The document discusses how media coverage can impact public perceptions of issues like sexual assault, rape, and violence against women by emphasizing victims' attributes rather than placing responsibility on the perpetrators. It also addresses how language used in policies and media can obscure the truth or depoliticize important issues. The document prompts reflection on these topics and how imagery and coverage might differently impact various groups in society.
2. 2
• Give the example of a current news story
(bring in a URL, if possible). Explain the text
and subtext of the article.
3. 3
• What does Pozner mean by "corporate
gatekeeper?" Do you believe her when she
says that everything you see in the media is
controlled by six giant corporations? Check
up on her facts.
4. 4
• What is Pozner's point about the "liberal
media?" Do you agree with her? Find a
recent news article to support your
argument.
5. 5
• Answer Pozner's question: Consider media
discussions about rape that emphasize victims'
clothing, sexual history and drinking habits.
• What impact might that have on public
perceptions of sexual assault and who
is responsible for causing—and
preventing—violence against women?
7. 7
• How might the impact of media imagery
shift depending on the gender, race, class,
age, sexual orientation, immigration status
or physical ability of the person engaging
with this media?
8. 8
• The welfare reform bill of 1997 replaced
Aid to Families with Dependent Children
with the new Temporary Aid to Needy
Families. Posner argues that this was an
attack on poor women through the use of
language. Choose one of her examples for
discussion.
9. 9
• Look at the Language of Persuasion page
mentioned by Pozner. Make a short list of
five methods used by propagandists to
obscure the truth.
10. 10
• Pozner tells us that VNR (video news
releases) from corporate advertisers are
included in cable news programs. How does
this affect programming?
11. 11
• What is the problem with pictures,
according to teBrake?
12. 12
• Explain teBrakes comment: Without
context, pictures depoliticize and
dehistoricize the experiences of women.
Violence against women is separated from
power relations and suspended outside of
history. This prevents an analysis of how
these power relations make women
vulnerable and how women respond.
