from multiple perspectives, open-mindedness
discerning hidden messages
in the news
different people on the WTO
conference? In their reports,
do the news reporters provide
any fixed stance for the
readers to adopt? How are
the reporting skills adopted
by the reporters related to
their stance?
B. Objectives
To enable the students to:
1. compare the viewpoints and reporting tactics adopted by different newspapers in reporting the
Conference
2. gain awareness of the different perspectives adopted by reporters on this conference
3. distinguish the reporting tactics used to convey hidden messages
C. Design of the learning activities
Lesson 1
1. Preparation before class
Prepare several pairs of reading materials, each pair containing two pieces of news focussing
on similar aspect of the conference. The clippings 1ab, 2ab and 3ab below can be used. It
would be better if more up-to-date materials could be used.
2. The teacher introduces the issue (see above) and its relevance to students
The issue entitled ‘How do the local media report this conference?’ is related to the medium in
which they learn about the issue. The students usually get the impression on the conference
through the media such as the newspaper. If they are not aware of the selected highlights and
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the reporting skills employed by the reporters to present the conference, they may be limited in
their perspectives and understanding or even misled and thus have difficulty in analysing the
costs and benefits of hosting the conference.
3. Group reading
The class will be divided into a certain number of groups according to the number of reading
articles available. Each group will study one article. The teacher will invite each group to
express their overall impression about the conference after reading the article. The students
will report back in sequence from article 1a to 3b. The teacher will note down sequentially
the points they make on the blackboard.
4. The teacher helps the students to summarize the highlighted aspect and the messages conveyed
in the six clippings on the blackboard. The teacher may use a table format to summarize on
the blackboard, such as
Clipping
a
b
1
Content:
Impression:
Content:
Impression:
2
Content:
Impression:
Content:
Impression:
3
Content:
Impression:
Content:
Impression:
For instance, the clipping may indicate that the WTO conference is undesirable (messy and
wasteful) or desirable (orderly, of investment value), etc. The teacher may provide the form
below for students to fill in, or students may be allowed more freedom to express what they
can see out of the clippings.
5. The teacher helps the students consolidate by highlighting the different aspects of the
conference highlighted by different clippings (Clipping 1, 2 and 3), and the different
impressions conveyed to readers (All ‘a’ clippings vs. all ‘b’ clippings). In fact, they all have
very different stances. The teacher will then distribute the materials of the other groups to
each student. (Suggestions: Clippings 1ab: the traffic conditions during the conference;
Clippings 2ab: the economic benefits that this conference will bring to Hong Kong; Clippings
3ab: the image of non-government organisations and the actions that will be adopted by them.
The clippings of group “a” focus on positive and favourable factors while the clippings of
group “b” focus on negative and unfavourable factors).
6. Issues raised by the teacher:
Why do news reports on a similar theme put forward such different stances and viewpoints?
The teacher should guide students to see the different reporting skills adopted by different
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reporters for different press.
Lesson 2
1. The teacher recaps the issue about the different reporting skills adopted to bring intended
messages or hidden stance. Then the teacher introduces the commonly used reporting tactics
set out in the worksheet below with the help of the cartoon illustrations.
2. Group discussion
The teacher asks the students to review the assigned clipping from the first lesson from the
perspectives of these tactics. (see the discussion questions) The teacher may give the following
as an example. Clipping 1a interviews the spokesman of the Information Services Department,
and the news reports only the viewpoint of the Information Services Department (the
government) and tries to make the readers adopt its viewpoint. After discussion, the students
should report back on their discussions.
3. The teacher leads the class discussion
What does “objective and neutral” news reporting mean? Which of the above news reports
are more “objective and neutral”? How can reporters deliver “more objective” news
reporting? What insight does this give us as readers?
4. Follow-up activities
The students collect two pieces of news on the WTO conference. Analyse the extent to which
the different reports on this conference can be considered “objective and neutral”. (The
students can include different types of media in their discussion, such as TV news clippings or
government publicity films to enrich their discussions).
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Clipping 1a
The WTO Conference: Implementation of traffic control
Information Services Department pointed out yesterday that during the WTO Conference
between 13 and 18 December, special traffic controls will be put in place outside the Hong
Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre at Wanchai. During this period, apart from those
with special permits, all vehicles will be forbidden to drive into the Old Wing of the Hong
Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. They will only be allowed to stop at the
entrance at the shoreline beside the New Wing. All reporters reporting on the conference
will only be allowed to move around in the Old Wing area, to avoid causing any
disturbance to the conference and negotiations conducted by the ministers of various
countries in the New Wing. The only event for which reporters will be able to gain access
to the New Wing is the opening ceremony, and the maximum quota of reporters allowed
will be within the 200 to 300 range.
