INDEX TO THIS EDITION:

• CENTERpieces: news from & about the CML
• RESOURCES & CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: exploring the ties between headline news events and recommended teaching resources available through CML
• DOWNLOAD THIS: studies and articles for your interest and professional development
• MEDIA LITERACY AROUND THE WORLD:
• NEW ADDRESS

1. CML RECEIVES ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH CARE GRANT
The Orange County (CA) Health Care Agency has awarded a 1-year grant to the Center for Media Literacy to develop a new smoking cessation program "Smoke Detectors!" Geared toward 10th graders at 4 different Orange County schools, the program will involve 600 students and 20 teachers. CML is happy to announce our collaboration on this project with Jeff Share, an award-winning photojournalist and experienced elementary teacher who received an M.A. in Media Literacy from Vermont College. We welcome Jeff on board as a full-time Center staff member.

2. CML STAFF PARTICIPATES IN PROJECT LOOK SHARP INSTITUTE
CML Founder Elizabeth Thoman along with new staffer Jeff Share traveled to Ithaca, NY to participate in a 4-day Media Literacy Summer Institute offered by Project Look Sharp, a collaboration between Ithaca College and Ithaca area schools. The Institute focuses on helping classroom teachers integrate media literacy into all curriculum areas. Afternoons were spent learning the "i-movie" program and how to design effective power point teaching packages. Congrats to Look Sharp Director Cyndy Scheibe and her talented associates for developing a model working and training program for local teachers.

3. AMLA HOLDS BOARD RETREAT
While in Ithaca, Elizabeth Thoman also participated in the annual planning retreat of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for a Media Literate America(AMLA), the new professional membership association in the US. The board welcomed 6 newly elected members and made plans for next year's National Media Education Conference in Baltimore June 27 - July 1. Tobacco whistle blower Jeffrey Wigand will be the keynote speaker! Also on the agenda - planning support for new members-only special interest caucuses. As school gets underway, teachers involved in media literacy should join AMLA as well as a caucus of your choice. This is a great way to network with specific "communities of interest" under the field's "Big Tent." http://www.amlainfo.org/caucuses.html

4. OVER ONE THOUSAND ORGANIZATIONS LINKED TO CML WEBSITE
Interest and awareness of media literacy by schools, health care agencies and educational institutions is on the rise. Currently 1,202 organizations are now linked to the CML website!

Watch your mailbox for CML's fall catalog with over 40 new books, videos and classroom curriculum -- many of which connect to the following news items.

1. FRONTLINE OFFERS ON-LINE ROOTS OF TERRORISM TEACHER'S GUIDE
With the anniversary of 9/11 just around the corner, there's no better time for a well-balanced, reflective, on-line examination of the "roots of terrorism" for students and educators. Filling this need is FRONTLINE's new website and teacher's guide for grades 9-12 (and older) which provides 9 activities on sensitive, yet important subjects including hatred, terrorism, bin Laden, media and perception, and representation. Thoughtfully written by Faith Rogow, Ph.D. and developed by Simone Bloom Nathan, Ed.M. of Media Education Consultants, the site also contains strategies for discussion (including ground rules for conducting respectful dialogue and avoiding an "us vs. them" mentality). Integrate this timely material into civics, world history, language arts, U.S. History and critical thinking lessons. And watch for CML's fall title, Reel Bad Arabs -- a powerful examination of Hollywood's portrayal of Arabs and great companion to this site. Review the leader's guide now at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/terror/

2. 9/11 RETROSPECTIVES...HOW MUCH IS 'TOO MUCH?'
Regarding planned 9/11 television retrospectives, the key question on network executives' minds seems to be "how much is too much?" A recent AP article describes concern about endlessly repeating the tragic pictures of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Teachers share similar concerns. But the day's tragic events can be analyzed without the accompaniment of violent television images with the latest (2002) edition of We Interrupt This Broadcast. This unique Sourcebook includes 43 news events (including the events of September 11, 2001) in audio CD, text and photographs. Read the AP article at: http://tv.yahoo.com/news/ap/20020813/102924276000.html

3. YOUNG PEOPLE SHOW INCREASED INTEREST IN THE INTERNET
It looks as though yet another medium for advertising to young people is steadily evolving. A mediapost.com article reports that "tweens" (children aged 6 to 11) are prime audiences for online advertisers due to their increased use and affinity for the Internet. Statistics include that 39% spend more than five hours per week and 27% spend more than ten hours per week on-line. http://www.mediapost.com/dtls_dsp_News

