Help Me Prepare My Speech to Local Group

[GiovanniC]

You may have seen an earlier topic where I wrote about a local group of people asking me to come speak to them about some political topic at one of their meetings at a local senior center.

I have decided on a topic: Bias in the Media.

Now I would appreciate any resources you think might be particularly valuable in doing my research for this. I chose the topic because I am fairly familiar with it, but the more sources and facts I can gather, the more effective I'll be.

I'd also appreciate any general pointers you might have regarding the speechwriting or the speech delivery. I've taken some public speaking courses but this is the first time I've ever delivered a speech to a group of people I'm not familiar with.

Thanks!

[GiovanniC]

1. Also, Specific Examples If You Can Think Of Any

Really blatant stuff.

You know, like Fox News: "Is Kerry a Nazi or does he eat the flesh of innocent babies? We'll report, you'll decide."

[Radio-Active]

2. You should read

Eric Alterman's "What Liberal Media"

This is a good source that explains the whole bias issue. You would probably want to counter the claims of a Liberal bias before you start making the claim that the media is actually biased the other way. I would be more interested in a talk like this, if there were visual aids, like a slide show or video segments.

Good luck!

[newyawker99]

5. Hi qcsoapbox!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast

[Renew Deal]

3. This website might be able to help

http://www.mediafordemocracy.us/mfd/homepage.html

[el_gato]

4. Well I suppose your already familiar with most of the main groups

Like FAIR and David Brock's new outfit, but there is that quote
by someone in the CIA about having the media completely controlled. I'll see if I can find it....

[JayS]

6. I'd start by making a list of subjects that I think would interest...

...my audience and then search for stories that show a bias, whether intentional or unintentional, that cover both ends of the spectrum.

Example: If the seniors are mostly from a town whose main employer is an American automobile manufacturer, find articles that discuss the sending of their jobs to some third world country from both the "ain't this great" and "this really sucks" camps.

Example: If the seniors are mostly vets, find some articles where semi-automatic firearms, especially those covered by the AWB, are referred to as automatic weapons, military weapons, or machine guns and/or where their firepower is grossly misstated. Or, if they are Navy, find articles discussing whether or not aircraft carriers are needed anymore. That sort of thing should work.

[Hoping4Change]

7. Definately visit David Brocks website Media Matters

Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. Conservative misinformation is defined as news or commentary presented in the media that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda.

For the first time, Media Matters for America has put in place a system to monitor the media for conservative misinformation – every day, in real time -- in 2004 and beyond.

Media Matters for America’s website — www.mediamatters.org — is the principal vehicle for disseminating research and information through a range of initiatives:



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http://mediamatters.org/etc/about.html



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