Media Literacy

 DECODING THE NEWS: IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS… OR DOES IT?

Our news feeds are jammed with stories that incite more than inspire. How can we filter this barrage of headlines, cut the informational clutter, detect half-spun truths, distill facts, and draw conclusions? Join award-winning journalist, author and educator Tim O’Shei for a tour through the media industry. You will discover what it’s like to cover a Trump rally, a prison break, big pop-culture events, hate-group protests and refugees fleeing for – and from – the United States. You will weigh the factors a reporter considers when probing deep societal issues, learn how content decisions are made, and play the role of journalist by actually making those choices and discussing the consequences. Students and teachers will take home strategies for decoding the news and will be empowered with tools to help them utilize facts as the foundation for forming opinions.

Format: Keynote or assembly; can be extended into a hands-on workshop.

Audience: Students grades 4 and up (content is leveled for age appropriateness); staff development workshop; colleges; general audiences