Co mbating H at red in the 2 1 st Centu ry
The Role of the Media: Part of the Problem
or Solution?
Les son Plan: Media Studies 1 1 ; English; Int rodu ction to
Anthropology, P s y chology , and So ciology 1 1 ; C hallenge
and Change in So cie ty 1 2
Key t h emes: bias; stereotyping; responsible reporting
Est im ated Time: 30 minutes
Les son Steps
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Discuss Pre-Viewing Question with students
View all four clips
Present students with the day’s newspapers or access to online editions of the
newspapers. Have small groups find articles that illustrate the point of the
speakers
P re-Viewing Dis cu s sion Ques tions
1) How might the media contribute to the problem of hatred and hate crime?
2) How could the media serve to help with the problem?
Po s t-Viewing Dis cu s s ion Ques t ions
1) Carol Tator describes ways that the media perpetuates stereotypes. In what other
ways does the media perpetuate stereotypes?
2) Do you agree with Jonathon Kay that there is “overzealous anti-racism”? If so, how
has it affected us as a community? If you disagree, do you think that Kay’s view
undermines efforts to combat racism?
3) How important are free speech and open discourse with respect to addressing
hatred in society?
A ctivities
1) Jonathon Kay wrote an article about this conference. Have students review the
article discuss it in small groups. Ask each student to write three or four sentences
about their own response to the article.
(http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=ae1b9b58-4f38-461f-83d0c006505b9865&k=43241)
Co mbating H at red in the 2 1 st Centu ry
2) Consider Carol Tator’s argument that media portrayals have fostered the public
perception that most crime is committed by black males. Do you agree that this is
the common public assumption? Over a week / month, collect articles from the
newspaper that are examples of this, and ones that show the opposite. Identify
how coverage of crime identifies or refers to the suspects, the criminals, the
witnesses and the victims. Keep track on the attached chart.
Related OJEN Resou r ces (www. ojen.ca)
Justice an d t he Medi a Res o u rce (120 page resource of classroom activities on the
relationship between the media and the justice system. Available at no cost at
www.ojen.ca)
L an dm ar k Case: Dagen ai s v. Can adi an B ro adcasti n g Corp o r ati o n Case
Summary, discussion questions and worksheets.
Co mbating H at red in the 2 1 st Centu ry
Th e Role of th e Media: Part of th e Probl em or Sol ut ion?:
Worksh eet
Media Monitoring
For each article you review, record the way that the reporter refers to the age, race, gender,
occupation of the accused and the victim. Make a note of any other comments that you
think promote stereotypes
Article Topic Reporter / Date
Description of Description of Description of
newspaper
suspect /
Victim
others
accused