Source of information: Hong Kong Economic Journal, Finance and Politics P03 2005-8-13
Clipping 1b
The WTO Conference expected to cause traffic congestion at Tsimshatsui
The Sixth Ministerial Conference will open at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition
Centre at Wanchai on 13 December. As there is likely to be large scale demonstrations
near the conference venue, Miss Janet WONG, Head of MC6 Co-ordination Office expects
that, in addition to traffic disruption at Wanchai North, East Island, Central and Western
District, there will also be traffic congestion at Tsimshatsui on the opposite side of the
harbour.
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Wong pointed out that the traffic congestion caused by the conference will mainly occur in
Wanchai North with a ripple effect out to Eastern and Western Island districts. Since
many of the over 10,000 visitors will stay in hotels near Tsimshatsui, she believes that the
traffic at Tsimshatsui will also be affected. The relevant government department has
already notified the Yaumatei and Tsimshatsui District Board about the situation.
Source of information: Ming Pao News A10 2005-8-22
Clipping 2a
The WTO Conference will bring a spending of 100 million dollars. John Tsang
Chun-wah pointed out that the benefits will certainly exceed the costs
John Tsang Chun-wah, Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, pointed out
yesterday that over 10,000 visitors will be expected to visit Hong Kong at the year end.
Hong Kong can immediately earn 100 million dollars through hotels, consumer spending
and travel. It was reported that the European Union and US delegates had rented two 5
star hotels at Admiralty for the Conference, and the rooms at the Luk Kwok Hotel, Empire
Hotel Hong Kong and The Charterhouse in Wanchai are also full. John Tsang Chun
admitted that the conference would certainly cause some inconvenience to citizens.
However, he hoped that Hong Kong people would understand the long-term benefits that
the WTO Conference will bring to Hong Kong. He believed that “the benefits will
certainly exceed the costs”, and reiterated that the government would strive to minimize the
disturbance caused to citizens.
A cut in customs duties will be beneficial to the economy of Hong Kong in the long
term
John Tsang pointed out that the government would be spending 200 million dollars on the
conference. Over 10,000 visitors are expected to visit Hong Kong. Their spending on
hotels, car rentals and shopping will immediately bring an income of 100 million dollars to
Hong Kong. Also, if it is decided at the Conference to further cut customs duties, it is
believed that the long-term benefits to the economy of Hong Kong will far exceed the
investment on the conference.
Source of information: Ming Pao News A09 2005-8-12
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Clipping 2b
Government spend 250 million dollars on the WTO
The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the WTO（abbreviated as MC6）will be hosted in Hong
Kong at the year end. Political heavyweights from a variety of countries will flood in as
will international protesters. The security forces of the HKSAR will be fully mobilised.
The conference room of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre will house over
4,000 representatives coming from nearly 200 WTO organisations all over the world.
They will conduct 144 hours of continuous negotiations round the clock. There will also
be around 1,000 reporters from all over the world, and several thousands of
anti-globalisation protesters outside the conference venue. Discussions on world commerce
and the global economy have always been very heated. It will not be easy to reach
consensus within the one-week conference.
Our journal has interviewed the government officials who organize the WTO Conference.
To host a successful one-week conference, the government needs to invest unprecedented
resources and effort…The SAR government, as the host, is in the last throes of preparation
for the Conference. It is understood that the preparatory costs for the Conference amount
to 256 million dollars.
An array of vehicles of famous brands to welcome the celebrities
Miss Janet WONG, Head of MC6 Co-ordination Office, stated that the Government would
deploy 280 vehicles for the ministers to use, and that they were currently discussing details
of the arrangements with vehicle companies. As the conference attendants are all senior
government officials from various countries, arrangements for the fleet must be failure
proof. The government would arrange for a Mercedes Benz for the Finance Ministers of
the various countries. This would cost around 25 million dollars. Janet Wong did not
disclose other details of the arrangements. It was understood that the security measures
for this Conference would be more stringent than those made for the World Bank
Conference conducted in Hong Kong in 1997.
To prepare for this Conference, the SAR government had put on an unprecedented “big
show”.
Source of information: East Week 2005-8-24
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Clipping 3a
Greenpeace International will come to Hong Kong next month to persuade WTO
representatives not to sign any agreement that would damage the environment.
Over 10 representatives of Greenpeace are seeking to join hands with other
non-government organisations (NGO) next month to persuade conference representatives
not to sign any agreement that will damage the environment. The organisations stated that
even if they were arrested by the police during their activities, they would not resist.