And according to a new study commissioned by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, the biggest barrier to using the Internet in schools is a "digital divide" between students' and teachers' knowledge of the medium. This gap leaves students looking for stronger, more engaging Web-based curricula from instructors. Teachers looking for pointers should check out Weaving a Virtual Web collection of 20 essays by educators who actively use the Web with their students. A Student's Guide to the Internet will also be available in the fall catalog. Read the Pew study at: http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp

4. MAYNARD PROJECT EXPLORES BLACK JOURNALISTS' CONTRIBUTIONS
Shedding light on the varied and important contributions of Black journalists, the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education has launched "The Black Journalists Movement," an on-line, oral history project featuring video clip interviews with some of the nation's most well-respected journalists. Each month will provide a different behind-the-scenes look at important events that shaped our nation from the perspectives of these pioneering reporters. The current installment, "How They Got Their Start" features Quicktime interviews with men and women who paved the way for journalists of color including Nancy Maynard, the first Black female to work at a major New York daily newspaper; "60-Minutes'" Ed Bradley; and CNN's Charlayne Hunter Gault. http://www.maynardije.org/programs/history/index/

Offering a different look at journalism, CML's fall catalog will include She Says: Women in News a new video which explores how women journalists with decision-making power are changing the actual agenda of news. And don't forget Color Adjustment, a powerful video examination of racial myths and stereotypes through the lens of prime time television.

1. MEDIA LITERACY IN THE NEWS

An August report by Oregon State University describes a year-long TV literacy study, "REVIEW" (Reducing Early Violence: Education Works) which has shown encouraging results in reducing the violent TV watching habits and behavior of 4th-grade students. The project is particularly noteworthy due to its prolonged investigative measures. Researchers plan to continue work for at least two more years - possibly with first and second grade populations. http://osu.orst.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2002/Aug02/violent.htm

An Independent Weekly online article "Bombarded by Barbie" provides a comprehensive overview of the U.S. media literacy movement from the perspectives of concerned families, teachers, doctors, researchers prominent media literacy educators, experts and organizations including CML, AMLA and the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke. http://indyweek.com/durham/2002-08-14/cover.html

2. NEWS MEDIA DECLINES IN PUBLIC OPINION AND READERSHIP

In a case of bad news for the news industry, results from new Pew Research Center surveys indicate decreased interest and increased skepticism in newspapers and the news media, respectively. Newspapers are steadily declining in readership with people under age 50. Only a quarter of people under 30 and less than a third in their 30's had read a paper the day before taking the survey. http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=159

After having risen sharply after 9/11, faith in the news media has nosedived back to pre-September levels, says an article in the Columbia Journalism Review. A striking finding is that only 49% of those interviewed thought of news organizations as highly professional (down from November's high of 73%). This number is actually lower than before the terrorist strikes. Patriotism, caring about the people they report about, and bias are key issues on which news also showed decreased ratings. However, positive ratings were given for the 'watchdog' role news performs for public leaders and the armed forces. http://www.cjr.org/year/02/4/kohutvoice.asp

It's getting harder and harder to stand by the idea "I'll believe it when I see it." Two recent visual "stunts" highlight the need for media and visual literacy. In a strange turn of events, the Indianapolis Star recently apologized for publishing a photo of a child being vaccinated that the photographer had "staged" while the boy was actually receiving a different medical procedure. And in a separate story, nationalgeographic.com reports that a photograph circulating on the Internet as their "photo of the year" is a hoax. The image of a great white shark leaping out of the water to attack a helicopter isn't even real! It was spliced together by an anonymous person who began distributing the photo via e-mail some time last year. These events remind us of the increasing relevance of Is Seeing Believing? - now back in print and available for purchase. Use this activity-filled resource developed by the Newseum to help students become critical consumers of news photos and TV images. Read the National Geographic story at:
http://nationalgeographic.com
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0815_020815_photooftheyear.html

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

WORKING TOGETHER TO SERVE YOU BETTER

CML will continue to select, evaluate and recommend quality media literacy teaching resources. GPN will provide order fufillment, e-commerce and customer service from their centralized location at Nebraska Educational Telecommunications & University of Nebraska in Lincoln. This new arrangement will make it easier for CML to focus on and nuture the development and production of new materials. For catalog orders and customer service, contact GPN. You will recive your shipment and invoice from GPN.

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