Internet Connection


1			Numerous organizations have been formed for the purpose of providing alternatives to the mainstream mass media. One of them is Paper Tiger Television (http://www.papertiger.org/). Explore this site and become more aware of the ways in which media gatekeeping may be challenged. Read the homepage then click on link "About Us." What is Paper Tiger Television (PTTV), and what do the PTTV programs do? What do you think of the fact that Paper Tiger Television uses the media as a means of reforming the media? How effective would you expect Paper Tiger Television's efforts to be? Click on "About Us" then "Mission" and finally "Links and Resources," and scroll down the list of alternative media sources. With how many of these are you familiar? What does this tell you about the nature of mainstream and alternative media? What do you consider to be the social meaning of mainstream media? Select three TV shows that you watch and "analyze" them in terms of the race/ethnicity of the people on the shows.




2			In China, the mass media are largely government controlled. Browse through the English version of China's leading national newspaper, the People's Daily (http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/), to see how government control affects the paper's news coverage. Look at the headings under "About China" on the left-hand side of the page. Would you expect to see basic factual information about the United States on the Web site of an American newspaper? Why or why not? What is the purpose of posting such information, in your view? Why is there a link to the works of Deng Xiaoping, a former leader of China? Click on the link to "China at a Glance" (under "About China"). Look at the headings and click on some of the links to glance quickly at the information on each topic. Do the headings and articles appear to be trying to evoke a particular mood or a particular slant on China's recent history? Would you expect this in an American newspaper or in documents published by the American government? Go back to the homepage and look over the headlines of the articles under the China link (top left-hand side of the page). Read three articles of your choosing under the China heading. Is the range of topics similar to what you would expect in an American newspaper? To what would you attribute any differences? What is the tone of the articles? Are they objective, upbeat, or negative? Would you expect the same from an American paper?

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