News deconstruction

Lesson 1: To better understand the concept of Sensationalism

Activity

• By now, you should have decided on a natural disaster that happened recently around the world during or after the year 2010.

e.g. East African drought of 2011 Japan Earthquake/ Tsunami of 2011 Tropical Storm in Washi/Philippines of 2011

Activity• Research and record the objective facts that answer

the

WHO is involved? WHAT happened? WHERE did the event/incident take place? WHEN did it happen? WHY and HOW did it happen?

Please cite the sources of your information and images!Copy and paste the URL below.

You have 10 min to do this!

Activity• Find 4 news sources for the event that you have

chosen as a group. • Each member to find a different news source.• If you are in groups of 5, then you will have to find 5

news sources altogether.

• You need to look for both TEXT & IMAGES. And the text and images of each news source must fulfill the following criteria:

1) dealing with destruction and devastation2) dealing with the needs of those suffering after the event calling for help/aid/resources for the immediate and long-term recovery and rebuilding processes, dealing with successful recovery and rebuilding after the event.

Google News

Please put all your news clip in a word document with the sources (URL) stated.

Activity

• Thursday: 1.bring along the stapled worksheets that I have

given you. You will be filling in the news deconstruction chart individually.

2.Print the collated news sources and bring it to class.

• Wednesday! Narrative and Visual Test! (15%)

News deconstruction

Lesson 2: To better understand the concept of Sensationalism

3-steps approach

Step 1: Activity• Complete the Deconstruction Chart for each

source.Objective fact Descriptive

words in the text

Image Elements that support the descriptive text

Source of the Text or Image

Sensational Elements

Effects of the Image and Text on the Audience

State the facts/information.

Quote the descriptive words/phrases used. e.g. “…”

Describe the images used. You can staple your images to this chart at the back,

State the URL and the news company reporting the event.E.g. Channel News Asia

Determine the sensationalism technique used. How did the report sensationalised the event?

How did you feel after reading this news report?

Step 1: Activity• Example: “Money won’t bring my sister back”

by The New Paper - WhoObjective fact Descriptive

words in the text

Image Elements that support the descriptive text

Source of the Text or Image

Sensational Elements

Effects of the Image and Text on the Audience

Madam Chan Ah Yong, 66

“heartbraking task”, “grim news”- adjectives that describes the natural disaster

Various images of bus accidents, blown up picture of Madam Chan, picture of daughter crying.

The New Paper

Emotional appeal- why she is in Singapore, her daily routine, holiday plans.

You feel sad and the family’s pain and lost.

Step 2: Activity• You need to compare all your sources to determine:1. Which ones were more sensational and why they

were? (differences in portrayal)2. What was deemed “newsworthy” 3. Why this event was newsworthy4. What elements in the stories were considered

important enough for several news sources to report. (similarities)

5. Whether there was any news about recovery and rebuilding following the event, and how difficult it was to find this information.

As a group, write the questions and answers on a new piece of paper.

Please staple everything in order. The news sources followed by the deconstruction chart for each news source followed by the answers for these questions.

Step 3: Activity

• Are there any information that has been left out from your news article but is apparent in your group mates’ article?

• Each student should identify at least one missing element in her story.

HOMEWORK (Reflection n presentation)

• PACC• Looking at your group’s deconstruction chart, answer

these questions:1. The purpose of the media representations of the event2. Who the different audiences were for the media

representations of the event3. The effects of the media representations of the event

on the different audiences4. Any ethical or moral concerns you think there might be

regarding the media.

Copy these down!

Present your presentation in the form of a PowerPoint and present it in class to your classmates as a group. Print a handout of your slides for me to mark and assess.

Bring 2 newspaper from the same day. The Straits Times and The New Paper for the next few lessons.