BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE LOCAL NEWS
C A
A lot of hard-won, time-crunching, stress-laden work goes into the nightly production of the local news. This tape candidly shows the closely-timed process of collecting, prioritizing, editing, and producing news stories. We see a reporter follow an officer around a crime scene, then apply her lipstick before a shoot. We see a cameraman review his footage in a van. And a producer drawing the icons that will appear beside the anchors' heads for each story. All of this activity leads up to the full finished broadcast. Because there is no narration, this video leaves this process up for interpretation. What factors determine which stories are chosen? What effect do time constraints have on the substance of the news? The local news will never look the same. The video is accompanied by a book. 2 hours /

BEYOND BLAME: CHALLENGING VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA
A P
Does TV cause violence? What’s the difference between violence as a natural part of drama and the violence in video games and action films? Senators, kids, actors, and activists weigh in with their opinions. This kit, prepared by the Center for Media Literacy, helps viewers explore the thorny question of media violence and its implications for the health of children. The kit contains full instructions for conducting a 90-minute town hall or school meeting on this important topic, as well as a companion video edited to jive with the meeting plan. 30 mins / 1995

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS
A
Can teachers use cable television to teach effectively? Yes, answers this video. The video and accompanying Resource Guide, produced by Time Warner Cable, gives plenty of examples of real world teachers who use Nickelodeon, the History Channel, and the Discovery Channel to teach social studies, vocabulary, science, and arts. The video helps viewers realize that media in the classroom—video and internet--is not just filler, but an opportunity to analyze the images themselves, as well as their content. 13 mins / 1997

CONSUMING IMAGES
H C A P
CONSUMING IMAGES looks at a society inundated with visual images. Ever since the pioneers of public relations and advertising spoke of the "engineering of consent," social critics have analyzed its effects. For some, it reveals pure manipulation--the appropriation of language and meaning, the trivialization of life and thought. For others, it is the dawning of a new post-literate era, when the printed word is dead and art and commerce are now joined in sophisticated ways. For social observers like Stuart Ewen (All Consuming Images) and Neil Postman (Amusing Ourselves to Death), who are interviewed in the program, these mass-produced images are created to sell. "The truth is that which sells; if people buy it, it's right" is the advertising ethic that now possesses politics as well as journalism. Americans are increasingly at the mercy of someone else's fiction, making a democracy where consumers supplant citizens. CONSUMING IMAGES is a penetrating look at media and society. 58 mins / 1989

CURRENT EVENTS
C A P
Unspeakable things occur daily in the world, but for most of us, they are like electronic interference on the screens of our personal lives. This lyrical, reflective film diary looks at a citizenry overwhelmed and benumbed by a ceaseless stream of media images. CURRENT EVENTS asks how a decent person can take the step from concern to action. Directed by Ralph Arlyck. "A deeply personal, funny and moving work...How the treatment of such a huge and hopeless problem can alternate between humor and memorable deep thoughts is a tribute to Arlyck’s genius."--The Post Newspapers, San Francisco. 56 mins / 1991

DOES TV KILL?
M H C A
This PBS FRONTLINE program outlines scientific research conducted to determine whether TV viewing correlates to more aggressive behavior in children. Through interviews with sociologists and psychologists and the use of a survelliance cameras placed in the homes of several families, some explanations are uncovered. 89 mins / 1994

DREAMWORLDS
C A
This video draws a parallel between the music videos and sexism. Using footage from videos that showcase women as sexual objects, the narrator asks hard questions about popular culture's treatment of women, how they influence out ideas of masculinity and femininity, and their implications for real-life nightmares such as rape and abuse. For college age and up. 60 mins / 1993

ILLUSIONS OF NEWS
H C A P
This program examines the impact of the visual image on news and politics in the electing of presidents and the governing of America. After the 1988 election, the General Accounting Office released a major study of issues facing the country, and not one had been seriously discussed during the presidential campaign. Many Americans then realized the growing separation between politics and government. ILLUSIONS OF NEWS looks at changing values and prerogative in journalism, including the corporate monopolization of the media and the use of pictures over ideas in television news. 58 mins / 1989

IN SEARCH OF THE EDGE
M H C
IN SEARCH OF THE EDGE is a comprehensive documentary film, proving fairly conclusively that the earth is flat. At once absurdist and matter-of-fact, it presents a carefully constructed argument for a flat earth, using all the tools of filmmaking--interviews with "experts," attributed footage and quotes, and scientific "evidence." As our senses are dulled by a daily barrage of media information, we tend to accept ideas at face value. But all news is simply an interpretation of facts, and media consumers need practice in critical thinking. With only subtle hints of silliness, IN SEARCH OF THE EDGE challenges viewers to be on guard. Comes with study guide. 25 mins / 1991

