The Media

Roadmap

Introduction Essay Questions

For Your Viewing Pleasure Links Books Movies

Introduction

Students will be introducted to the variety of mass media and their diverse roles. As purveyors of information, what responsibilities do they have towards government and society? The question of media censorship will be thoroughly considered, with particular reference to Singapore.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Links

• Coming soon - please feel free to suggest an item

Books: Non-Fiction

• Coming soon - please feel free to suggest an item

Books: Fiction

• Coming soon - please feel free to suggest an item

Movies

• Accidental Hero (Stephen Frears)
• All The President's Men (Alan J. Pakula)
• The Big Carnival aka Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder)
• Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet)
• Mad City (Costa-Gavras)
• Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (Mark Achbar & Peter Wintonick)

Essay Questions

• "Self-censorship is the best censorship." To what extent is this true in your country?
• "Censorship is a means of defence against unwholesome values and is therefore justifiable." Do you agree?
• "Most modern advertising is at best deceiving and at worst immoral." Discuss.
• 'The mass media today provide little more than "infotainment".' Do you agree?
• Does the mass media help or undermine the appreciation of the Arts?
• 'The medium is the message.' Do you agree?
• Why are so many heroes drawn from the world of entertainment and sport?
• Should the Internet be controlled? (96 Prelim)
• Is the "Information Superhighway" something to excite or alarm? (94 Promo)
• "Governments didn't build the Internet, they don't own it, and they can't control it; they will have to learn to live with this." What is your view on Internet censorship with reference to your own country? (CT 2002)
• What is the Internet's distinctive role in the field of human communication and information transfer?
• To what extent is freedom of speech desirable?