Mr Tam Man-kei, Greenpeace Project Manager said during an interview with our reporter
that Greenpeace representatives coming from Europe, the US, etc. would discuss whether
they would co-operate with non-government organisations like Friends of the Earth, World
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), etc. to persuade representatives not to sign any agreement
that would damage the environment. “Rainbow Warrior”, the flagship of Greenpeace may
come to Hong Kong next month to promote the use of renewable energy, but they will not
come to Hong Kong to attend the WTO Conference in December.
“Our objective is neither violence nor provocation”
The police plan to purchase anti-violence equipment to combat protesters. Mr Tam
Man-kei said Greenpeace is not a radical or violent organization, and they criticised the
police for having increased the likelihood of confrontation. He said: “Our objective is
neither violence nor provocation. We only hope to give the message that there should be
an immediate stop to causing any damage to the environment!”
No resistance even when arrested by the police
He continued: “To avoid causing injury to both parties, even when we are arrested by the
police during our activities, we will not resist. Neither will we show any animosity, nor
give vent to our anger!”
Greenpeace plans to conduct exhibitions and workshops before the conference to overcome
any “image” of being violent and provocative” as seen by the general public.
Source of information: Ming Pao News A06 2005-9-8
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Clipping 3b
Greenpeace battle ship may visit Hong Kong to protest
For the Ministerial Conference held in Hong Kong at the year end, in addition to over
10,000 protesters on land, there may be some radical protests at sea. The police projected
that Greenpeace, which has conducted environmental protests before, is very likely to
deploy their “battle ship” to protest in Hong Kong.
A spokesman for Greenpeace confirmed that they planned to conduct activities during the
WTO Conference. However, he would not confirm whether they would deploy their
“battle ship” to Hong Kong until the end of this month. According to the assessment of
the police of Hong Kong, it is very likely that the Greenpeace “battle ship” will come to
Hong Kong. Marine police have been deployed to deter any ships getting close to the
conference venue. They have also asked other departments to protect port facilities and
warned them that their operations might be interrupted by the protesters. Greenpeace
currently has 3 “battle ships”, including their flagship “Rainbow Warrior”, “The Arctic
Sunrise” and “The Esperanza”. “Rainbow Warrior” arrived in Hong Kong in March 2000.
It successfully occupied the chemical waste handling centre in Tsing Yi and occupied a
ship that was at anchor at Island West in the rubbish collection area near the waste transfer
centre.
The association has a track record of protesting against WTO, and previously deployed
ships to the Cancun conference in Mexico. Two of their members locked themselves to
the anchor of a cargo ship carrying genetically-modified sweet corn grown in the USA, and
attempted to force the cargo ship to leave.
Reacting to criticism of the violent activities of the Greenpeace “battle ship”, Tam Man-kei,
Project Manager of Greenpeace, pointed out that their association has all along taken
“direct anti-violence actions” to protect the environment and that some conflicts were
therefore unavoidable.
Source of information: Oriental Daily A31 2005-8-8
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Form: Do reporters convey predetermined values or
stances in their news reports?
Which of the above newspaper clippings convey the following viewpoints on the Conference held
in Hong Kong?
The news describes the WTO Conference as…we can find this out from…
Descriptions
Reference numbers of the
clippings (You can write
down more than one, or
Evidences
（please quote the wording）
leave the box blank.)
Orderly
Messy
Fully prepared
Hectic
Rewarding
Wasteful
Well under control
Good demonstration
of freedom and
human rights
Breeding ground for
violence
Demonstration of
Justice
Others:___________
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When reading the newspaper articles, it is at times easy to notice predetermined values and views
hiding behind the news. These can affect our judgement of an issue without our noticing it. If
we can heighten our awareness of this, it will enhance our critical thinking skills and we will
become a more critical reader.
The following are some common reporting tactics employed to convey hidden values or stance in
news reports:
1. Selective interviews (Selecting only those
who hold certain view)
2. Association of different contexts*Note
WTO
Objection
n
I want
to say this!
3. Playing with the language
The expenditure is as high
as 1 billion, which is
overwhelming. This
unprecedented investment
project is almost
supported by everyone.
4. Imbalanced coverage of different sources
xx.
The government
says it is good.
Very good. Very
good. Very
good. Very
good.
Very Good.
Very Good.
Very Good.
Very Good.
Very Good
A union
leader has
reservation on
it.
*Note: ‘Association of different contexts’ refers to the linking of an issue with another ‘similar’ but independent one,
so as to influence the readers’ or audience’s view of the issue in discussion.
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5. Adding the reporter’s own commentary and
projections
This incident
is very….
In the light of the above tactics, read the newspaper clippings (1a to 3b) again to answer the
following question:
Which, if any, of the above tactics are used to convey hidden values or stance in these newspaper
clippings? Please cite evidence from the clippings.
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