THE IRAQ CAMPAIGN
M H C A P
THE IRAQ CAMPAIGN is a satiric video commentary on the Gulf War and media coverage of it, using re-edited image and sound from television and film. With ironic, caustic juxtapositions, filmmaker Phil Patiris likens Desert Storm to other popular American spectacles--from the Star Wars trilogy to the Super Bowl. The evening news is portrayed as a cheerleading squad for the war itself, churning out heroic images of brave soldiers and dramatizing the war to the hilt. Corporate America, portraying itself as "bringing good things to life," turns out to be profiting from war activity. And pop singer Whitney Houston's rousing rendition of the National Anthem at a football game is dwarfed by the shrieking sounds of fighter jets. These and other ironies comprise this funny yet scary montage designed to turn manufactured patriotism on its head. Excellent for introducing students to the concept of media literacy. 19 mins / 1992

THE KILLING SCREENS: MEDIA AND THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE
C A P
Why are popular television and films filled with images of death and destruction? Perhaps because violence is universal, while humor is specific to a culture, says Dr. George Gerbner, communications scholar. This video demystifies the reasons for and projected consequences of violent media imagery. Gerbner explains how corporations produce media for mass consumption and global export, reaping large profits. He also talks about the sociological impact of repeated viewing of violence: the danger of violence in a comic context, how certain people are most often portrayed as victims, and how these images effect our conception of the real world. Discretion is advised, as examples of violent media are used. 38 mins / 1994

KNOW TV
M H
KNOW TV is a booklet-and-video combination that offers strategies for analyzing television. Developed by expert Renee Hobbs, the booklet contains a complete unit with ten curriculum links, including "Spotting the Motive" and "When is a Commercial not a Commercial?" The video features clips that correspond with the curriculum links. Excellent for the educator who is new to media literacy. Intended for grades 6-12. 32 mins / 1994

PATENTLY OFFENSIVE: PORN UNDER SIEGE
C A
VCRs, computers, and other new technologies have catapulted pornography into a $10 billion industry. Despite sustained attacks from radical feminists and groups concerned about the moral environment, porn profits soar. This film examines pornography in its social and historical context. As a dominant force in popular entertainment, porn has redefined the image culture. Its iconography has been copped by music videos, Hollywood, and advertising: the most powerful socializing agents in contemporary life. Is the tension between freedom of expression and the preservation of values which define a civilized society irreconcilable? The debate about pornography engages many major issues of this era: censorship, feminist theory, family values, individual rights. PATENTLY OFFENSIVE contains riveting interviews with principals on all sides of the porn war. Contains adult material; preview recommended. 58 mins / 1991

SPIN
M H C A P
SPIN is a politically incorrect look at politicians and journalists at their most vain. Using raw footage direct from satellites, filmmaker Bryan Springer shows us glimpses of Jerry Brown getting an application of pancake makeup, Larry King and George Bush talking about the temptation of prescription drugs, and Katie Couric ridiculing a Native American guest. The point is not to show these figures in the worst light--but to prove how theatrics shape our politics and news, and to encourage the viewer to ask what spin has been applied to media events. 57 mins / 1995

STRANGERS AND KIN
H C A P
STRANGERS AND KIN: A HISTORY OF THE HILLBILLY IMAGE combines Hollywood images of Appalachia, dramatizations by Appalachian actors and storytellers of outsiders’ writings about the people of Appalachia, network news reports and interviews with those living in the region to present a documentary history of the stereotypes associated with mountain people. "There’s not a TV watcher or movie fan who won’t be surprised by this lively and meaningful presentation on stereotypes that we thought we had discarded 20 years ago."--Peter Wood, Professor of History and Film, Duke University. 58 mins / 1984

TABLOID FRENZY
H C A P
Public interest in the secrets and scandals of TV and movie stars fuels the billion dollar business of tabloid journalism. Twenty million readers each week turn to The National Enquirer, The Star, and The Globe for schmaltz and dirt. This timely documentary goes behind the scenes to chronicle the daily activities of tabloid writers, editors, and photographers, revealing their working methods and journalistic philosophy. Witness a valet who gets $50 for a piece of info on Roseanne's whereabouts and a kamikaze paparazzi who will stop at nothing to photograph Alan Thicke's wedding. An ironic and enlightening film. 46 mins / 1994

WHAT MAKES NEWS? EXPLORING WORLD MEDIA ISSUES
H C A P
An ambassador from the fictional African nation of Zimba comes face to face with a Los Angeles TV station owner in this unique role-play debate about first world media representation of third world issues. Questions raised include: why are Western citizens so privy to images of African famine and depravation? Is the American press "free" at the expense of other nations? Does the media ever really educate consumers? The video will make viewers more sensitive to the power the media holds, and to the perspective of non-Western peoples. Accompanied by a leader's guide with material for building a complete program or study unit around this subject. Produced by the Center for Media Literacy in San Francisco, this kit covers the global context of media issues. 20 mins / 1993

Indiana Humanities Council
1500 North Delaware Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317.638.1500 or 800.675.8897
ihciupui.edu