Mass Media and Government

This lesson analyzes the interdependent and often adversarial relationship between the media and the U.S. government. Students will examine the accusations that the media are biased and that the government manipulates the press.

The tensions concerning freedom of the press and other democratic tenets such as national security, fair trials, and criminal justice serve as additional discussion topics.

Students will gain an understanding of:
●The role of a free press in our democracy
●How the media cover wartime activities and how the government and media have manipulated coverage of war news in the past
●The relationship between the media and the president
●The responsibility of the media’s audience in determining the truth

Rights granted with the purchase of DVD include: a) life of media audiovisual use, b) public performance, c) campus or building closed circuit and digital/video-on-demand transmission.

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Ideal for Grades: 9 - 12
Duration: 30 minute episode
Closed Captioned
Producer: 1998 Dallas Telelearning
Series #763