INDEX TO THIS EDITION:

• CENTERpieces: news from/about the CML
• RESOURCES: new teaching materials from our largest catalog yet!
• TV TO TAPE: check out the new PBS series on 'Local News'
• CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: links to terrorism/violence websites
• DOWNLOAD THIS!: 2 new resources on video games
• CML's NEW ADDRESS

It's a new era for media literacy in the USA! Over the summer two important events occurred that are propelling the field forward:

1. CML CREATES ALLIANCE WITH MAJOR EDUCATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR

We're pleased to announce a major marketing collaboration with Great Plains National (GPN), one of the country's largest and most respected educational product distributors located at Nebraska ETV at the U. of Nebraska in Lincoln. CML will continue our valuable role in screening, evaluating and publicizing the BEST teaching resources on our website and through our print catalog -new one out soon! GPN will assume all aspects of customer service - inventory, orders, shipping, billing, etc. They will also host the CML website, add a shopping cart program and link CML's resources to national and state educational standards, This new arrangement will free CML's small staff to concentrate once again on publishing/producing NEW materials. Read all the details at Strategic Alliance Links CML To Major U.S. Educational Distributor

2. NATIONAL CONFERENCE CHARTERS NEW ORGANIZATION - JOIN TODAY!

Over 400 media literacy folk gathered in Austin, TX at the end of June for the 2001 National Media Education Conference. For the opening event,, everyone gathered in the ballroom to charter a new professional membership organization: the Alliance for a Media Literate America (AMLA), Three days later, AMLA membership topped 200 and over a dozen special interest caucuses were formed. CML is proud to be a founding organizational member of AMLA and for CML founder Elizabeth Thoman to be on the Board of Directors and a lifetime member. It's not too late to be a founding member yourself! Join before December 31, 2001, and you'll forever have the special distinction of "founding member." Membership is easy and secure on the AMLA website. And while you're there check out the "hi-lites" report on the Austin assembly. http://www.AMLAinfo.org

3. CML'S FELTON SCHOLARS TAKE AWARDS. CONGRATULATIONS!

• Los Angeles filmmaker Brian Murphy, took home a local EMMY award recently for "Tales From a Teen Clinic," a 30-minute documentary on teen sexuality. Brian is a graduate of the CML's Felton Media Literacy Scholars Program and enjoys involving children in making their own videos.

• Psychologist Christine Honeyman, also a Felton graduate, was given an Ambassador of Peace Award from the Orange County Department of Education in California. Christine has conducted hundreds of media literacy workshops for families in Orange County as well as teacher in-services and special classes for children.

WATCH THE MAIL FOR LARGEST CML CATALOG EVER!

Thanks to the new arrangement with Great Plains National, the Center is producing a greatly expanded 36-page catalog of educational products for teaching and learning media literacy. Over 100,000 copies will be off press in a few weeks. Get a "sneak peek" preview of what's coming at: http://www.medialit.org/Catalog/sneakpeak/oct2001.html

• "The Complete War of the Worlds" (the 1938 radio "hoax") along with "And the Crowd Roared" (great sports moments) are two new "sourcebooks," an innovative publishing project that combines a hardbound book with audio CDs bound in the front cover. Each one is a terrific "primary source" reference for middle school up.

• "How to Read a Film" brings this classic college film text to life with movie clips, Internet links, still photos and interviews on DVD.

• "Everything You Need to Teach about Editorial Cartoons" is a terrific multimedia program for grades 5 up!

• "Media Education in 1990's Europe" is a short and sweet summary of Len Masterman's 1986 "bible" of media literacy, "Teaching the Media (which, sadly, is now out of print).

• "Game Over: Gender, Race and Violence in Video Games" is a long overdue video documentary exploring the video game phenomenon.

And keep checking our site as we have another 30 new resources to tell you about!

