Suggested media topics for presentations related to Chapters 6, 8, 9 and
12 (scheduled for Classes 16 and 20.)
[For media and crime, it would be possible to analyze how crime is portrayed
as news (newspapers and TV news bulletins), or as fiction (movies, TV dramas,
manga). Many of the topics below could allow you to focus on crime. For
example, you could look at the main narratives used in a crime drama.]
Cinema:
1. What are the main narratives that are used in movies? (Make a list,
with examples.) Are the same narratives found in both American and Japanese
movies or are there clear differences? Are the narratives found in movies
similar to those found in other media or different? What reasons might
there be for these characteristics?
2. Look carefully at the first few minutes of any movie. How long does
each shot last before an edit changes it to another shot? What effect do
you think the film editor was trying to achieve? Why? What is the soundtrack?
Does it match the visuals and the way they were edited. (You could compare
the first few minutes of different movies...)
3. Choose a movie star who is often featured in the media. Collect as much
information about him or her as you can from as many different media as
possible (including different parts of the same media, for example different
newspapers or different TV channels) over a period of a week. Is the information
all based on the same story? Do different media report the same story in
different ways? Is the representation positive or negative? Does it encourage
people to watch movies in which the star appears or not?
4. Choose a movie that will soon be released. How is it being promoted?
(You will need to look at trailers in movie theaters, but also at references
to the movie, or to stars appearing in the movie, in newspapers and on
TV.)
TV:
1. What are the main narratives that are used in different types of TV
programmes (for example, news bulletins, documentaries, sports programmes,
quiz shows and dramas? (Make a list, with examples.) What reasons are there
for the narratives that are used? Are particular narratives suited more
to one type of programme than another?
2. Choose a famous TV personality. Collect as much information about him
or her as you can from as many different media as possible (including different
parts of the same media, for example different newspapers or different
TV channels) over a period of a week. Is the information all based on the
same story? Do different media report the same story in different ways?
Is the representation positive or negative? What effect does it have on
the TV personality's career?
Newspapers (includes crime):
1. Look at the front page of several newspapers for the same day. You should
have at least one newspaper from a country other than Japan. (The easiest
non-Japanese newspaper to buy is probably the International Herald Tribune, but the libraries at both Hiyoshi and Mita have non-Japanese newspapers.)
What are the news values behind each story on the front pages (in other
words, why was the story chosen for the front page)? Do all the newspapers
have similar news values? Arte there any stories that are missing (either
from one newspaper, or from all the newspapers)?
2. Choose a controversial news story. Examine how it is treated in a variety
of newspapers. Do all the newspapers cover the story in the same way? (How
much space do they give to it? Are there editorials or comments from experts
as well as straight news articles?) Are the straight news articles objective
or biased? Is the overall coverage balanced?
3. Choose a controversial news story. Examine how it is treated in at least
one newspaper and on at least one TV channel. What differences/similarities
are there between the way in which newspapers and television present and
analyse the news? What are the strong and weak points of the two media
in dealing with important news stories? Is one media more balanced in its
treatment than the other?
Magazines:
Choose two magazines with different audiences. You could choose one magazine
aimed at young men and and one aimed at young women, or one aimed at females
under 20 and one aimed at females over 20, or one aimed at young Japanese
women and one aimed at young American women... Compare the front covers,
and the contents. What are the differences and similarities?
Comics:
1. Choose two comics with different audiences. You could choose one aimed
at children and one aimed at adults, or one aimed a young women and one
aimed at young men. Compare both the illustrations and the story lines.
What are the differences and similarities?
2. If you are feeling quite ambitious, you could look at the popularity of Japanese comics (or animated films) in another country, or at the popularity of a particular Japanese comic/figure outside Japan. As a first presentation, you could perhaps introduce the activities of manga clubs in American universities such as MIT, or analyse why an animation director was chosen as one of Asia's heroes (click on him for more details) by Time in 2006.
Music:
1. Choose a performer or band that is popular at the moment. What information about them is available on the various media? (Is there a connection between the media where they are featured and the media company that they belong to? For example, do they belong to a company that is linked to the television channel where they usually perform?) Judging from the information that you have obtained, why are they popular? Are they targeted at a particular section of the audience? What image are they trying to create, through their music, clothes etc.? How is this image linked to the way in which they are represented by the media? Are there any ways in which they try to attract the attention of the media? How do they influence their fans, for example in terms of fashion?
2. Compare and contrast some music magazines. Who buys them and why? Is
there any clear relationship between the people who are expected to buy
the magazines and the type of advertisements in them? What sort of information
is given in the magazines? Is there a clear link between the contents of
the articles and the advertisements? Are there references to other media
in the magazines? Why, or why not? Is there any link between the ownership
of the magazine and the musicians who are featured? (You could probably
do something similar with television programs about music.
TV News (includes crime):
1. Analyse the media language of several different news bulletins, either
bulletins on the same channel at different times of day, or bulletins on
different channels at the same time of day. Pay attention to the way in
which the bulletins begin and end (including the use of music), the design
of the set, the appearance of the news readers or readers (including their
body language) as well as to the actual items of news. However, you should
also list the news items, their order etc.
2. Choose a controversial news story. Examine how it is treated in at least
one newspaper and on at least one TV channel. What differences/similarities
are there between the way in which newspapers and television present and
analyse the news? What are the strong and weak points of the two media
in dealing with important news stories? Is one media more balanced in its
treatment than the other?