Aim:
Should the Fairness Doctrine be reinstated?
Bell Ringer: Assign
students to work in pairs to complete Parts B and C of “The Fairness Doctrine:
Student Research Guide.”
Objectives:
1. Students will evaluate,
take, and defend positions about rights protected by the Constitution and Bill
of Rights
2. Students will evaluate,
take, and defend positions on issues that cause the government to balance the
interests of individuals with the public good.
Agenda:
1. Bell Ringer (5 min)
2. In pairs analyze the data
collected in Part A of the assignment to complete the three questions listed in
Part B. The questions consider the extent to which controversial matters of
public concern were covered by the media sources analyzed, the presence of
multiple perspectives in this coverage, and any ideological undertones that
accompanied this coverage. Students are to search for differences on each of
these fronts across the sources they analyzed. (15 min)
3. Lead a brief discussion
of student findings in Part B. (5 min)
4. Move next to Part C.
Distribute copies of Limburg’s “Fairness Doctrine: U.S. Broadcasting Policy.” Read
this individually, then discuss with your partner. Finally, pairs should write
one paragraph (no more than four sentences) defining the Fairness Doctrine in
your own words. (10 min)
5. Distribute copies of
Rendall’s “The Fairness Doctrine: How We Lost It, and Why We Need It Back” and
the Washington Times editorial “‘Fairness’ Is Censorship” to each student. Ask
one partner to read the Rendall article, and the other the Washington Times
editorial. Then, instruct pairs to complete Questions 4 and 5 of Part C. (rest
of class)
Home
Learning:
1. Question 6, parts A
through D, place the Fairness Doctrine debate beside that of your analysis of media coverage, predicting
how the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine might impact coverage of
controversial issues of public concern, the offering of multiple perspectives,
and the ideological tone of coverage. In balance, pairs are then asked to
decide if the Fairness Doctrine should be revived.
2. Question 7: In pairs consider
the Fairness Doctrine in the context of First Amendment protections of freedom
of speech and the press. It presupposes some knowledge of the First Amendment,
but any confusion can be fleshed out in the context of the class discussion
that follows.
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