PBS TO AIR SERIES ON LOCAL NEWS STARTING OCTOBER 9

We think the hot new PBS series this fall will be "Local News"- five one-hour shows that take a look at how local TV news makes decisions about what to cover, or not. Filmed over 10 months in Charlotte, NC, the series touches on race, crime, sexism, politics and the local impact of media mega-mergers. 5 Tuesday nights on PBS beginning October 9. Most stations repeat shows on the weekends. Check the website for more information and a downloadable study guide: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/insidelocalnews/

1. VIOLENCE / TERRORISM: LINKS FOR TEACHERS AND LEADERS

Teachers everywhere are scrambling to find age-appropriate resources to help their students explore the political, social and psychological impacts of the tragic events on Sept. 11. Participants of the media-l list serve have been sharing websites and resources as well as reflecting on the media coverage. Here's just a few of the connections that have been posted.

1. Be sure to check out the Canadian media awareness site where you'll find a major list of curriculum activities and ideas for different age groups by leading media literacy teachers in Canada. http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/med/class/

2. High school teachers will want to go directly to Barry (Duncan)'s Bulletin for October: http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/med/class/multilib/oct2001.htm

3. Classroom Activities "A World At Peace," "Taming Terrorism," "Emergency Preparedness," and "Tolerance in Times of Trial" were created especially for this event. These are found at http://www.pbs.org/americaresponds/educators.html.

4. Mister Rogers A special column for parents, as well as several short streamed video segments about helping children deal with loss and feel safe. These are linked from http://pbskids.org/rogers/parents/sept11.htm

5. Dr. David Walsh: Talking With Children When Disaster Strikes An excellent resource from TPT, linked from the America Responds site. Available directly from http://www.tpt.org/TPTspecial_edition/walsh.html

6. "re:constructions" is an on-line resource from MIT's Program in Comparative Media Studies. It's an excellent source designed to spark discussion and reflection about the media's role in covering the events of 11 September, 2001 and their aftermath. http://web.mit.edu/cms/reconstructions/introduction.html

2. JOIN THE MEDIA-L LIST SERV

If you're not a member of this often fascinating / sometimes frustrating international conversation on media literacy, click below and find out how to get registered. It's free and easy and puts you in direct conversation with media literacy leaders all over the world. Try it! You can always unsubscribe. We recommend the digest version so you only get one e-mail each day. http://www.medialit.org/listserv.htm

3. RUTGERS CONFERENCE SETS RESEARCH AGENDA

A two-day working conference was held last year at Rutgers University with 30 leading media education and public health researchers. Hosted by Bob Kubey, Director of the Center for Media Studies at Rutgers, the conference was charged with charting future directions for research in media literacy and health education. The conference report is now complete and is posted on the following website along with pictures from the conference and a PDF version of the report. Go to: http://www.mediastudies.rutgers.edu/mh_conference/index.html

To go along with "Game Over," the new documentary (above) on video games, here are several links to other nonprofit organizations that have put time and money into downloadable reports and materials that can help you round out your media literacy approach to this complex issue.

1. GIRLS AND GAMING REPORT OFFERS GOOD IDEAS

   "Girls and Gaming: Gender and Video Game Content" is a 6-page report produced by Children Now focusing on the lack of positive video games for girls and the often stereotypical images of women that video games portray. Good analysis plus numerous ideas for positive solutions. It's downloadable at: http://www.childrennow.org/media/medianow/mnwinter2001.html

2. HANDY BOOKLET FOR PARENTS ANSWERS VIDEO GAME QUESTIONS

   The second resource is a12-page pocket/purse sized brochure developed by Seattle-based Mothers Against Violence in America (MAVIA) with a grant from the WA state department of health. "What Games do your Children Play? Become a Video Smart Parent" is not a diatribe against the game industry but explanatory information for parents about the video game phenomenon, content descriptors for the ESRB ratings and practical tips/techniques to help families set their own policies and guidelines about games with children of different ages. You can either order printed copies or download a PDF master and make your own. http://www.mavia.org

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The CENTER FOR MEDIA LITERACY is a non-profit organization established to promote critical thinking about the media and to provide leadership, training and resources for media education in schools, religious and community organizations. In the global media culture of the 21st century, we believe in "empowerment through education" for children, young people and adults.

We rely on tax-deductible grants and individual donations to sustain and expand our work. Thank you for your support.

PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS EFFECTIVE SEPT. 1, 2001: